Electrostatic discharge protection for a magnetoresistive sensor
US8908334B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 7, 2013 |
| Grant date | Dec 9, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 7, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10D89/811
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A magneto-resistive (MR) sensor protection circuit is disclosed, for the protection of an MR sensor. The MR sensor may have a safe operating voltage range, a normal operating voltage range within the safe operating voltage range, and two terminals coupled to a read channel circuit, including a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The MR sensor protection circuit may have positive and negative protection threshold voltage ranges. The MR sensor protection circuit may also have a plurality of N-channel field-effect transistors (NFETs) that are coupled to the positive terminal and to the negative terminal, and configured to, in response to a voltage between the two terminals being within either the positive or the negative protection threshold voltage range, limit the voltage between the terminals by shunting current between the positive terminal and the negative terminal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.