METHOD FOR PROVIDING OVER-VOLTAGE PROTECTION AND CIRCUIT THEREFOR
First Claim
1. A bi-directional over-voltage protection circuit, comprising:
- a regulator having an input and an output;
a lockout circuit having first and second inputs and an output, the first input of the lockout circuit coupled to the input of the regulator and coupled for receiving an input signal;
a first control circuit having first and second inputs and first and second outputs, the first input coupled to the output of the regulator and the second input coupled to the output of the lockout circuit;
a second control circuit having first and second inputs and an output, the first input coupled for receiving a control signal and the output coupled to the first input of the first control circuit;
a first transistor having a control electrode and first and second current carrying electrodes, the first current carrying electrode coupled for receiving the input signal and the control electrode coupled to the first output of the first control circuit; and
a second transistor having a control electrode and first and second current carrying electrodes, the control electrode coupled to the second output of the first control circuit, the first current carrying electrode of the second transistor coupled to the second current carrying electrode of the first transistor, the second current carrying electrode of the second transistor coupled to the second input of the second control circuit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bi-directional over-voltage protection circuit and a method for blocking current flow therein. The bi-directional over-voltage protection circuit comprises a regulator coupled to a lockout circuit, wherein the regulator and the lockout circuit are coupled for receiving an input signal and are coupled to a charging control circuit. A reverse path control circuit has an input coupled for receiving a control signal and an output coupled to the charging control circuit. A multi-transistor switching circuit is coupled to the forward control circuit. Preferably, the gate of each n-channel MOSFET is coupled to the charging control circuit, the drains are coupled together, and the source of one of the n-channel MOSFETS is coupled to an input and the source of the other n-channel MOSFET is coupled to an output of the bi-directional over-voltage protection circuit.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A bi-directional over-voltage protection circuit, comprising:
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a regulator having an input and an output; a lockout circuit having first and second inputs and an output, the first input of the lockout circuit coupled to the input of the regulator and coupled for receiving an input signal; a first control circuit having first and second inputs and first and second outputs, the first input coupled to the output of the regulator and the second input coupled to the output of the lockout circuit; a second control circuit having first and second inputs and an output, the first input coupled for receiving a control signal and the output coupled to the first input of the first control circuit; a first transistor having a control electrode and first and second current carrying electrodes, the first current carrying electrode coupled for receiving the input signal and the control electrode coupled to the first output of the first control circuit; and a second transistor having a control electrode and first and second current carrying electrodes, the control electrode coupled to the second output of the first control circuit, the first current carrying electrode of the second transistor coupled to the second current carrying electrode of the first transistor, the second current carrying electrode of the second transistor coupled to the second input of the second control circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A bi-directional over-voltage protection circuit, comprising:
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a forward multi-transistor switching control circuit capable of regulating an input voltage, the forward multi-transistor switching control circuit having first and second inputs and first and second outputs, the first input coupled for receiving the input voltage; a reverse multi-transistor switching control circuit having first and second inputs and an output, the output coupled to the forward multi-transistor switching control circuit; and a multi-transistor switching circuit having first and second inputs and first and second current carrying electrodes, the first and second inputs coupled to the first and second outputs of the forward multi-transistor switching control circuit, respectively, and the first current carrying electrode coupled for receiving the input voltage. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for blocking current flow in an over-voltage protection circuit, comprising:
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providing an input signal at a first node; generating a first current that flows through the first node in response to the input signal, wherein the first current flows from the first node to a second node in response to a first control signal; blocking the first current from flowing to the second node in response to a second control signal; and generating a second current that flows through the second node in response to the second control signal, wherein the second current flows from the second node to the first node. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification