Voltage transient protection circuitry

• US 9,853,441 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2016
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Triune Systems, LLC (Semtech Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Triune Systems, LLC (Semtech Corporation)
• Inventors: Teggatz, Ross E., Chen, Wayne T., Smith, Brett
• Primary Examiner(s): Bauer, Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): Comber, Kevin J
• Application Number:
  US14/988,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20160134099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 361111, 326 24, 326 31, 326 33, 326 34, 326 36, 326 50, 326 58, 326 81, 327 84, 327 92, 327179, 327180, 327307, 327309, 327310, 327321, 327379, 327388, 327409, 327410, 327424, 327530, 327545-547, 327551
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/22 of short duration, e.g. lightning

Abstract

Disclosed are advances in the arts with novel and useful voltage transient protection circuitry in configurations which include a bridge circuit in combination with one or more voltage reference, load to ground circuit, and/or snub circuit such that the output node is held at a selected voltage level, preferably mid-rail, and potentially damaging transient voltages are avoided.

Claims

1. A voltage transient protection circuit in a configuration comprising:

a voltage reference circuit operably coupled by a switch to a gate of a high-side device; and

a load to ground circuit operably coupled to an output node;

wherein the high-side device is configured to be operated under selected voltage conditions and deactivated in response to a selected high voltage condition, to hold the output node at a selected voltage level.

2. A voltage transient protection circuit according to claim 1 wherein the output node is held at a mid-rail voltage level.

3. A voltage transient protection circuit according to claim 1 wherein the voltage reference circuit further comprises a diode.

4. A voltage transient protection circuit according to claim 1 wherein the voltage reference circuit further comprises a zener diode.

5. A voltage transient protection circuit according to claim 1 wherein the voltage reference circuit further comprises an amplifier.

6. A voltage transient protection circuit according to claim 1 wherein the voltage reference circuit further comprises a resistor divider circuit electrically connected between power supply and ground.

7. A voltage transient protection circuit according to claim 1 wherein the load to ground circuit further comprises a resistor.

8. A voltage transient protection circuit according to claim 1 wherein the load to ground circuit further comprises a current source.

9. A voltage transient protection circuit according to claim 1 wherein the load to ground circuit further comprises the low-side device in an “

on”

state.

10. A voltage transient protection circuit according to claim 1 wherein the load to ground circuit further comprises an external load.

11. A voltage transient protection circuit in a configuration comprising:

a bridge circuit having an output node;

a voltage reference circuit operably coupled by a switch to the output node; and

wherein the voltage reference circuit is configured to operate under selected voltage conditions and to be deactivated in response to a selected high voltage condition, such that the output node is held at a selected voltage level.

12. A voltage transient protection circuit according to claim 11 wherein the output node is held at a mid-rail voltage level.

13. A voltage transient protection circuit according to claim 11 wherein the bridge circuit further comprises a half-H bridge circuit.

14. A voltage transient protection circuit according to claim 11 wherein the bridge circuit further comprises a full H-bridge circuit.

15. A voltage transient protection circuit according to claim 11 wherein the voltage reference circuit further comprises a diode.

16. A voltage transient protection circuit in a configuration comprising:

a voltage reference circuit operably coupled by a switch to a gate of a high-side device, whereby the high-side device is configured to be deactivated in response to a selected high voltage condition;

a low-side snub circuit operably coupled between a gate of a low-side device and an output node, whereby the low-side device is configured to be deactivated in response to a selected low voltage condition; and

wherein a deadband voltage region is provided by the configuration of the high side device and the low side device where neither the high-side device nor the low-side device operates.

17. A voltage transient protection circuit according to claim 16 wherein the deadband region approximately encompasses a mid-rail voltage level.

18. A voltage transient protection circuit according to claim 16 wherein the high-side device and the low-side device further comprise a half-H bridge circuit.

19. A voltage transient protection circuit according to claim 16 wherein the high-side device and the low-side device further comprise further comprise a full H-bridge circuit.

20. A voltage transient protection circuit according to claim 16 wherein the low-side snub circuit further comprises a diode.