Semiconductor integrated circuit
First Claim
1. A semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising:
- a plurality of terminals including at least three terminals forming neighboring pairs of terminals;
a plurality of switching devices arranged such that there is one switching device connected directly between each neighboring pair of terminals;
a battery voltage detection control circuit that detects a voltage between the terminals of each neighboring pair of terminals, wherein in response to the battery voltage detection control circuit detecting that a voltage across a first neighboring pair of terminals is higher than the voltage across a second neighboring pair of terminals, the battery voltage detection control circuit activates the switching device between the first neighboring pair of terminals to reduce the voltage at the first neighboring pair of terminals by discharging the voltage across the pair of terminals;
a plurality of first overvoltage protection devices connected in series, each overvoltage protection device being connected between a corresponding neighboring pair of terminals and protecting a corresponding one of the switching devices from an overvoltage applied between the corresponding neighboring pair of the terminals, wherein each overvoltage protection device is a N-type MOS transistor having a gate and a source connected to each other;
a plurality of second overvoltage protection devices, each of the second overvoltage protection devices being connected between every other terminal; and
a plurality of third overvoltage protection devices or circuits, each of the third overvoltage protection devices or circuits being connected to terminals that are not connected to the plurality of second overvoltage protection devices.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A circuit device connected between a neighboring pair of terminals in a semiconductor integrated circuit is protected from electrostatic damage due to a surge voltage when the surge voltage is applied between the neighboring pair of terminals. The semiconductor integrated circuit is formed to include terminals P0-P14, MOS transistors MN0-MN15 in diode connection, protection diode circuits HD0-HD14, MOS transistors T1-T14 for discharging electricity from batteries, a battery voltage detection control circuit and a clamp circuit for overvoltage protection. Each of the MOS transistors T1-T14 for discharging electricity from the batteries is connected between each neighboring pair of the terminals P0-P14 through wirings. Each of the MOS transistors MN1-MN14 in diode connection is connected between each neighboring pair of the terminals.
11 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising:
-
a plurality of terminals including at least three terminals forming neighboring pairs of terminals; a plurality of switching devices arranged such that there is one switching device connected directly between each neighboring pair of terminals; a battery voltage detection control circuit that detects a voltage between the terminals of each neighboring pair of terminals, wherein in response to the battery voltage detection control circuit detecting that a voltage across a first neighboring pair of terminals is higher than the voltage across a second neighboring pair of terminals, the battery voltage detection control circuit activates the switching device between the first neighboring pair of terminals to reduce the voltage at the first neighboring pair of terminals by discharging the voltage across the pair of terminals; a plurality of first overvoltage protection devices connected in series, each overvoltage protection device being connected between a corresponding neighboring pair of terminals and protecting a corresponding one of the switching devices from an overvoltage applied between the corresponding neighboring pair of the terminals, wherein each overvoltage protection device is a N-type MOS transistor having a gate and a source connected to each other; a plurality of second overvoltage protection devices, each of the second overvoltage protection devices being connected between every other terminal; and a plurality of third overvoltage protection devices or circuits, each of the third overvoltage protection devices or circuits being connected to terminals that are not connected to the plurality of second overvoltage protection devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising:
-
a plurality of terminals including at least three terminals forming neighboring pairs of terminals aligned in a line, the terminals comprising odd number terminals that are placed at positions of odd numbers in the line and even number terminals that are placed at positions of even numbers in the line; a plurality of switching devices, each one of the plurality of switching devices connected between a respective one of a corresponding neighboring pair of the terminals; a battery voltage detection control circuit that detects a voltage between the terminals of each neighboring pair of terminals and that controls turning on/off of each corresponding switching device according to the voltage between the terminals of the corresponding neighboring pair of terminals to keep the voltages between each neighboring pair of terminals uniform with each other; a plurality of first overvoltage protection devices connected in series, each of the first overvoltage protection devices being connected between a corresponding neighboring pair of the terminals and protecting a corresponding switching device from an overvoltage applied between the corresponding neighboring pair of terminals; a plurality of second overvoltage protection devices, each of the second overvoltage protection devices being connected between a corresponding neighboring pair of even number terminals; and a plurality of protection diode circuits, each of the protection diode circuits being connected only to a corresponding odd number terminal. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising:
-
a plurality of terminal pairs, each terminal pair configured to be connected to a rechargeable battery; a voltage detection circuit for detecting a voltage across each terminal pair; and a plurality of discharge devices connected in series, each discharge device being connected across a terminal pair, wherein in response to the voltage detection circuit detecting that a voltage across a terminal pair is higher than a voltage across a neighboring terminal pair, the discharge device across the terminal pair discharges the rechargeable battery connected to the terminal pair to reduce the voltage at the terminal pair; a plurality of first overvoltage protection devices connected in series, each overvoltage protection device being connected between a corresponding neighboring pair of terminals and protecting a corresponding one of the switching devices from an overvoltage applied between the corresponding neighboring pair of the terminals, wherein each overvoltage protection device is a N-type MOS transistor having a gate and a source connected to each other; a plurality of second overvoltage protection devices, each of the second overvoltage protection devices being connected between every other terminal; and a plurality of third protection devices or circuits, each of the third protection devices or circuits being connected to terminals that are not connected to the plurality of second overvoltage protection devices. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification