The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 23, 2016
Filed:
Aug. 26, 2014
National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, TW;
Ming-Dou Ker, Hsinchu County, TW;
Hui-Wen Tsai, Kaohsiung, TW;
National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, TW;
Abstract
An active guard ring structure is provided, which is applicable to improving latch-up immunity during the latch-up current test (I-test). The proposed active guard ring structure comprises an I/O circuit and an active protection circuit, wherein the I/O circuit receives a trigger current via an input pad and generates a corresponding bulk current since being triggered. The active protection circuit, connected between the I/O circuit and a core circuit, detects whether the trigger current is a positive or negative current pulse. When an intensity of the trigger current is larger than a threshold value, the active protection circuit controls the I/O circuit to provide a sink or compensation current so as to neutralize the bulk current and to reduce the net current flowing into or sourced from the core circuit, thereby increasing the latch-up resistance and immunity of the core circuit.