Protection and voltage monitoring circuit
US7480126B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 27, 2005 |
| Grant date | Jan 20, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 23, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K17/6874
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A protection and voltage monitoring circuit that may provide the functionality of a diode without the typical large voltage drop and power dissipation. The protection and voltage monitoring circuit may include a first MOSFET, a second MOSFET, a first resistor, an input terminal, an output terminal, a diode, a BJT current source, and a voltage monitoring circuit. The BJT current source may limit a gate-to-source voltage of the two MOSFETs to a predetermined voltage that is less than a maximum allowed voltage by controlling a current flow through the first resistor to prevent damage to the MOSFETs. The voltage monitoring circuit may determine whether an external voltage is within an allowable range of voltages. If the external voltage is outside the predetermined voltage range, the voltage monitoring circuit turns off the BJT current source to block the external voltage from the output terminal of the protection and voltage monitoring circuit.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.