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Active overload detection and protection circuit for implantable cardiac therapy devices

  • US 5,968,083 A
  • Filed: 11/12/1997
  • Issued: 10/19/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A circuit for protecting a host device from potential damage due to high voltage transients applied to an I/O node thereof, comprising:

  • an I/O circuit coupled to the I/O node, the I/O circuit having low-impedance and high-impedance modes;

    a current overload detection circuit coupled to the I/O circuit which detects a current overload condition induced by a high voltage transient applied to the I/O node, and which generates an overload detect signal in response to detecting a current overload condition;

    a mode changing circuit which changes the mode of the I/O circuit from the low-impedance mode to the high-impedance mode in response to the overload detect signal; and

    a reset circuit which generates a reset signal a prescribed time after the overload detect signal is generated, wherein the mode changing circuit is responsive to the reset signal to change the mode of the I/O circuit from the high-impedance mode to the low-impedance mode.

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