Semiconductor device providing overvoltage and overcurrent protection for a line
US6407901B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 8, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jun 18, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 8, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10D18/80
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An integrated circuit (40) providing overvoltage and overcurrent protection to a line (16). The integrated circuit (40) is constructed to provide overvoltage protection when a voltage exceeding a specified magnitude is impressed across the cathode and anode terminals (64, 66), irrespective of the gate-cathode current. A gate terminal (72) is provided to trigger the overvoltage protection device into conduction when a gate current exceeding a predefined value is carried on the line (16). The gate-cathode structure of the integrated circuit (40) includes a semiconductor resistance (74) which functions to make the gate current required for turn on higher, thereby allowing the gate-cathode terminals (64, 72) of the integrated circuit (40) too be connected in series with the line (16) to be protected.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.