Patent · US Expired

Voltage tolerant circuit for protecting an input buffer

US6924687B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
5References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 29, 2003
Grant dateAug 2, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 29, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K19/00315
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An invention is disclosed for protecting an input buffer. A current from a p-supply to an input buffer is lowered when an input voltage to the input buffer is tolerant HIGH. The p-supply being a VDD voltage supplied to a p-channel transistor in the input buffer. In addition, the p-supply is set to a particular voltage when the input voltage to the input buffer is LOW, the particular voltage being at a specific value such that input transistors within the input buffer do not experience overstress voltages. Optionally, p-supply can be prevented from supplying current to the input buffer when an input voltage to the input buffer is tolerant HIGH.

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