Circuit to protect a light element

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to an optical recording reproducer, and more particularly, to a circuit to protect a light element to prevent a breakdown of a laser diode (LD) when electric static discharge (ESD) occurs.

#2. Description of the Related Art

#These and other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

#FIG. 1 is a diagram of a conventional light element driving circuit;

#FIG. 2 is a diagram of a circuit to protect a light element, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

#Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art.

#FIG. 2 is a diagram of a circuit to protect a light element according to an embodiment of the present invention. The circuit includes a laser diode (LD) 200, which is one of light elements, a drive IC 201 to control an operation of the LD 200, and a switch 201-1, which is included in the drive IC 201 and connected between an active node of the LD 200 and a predetermined potential or ground GND.

#The switch 201-1 is short-circuited in a normal state. In other words, the LD 200 is protected from an abnormal static electricity or from a surge voltage when in a state where the active node of the LD 200 is connected to the ground GND. Here, the normal state represents a state where a general power source is not applied, or the abnormal static electricity or the surge voltage occurs.