System and method for breakdown protection for switching output driver
US9294081B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 28, 2014 |
| Grant date | Mar 22, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 27, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K17/6872
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An integrated circuit device includes a driver circuit (100) having a pull-up network with a first pull-up transistor (108) coupled to a second pull-up transistor (110) at a first node (VP), and a pull-down network coupled to the pull-up network including a first pull-down transistor (112) coupled to a second pull-down transistor (114) at a second node (VN). A first bias switch (116) is coupled to the first node. A second bias switch (118) is coupled to the second node. A control circuit (104) is coupled to operate the first and second bias switches. The first bias switch is operated to reduce a voltage at the first node during a pull-down cycle of the driver circuit and the second bias switch is operated to reduce a voltage at the second node during a pull-up cycle of the driver circuit.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.