# US 2021/0242679 A1 · Overvoltage protection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242679 A1 - Document ID: US20210242679A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/165,557 - Filed: 2021-02-02 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-04 - Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS - Applicants: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS - Inventors: François Tailliet - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242679A1 ## CPC - H02H 7/1252: {responsive to overvoltage in input or output, e.g. by load dump} - H02H 9/046: {responsive to excess voltage appearing at terminals of integrated circuits} - H02M 1/32: Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection - H02M 7/219: in a bridge configuration - H02M 1/08: Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters - H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H) - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to a device including a rectifying bridge including: a branch connected between first and second nodes; another branch including first and second MOS transistors series-connected between the first and second nodes and having their sources coupled together; a resistor connecting the gate of the first transistor to the second node; another resistor connecting the gate of the second transistor and the first node; and for each transistor, a circuit including first and second terminals respectively connected to the drain and to the gate of the transistor, and being configured to electrically couple its first and second terminals when a voltage between the first terminal of the circuit and the first terminal of the other circuit is greater than a threshold of the circuit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device comprising a rectifying bridge comprising: a first branch connected between first and second input nodes of the bridge and comprising a third output node of the bridge; a second branch comprising first and second metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors series-connected between the first and second input nodes, wherein sources of the first and second transistors are coupled to a fourth output node of the bridge; a first resistor connected between a gate of the first transistor and the second input node; a second resistor connected between a gate of the second transistor and the first input node; and for each of the first and second transistors, a circuit associated with the transistor comprises a first terminal connected to a drain of the transistor and a second terminal connected to the gate of the transistor, wherein the circuit is configured to electrically couple its first and second terminals when an absolute value of a voltage between the first terminal of the circuit and the first terminal of the other circuit is greater than or equal to an absolute value of a threshold of the circuit and the voltage has a same sign as the threshold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein each circuit is further configured to electrically isolate its first and second terminals when the absolute value of the voltage between the first terminal of the circuit and the first terminal of the other circuit is smaller than the absolute value of the threshold of the circuit and also when the voltage has a sign opposite to the sign of the threshold of the circuit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the first branch of the bridge comprises third and fourth MOS transistors series-connected between the first and second input nodes and each diode-assembled, and sources of the third and fourth transistors are connected to the third output node. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device according to claim 3, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth transistors have a same N- or P-type channel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein each circuit comprises a branch comprising a first dipole with a first diode function and a second dipole with a second diode function coupled in anti-series, one end of the branch being connected to the first terminal of the circuit and another end of the branch being coupled to the first terminal of the other circuit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device according to claim 5, wherein, in each circuit, the first and second dipoles are configured to block a current when the absolute value of the voltage between the first terminal of the circuit and the first terminal of the other circuit is smaller than the absolute value of the threshold of the circuit and when the voltage has a sign opposite to the sign of the threshold of the circuit, and to conduct the current when the absolute value of the voltage between the first terminal of the circuit and the first terminal of the other circuit is greater than or equal to the absolute value of the threshold of the circuit and the voltage has the same sign as the threshold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device according to claim 6, wherein each circuit is configured so that the conduction of the current in the first dipole of the circuit causes an electric coupling of the first and second terminals of the circuit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The device according to claim 5, wherein, in at least one of the circuits, the another end of the branch of the circuit is connected to the second terminal of the circuit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device according to claim 8, wherein, in the at least one of the circuits, the branch of the circuit comprises: fifth, sixth, and seventh nodes; a third resistor series-connected to the first dipole between the fifth node and the sixth node; and a fourth resistor connected between the sixth node and the seventh node, each circuit further comprising a transistor having a control terminal connected to the sixth node and having conduction terminals respectively connected to the fifth node and to the seventh node, a voltage drop in the fourth resistor conditioning a turning-on of the transistor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The device according to claim 9, wherein, in the at least one of the circuits: the second dipole is connected between the first terminal of the circuit and the fifth node, the seventh node being connected to the second terminal of the circuit; or the second dipole is connected between the seventh node and the second terminal of the circuit, the fifth node being connected to the first terminal of the circuit; or the second dipole is connected between the first terminal of the circuit and the seventh node, the fifth node being connected to the second terminal of the circuit; or the second dipole is connected between the fifth node and the second terminal of the circuit, the seventh node being connected to the first terminal of the circuit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The device according to claim 5, wherein, in at least one of the circuits, the another end of the branch of the circuit is connected to a third terminal of the circuit, the third terminal of the circuit being connected to the first terminal of the other circuit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The device according to claim 11, wherein, in the at least one of the circuits, the branch comprises a third resistor in series with the first and second dipoles, each circuit further comprising a transistor having a control terminal connected to a terminal of the third resistor, having a first conduction terminal coupled to the first terminal of the circuit, and having a second conduction terminal coupled to the second terminal of the circuit, a voltage drop in the third resistor conditioning a turning-on of the transistor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device according to claim 12, wherein, in the at least one of the circuits, the second dipole is connected between the first terminal of the circuit and the first conduction terminal of the transistor, the second conduction terminal of the transistor being connected to the second terminal of the circuit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The device according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the circuits, further comprises a third dipole with a diode function series-connected to the transistor of the circuit between the first and second terminals of the circuit, the third dipole being connected to the second terminal of the circuit and the branch of the circuit being connected between the first and third terminals of the circuit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 5) The device according to claim 5, wherein the first dipole is a Zener diode, a plurality of Zener diodes connected in parallel, or a plurality of series-connected MOS transistors configured as diodes. ### Claim 16 An integrated circuit (IC) comprising: first and second input pads; and a rectifying bridge comprising: a first branch connected between first and second input pads of the bridge and comprising a third output node of the bridge; a second branch comprising first and second metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors series-connected between the first and second input pads, wherein sources of the first and second transistors are coupled to a fourth output node of the bridge; a first resistor connected between a gate of the first transistor and the second input pad; a second resistor connected between a gate of the second transistor and the first input pad; and for each of the first and second transistors, a circuit associated with the transistor comprises a first terminal connected to a drain of the transistor and a second terminal connected to the gate of the transistor, wherein the circuit is configured to electrically couple its first and second terminals when an absolute value of a voltage between the first terminal of the circuit and the first terminal of the other circuit is greater than or equal to an absolute value of a threshold of the circuit and the voltage has a same sign as the threshold. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The IC of claim 16, wherein each circuit is further configured to electrically isolate its first and second terminals when the absolute value of the voltage between the first terminal of the circuit and the first terminal of the other circuit is smaller than the absolute value of the threshold of the circuit and also when the voltage has a sign opposite to the sign of the threshold of the circuit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The IC of claim 16, wherein the first branch of the bridge comprises third and fourth MOS transistors series-connected between the first and second input nodes and each diode-assembled, and sources of the third and fourth transistors are connected to the third output node. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The IC of claim 16, wherein each circuit comprises a branch comprising a first dipole with a first diode function and a second dipole with a second diode function coupled in anti-series, one end of the branch being connected to the first terminal of the circuit and another end of the branch being coupled to the first terminal of the other circuit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The IC of claim 16, wherein the first and second pads are configured to be coupled to respective ends of a conductive winding of an antenna.