Dual mode negative voltage switching
US7570466B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 1, 2005 |
| Grant date | Aug 4, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 24, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K17/102
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A negative switch may enable switching of two different negative voltages. The switch may include a negative cascode bias generator which biases the gate of a cascade protection device. When the negative switch is passing a large negative voltage, the bias generator generates a lowered voltage to provide a cascade voltage for snapback protection of a passing transistor. When a relatively low negative voltage is to be switched, the bias generator may produce a positive voltage greater than the threshold voltage of the cascode protection device so that both high and low negative voltages may be switched by the same circuit without exposing the passing device to a voltage in excess of its snapback limit.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.