Transistor structure with thermal protection
US6836174B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 17, 2003 |
| Grant date | Dec 28, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 17, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K2017/0806
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A new transistor structure with thermal protection is provided. A type of the new transistor structure of the present invention includes a main depletion-mode NMOSFET and a control PMOSFET, with the drain terminal of the control PMOSFET connected to the gate terminal of the main NMOSFET and the gate terminal of the control PMOSFET connected to a thermal protection unit. The two-MOSFET structure as a whole emulates a normal NMOSFET. The source terminal of the control PMOSFET that's not connected to the gate terminal of the main NMOSFET acts as the gate terminal of the new transistor structure, and the drain and source terminals of the new transistor structure are the drain and source terminals of the main NMOSFET. The thermal protection unit prevents thermal failures of the MOSFETs of the new transistor structure by sensing heat, terminating current through and switching the two MOSFETs.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.