OVER-VOLTAGE PROTECTION FOR POWER AND DATA APPLICATIONS

• US 20080265984A1
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AMI Semiconductor Belgium BVBA (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Inventors: Bertin, Jacques, D'Haeze, Luc
• Granted Patent: US 8,582,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/540
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/305 in the event of power-supply fluctuations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1305 Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/025 Current limitation using field effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/04 responsive to excess voltage lightning arrestors H01C7/12, H01C8/04, H01G9/18, H01T
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/046 responsive to excess voltage appearing at terminals of integrated circuits protection by specific structural integration design H01L27/0248

Abstract

A power supply device is described comprising a DC voltage supply, a power section connected to the DC supply for supplying DC power from the DC voltage supply to first and second outlet ports for connection to a remote device via a cable connection, a voltage boosting circuit for generating a voltage above that of the DC supply, an energy absorbing circuit connected between an output of the voltage boosting circuit and a ground potential, and a diode connection means between the first outlet port and the energy absorbing circuit. The major components of the power supply device may be implemented as an integrated circuit.

Claims

1. A power supply device comprising:

a DC voltage supply,

a power section connected to the DC supply for supplying DC power at a first DC voltage (VDD) from the DC voltage supply to first and second outlet ports for connection to a remote device via a cable connection,

an energy absorbing circuit connected between a second DC voltage (VDD2) and a ground potential, and

a diode connection means between the first outlet port and the second DC voltage (VDD2).

2. The power supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a voltage boosting circuit for generating the second DC voltage above that of the first DC voltage.

3. The power supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a mixed signal control section.

4. The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the power section includes a power switch and a current sensing device.

5. The power supply device according to claim 4, wherein the power switch is adapted to control the amount of current supplied to the first and second outlet ports based on an output from the current sensing device.

6. The power supply device according to claim 1 wherein the electric energy absorbing circuit includes a shorter term energy absorbing means and a longer term energy absorbing means.

7. The power supply device according to claim 6, wherein the shorter term energy absorbing means and/or the longer term energy absorbing means includes a capacitor.

8. The power supply device according to claim 7, wherein the shorter term energy absorbing means includes a first capacitor and the longer term energy absorbing means includes a second capacitor, the first and second capacitors are connected in parallel.

9. The power supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a diode connected between the first outlet and ground.

10. The power supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a diode connected between the output of the second DC voltage and the second outlet.

11. An electronic component comprising:

an input for connection to a DC supply,

a power section connected to the DC supply for supplying DC power at a first DC voltage (VDD) from the DC voltage supply to first and second outlet ports for connection to a remote device via a cable connection,

a voltage generating circuit for generating a second DC voltage (VDD2) equal or above that of the first DC voltage, connections for connecting to an external energy absorbing circuit to be connected between a voltage output of the voltage generating circuit and a ground potential, and a diode connection means between the first outlet port and the second DC voltage (VDD2)t.

12. The electronic component according to claim 11, further comprising a mixed signal control section.

13. The electronic component according to claim 11, wherein the power section includes a power switch and a current sensing device.

14. The electronic component according to claim 13, wherein the power switch is adapted to control the amount of current supplied to the first and second outlet ports based on an output from the current sensing device.

15. The electronic component according to claim 11, further comprising a diode connected between the first outlet port and ground.

16. The electronic component according to claim 11, further comprising a diode connected between the voltage output of the voltage generating circuit and the second outlet.

17. A method of operating a power supply device comprising:

supplying DC power at a first DC voltage to first and second outlet ports of the power supply device for connection to a remote device via a cable connection,

generating a second DC voltage equal to or above that of the first DC voltage;

absorbing electric energy in an electric energy absorbing circuit connected between an output of the generated second DC voltage and a ground potential; and

diverting current to the electric energy absorbing circuit if the voltage on the first outlet exceeds the second DC voltage.