Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices – circuits – and – Signal converting – shaping – or generating – Current driver
Reexamination Certificate
2006-02-21
2006-02-21
Lam, Tuan T. (Department: 2816)
Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices, circuits, and
Signal converting, shaping, or generating
Current driver
C327S333000, C326S081000, C326S083000, C326S086000
Reexamination Certificate
active
07002379
ABSTRACT:
An apparatus for providing bias voltages for input/output (I/O) connections on low voltage integrated circuits. In one embodiment, the invention comprises an I/O pad, a pull-down transistor device that has a protective transistor coupled to said I/O pad, and a pull-up transistor device that has a second protective transistor, coupled to said I/O pad. A first switch coupled to the first protective transistor is responsive to a first supply voltage, a second supply voltage, and a reference voltage. Likewise, a second switch coupled to the second protective transistor is responsive to the first supply voltage and the reference voltage. A first self-bias circuit is also coupled to the first switch, wherein said the self-bias circuit uses a voltage at said I/O pad to bias the first protective transistor when both of the first and second supply voltages are powered off. Likewise, a second self-bias circuit coupled to the second switch, wherein the second self-bias circuit also uses the voltage at the I/O pad and an output of the first self bias circuit, to bias the second protective transistor when the first supply voltage is powered off.
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Lam Tuan T.
Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox PLLC
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