Current limiter and method for limiting current
US4709171A · kind A · utility
7Cited by
2References
4Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 27, 1982 |
| Grant date | Nov 24, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 27, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03F1/52
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A circuit and method for limiting the current through a transistor that is driven from a preceding amplifier stage. The circuit comprises an additional transistor having the base and emitter thereof connected to the base and emitter of the transistor whose current is to be limited. A current source is supplied to the collector of the additional transistor which transistor becomes saturated when a limiting threshold is reached as the magnitude of the drive current supplied to the bases of the two transistors exceeds a value wherein the current source can not supply the collector current required by the additional transistor.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.