Leakage current protection circuit

• US 7,768,756 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Bacha, Anys, Huang, Wei-Han
• Primary Examiner(s): DeBeradinis; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAUER, SCOTT ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US11/741,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20080265682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 361/93, 361/92, 307/80, 307/64, 307/66
• US Class Current: 361/92
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/068 Electronic means for switching from one power supply to another power supply, e.g. to avoid parallel connection

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for substantially mitigating leakage current. One embodiment includes an integrated circuit (IC). The IC comprises a monitoring circuit configured to control switching of one of a first voltage source and a second voltage source to an output. The IC also comprises a leakage current protection circuit configured to substantially mitigate leakage current flow between the first voltage source and the second voltage source due to an undershoot condition caused by the switching between the first and second voltage sources to the output.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:

a first transistor configured to couple a first voltage source from a first node of the first transistor to a second node of the first transistor;

a second transistor configured to couple a second voltage source from a first node of the second transistor to a second node of the second transistor;

a monitoring circuit configured to control the first and second transistors to control switching of one of the first voltage source and the second voltage source to an output; and

a leakage current protection circuit configured to substantially mitigate leakage current flow between the first voltage source and the output second voltage due to an undershoot condition at the first voltage source,

wherein the leakage current protection circuit comprises a third transistor controlled by the monitoring circuit, the third transistor configured to switch the first node of the first transistor to a fixed voltage potential upon the second voltage source being switched to the output, wherein the third transistor is coupled between the fixed voltage potential and the first node of the first transistor.

2. The IC of claim 1, wherein the third transistor is configured as a P-type transistor that is activated by a control signal output from the monitoring circuit, the control signal having a voltage that is less than the voltage potential to which the first voltage source is switched.

3. The IC of claim 1, wherein the leakage current protection circuit further comprises a diode interconnected between the first node of the first transistor and the first voltage source, the diode being configured to substantially prevent a current flow from the fixed voltage potential of the first voltage source.

4. The IC of claim 3, wherein the diode comprises a diode-coupled transistor.

5. The IC of claim 1, wherein the leakage current protection circuit comprises a diode having an anode coupled to the first voltage source and a cathode coupled to the output through the first transistor, the diode being configured to substantially prevent current flow from the output to the first voltage source upon occurrence of the undershoot condition.

6. The IC of claim 5, wherein the diode comprises a diode-coupled transistor.

7. The IC of claim 1, wherein the first voltage source is a power supply and the second voltage source comprises a battery.

8. The IC of claim 1, further comprising a current limiting resistor configured to limit an amount of current provided from the second voltage source to the output.

9. The IC of claim 1, wherein the monitoring circuit comprises:

a comparator configured to compare relative magnitudes of the first voltage source and the second voltage source; and

an inverter having an input connected to an output of the comparator, wherein the output of the comparator is further connected to a gate of one of the first and second transistors, and an output of the inverter is connected to a gate of the other one of the first and second transistors.

10. The IC of claim 1, wherein the first node of the first transistor is a drain or source of the first transistor.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a comparator configured to compare relative magnitudes of a power supply voltage and a battery voltage, the comparator configured to output a first output state if the power supply voltage is greater than the battery voltage and to output a second output state if the battery voltage is greater than the power supply voltage;

a first switch configured to couple the power supply voltage to an output in response to the first output state of the comparator and decouple the power supply voltage from the output in response to the second output state of the comparator, wherein the power supply voltage is coupled from a first node of the switch to a second node of the switch for provision to the output;

a second switch configured to couple the battery voltage to the output in response to the second output state of the comparator and decouple the battery voltage from the output in response to the first output state of the comparator; and

a leakage current protection circuit configured to substantially prevent a breakdown condition of the first switch upon an undershoot condition caused by the battery voltage being switched to the output and the power supply voltage being decoupled from the output,

wherein the leakage current protection circuit comprises a third switch controlled by the comparator, the third switch configured to switch the first node of the first switch to a fixed voltage potential upon the battery voltage being switched to the output, wherein the first node of the first switch is switched to the fixed voltage potential through the third switch.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the third switch is configured as a P-type transistor that is activated substantially concurrently with the second switch.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the leakage current protection circuit further comprises a diode interconnected between the first node of the first switch and the power supply voltage, the diode being configured to prevent a current flow from the fixed voltage potential to a power supply from which the power supply voltage is provided.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the diode comprises a diode-coupled transistor.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the leakage current protection circuit comprises a diode having an anode coupled to the power supply voltage and a cathode coupled to the output through the first switch, the diode being configured to substantially prevent a current flow from the output to a power supply from which the power supply voltage is provided upon occurrence of the undershoot condition.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the diode comprises a diode-coupled transistor.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first switch includes a first transistor, and wherein the first node of the first switch is a drain or source of the first transistor.

18. A method comprising:

switching, through a first switch, a first voltage source to an output upon the first voltage source being greater than a second voltage source, wherein the first voltage source is coupled from a first node of the first switch to a second node of the first switch for provision to the output;

switching, through a second switch, the second voltage source to an output upon the second voltage source being greater than the first voltage source, wherein the first switch and second switch are controlled by a monitoring circuit that compares the first voltage source to the second voltage source;

holding the first node of the first switch at a fixed voltage potential upon the second voltage source being switched to the output, wherein the first node of the first switch is held at the fixed voltage potential by a third switch coupled between the fixed voltage potential and the first node of the first switch, and wherein the third switch is controlled by the monitoring circuit; and

substantially mitigating current flow from the fixed voltage potential to the first voltage source.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein holding the first node of the first switch at the fixed voltage potential substantially prevents a breakdown condition of the first switch.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first switch includes a first transistor, and wherein the first node of the first switch is a drain or source of the first transistor.