Apparatus and method for over-voltage, under-voltage and over-current stress protection for transceiver input and output circuitry

Abstract

A circuit for protection of a transceiver input includes an input transistor and a first resistor connected between the drain of the input transistor and an input node. A plurality of reverse-biased diodes connected between a supply voltage and the input node. An output node is connected to the source of the input transistor. A first forward-biased diode connected between the power supply and the plurality of reverse-biased transistors. A second forward-biased diode and a second resistor are connected between the first forward biased transistor and the gate of the input transistor. A pre-driver circuit includes first and second transistors forming a differential pair and driven by a differential input voltage. A third transistor is connected between sources of the first and second transistors and ground. First and second resistors are connected to drains of the first and second transistors, respectively. A fourth transistor is connected between a power supply voltage and the first and second resistors. Fifth and a sixth transistors are connected in series between the power supply voltage and the first and second resistors, wherein a node between the fifth and second transistors is connected to a gate of the fourth transistor.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.