Current limiting switch and related method
AssigneeIntersil Americas Inc.
InventorGrady M. Wood
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A switch includes first and second switch terminals, at least one output MOS transistor for selectively connecting the first and second switch terminals, and a driving current source for driving the at least one output MOS transistor. The switch may also include a current limiter for limiting the driving of the at least one output MOS transistor by the driving current source to establish a current limit. Furthermore, a controller may be included for the current limiter for controlling the current limit, such as by causing the current limiter to decrease the current limit based upon an increase in temperature of the integrated circuit or at periodic intervals to control rise and fall times of the at least one output MOS transistor.
Claims38
An integrated circuit comprising:
- first and second switch terminals;
- at least one output MOS transistor for selectively connecting said first and second switch terminals;
- a driving current source for driving said at least one output MOS transistor;
- a current limiter for limiting the driving of said at least one output MOS transistor by said driving current source to establish a current limit;
- and
- a controller for said current limiter for controlling the current limit.
An integrated circuit comprising:
- first and second switch terminals;
- at least one output MOS transistor for selectively connecting said first and second switch terminals;
- a driving current source for driving said at least one output MOS transistor;
- a current limiter for limiting the driving of said at least one output MOS transistor by said driving current source to establish a current limit;
- and
- a controller comprising
- at least one control current source providing at least one control current to said current limiter, and
- at least one limiting resistor connected between said at least one control current source and said at least one output MOS transistor;
- said controller causing said current limiter to decrease the current limit based upon an increase in temperature of said integrated circuit.
An integrated circuit comprising:
- first and second switch terminals;
- a first output MOS transistor connected to said first switch terminal;
- a second output MOS transistor connected in series between said first MOS transistor and said second switch terminal;
- a driving current source for driving said first and second output MOS transistors;
- a current limiter for limiting the driving of said first and second output MOS transistors by said driving current source to establish a current limit;
- and
- a controller for causing said current limiter to decrease the current limit at periodic intervals to control rise and fall times of said at least one output MOS transistor.
A switch for a limiting a current on a telephone subscriber loop comprising:
- first and second switch terminals connected in series in the loop;
- at least one output MOS transistor for selectively connecting said first and second switch terminals;
- a driving current source for driving said at least one output MOS transistor;
- a current limiter for limiting the driving of said at least one output MOS transistor by said current source to establish a current limit;
- and
- a controller for said current limiter for controlling the current limit.
A method for limiting current in an integrated circuit comprising first and second switch terminals and at least one output MOS transistor for selectively connecting the first and second switch terminals, the method comprising:
- driving the at least one output MOS transistor using a driving current source;
- limiting the driving of the at least one output MOS transistor by the driving current source to establish a current limit;
- and
- controlling the current limit using a controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.