Voltage tolerant interface circuit
US11201616B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 27, 2020 |
| Grant date | Dec 14, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 27, 2040 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K5/2481
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A voltage tolerant interface circuit includes an input terminal and one or more low-voltage transistors for generating an output from the voltage tolerant interface circuit based on a voltage received at the input terminal. The voltage tolerant interface circuit also includes a blocking transistor coupled between a control terminal of at least one low-voltage transistor and the input terminal. In some implementations, the blocking transistor is configured to protect the control terminal of the low-voltage transistor by blocking the voltage received at the input terminal when the voltage exceeds a voltage tolerance of the low-voltage transistor. In other implementations, the low-voltage transistor receives a supply voltage higher than the voltage tolerance of the low-voltage transistor. In that implementation, the blocking transistor is configured to protect the control terminal of the low-voltage transistor by blocking the voltage received at the input terminal when the voltage is below a predetermined threshold.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.