Patent · US Expired

Interface module with protection circuit and method of protecting an interface

US6167321A · kind A · utility

3Cited by
11References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 25, 1998
Grant dateDec 26, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 25, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F13/4077
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An interface module for a communications system includes a processing device and a peripheral device which are interconnected through a communications bus. The interface module includes a transceiver interface and a protection circuit. The protection circuit is positioned between the transceiver interface and a port configured to receive a signal from a terminal of the communications bus. The protection circuit is further configured to automatically provide a protection voltage to the transceiver interface if a power supply for the transceiver interface is inactive. The protection voltage is derived from the signal received at the terminal.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.