Patents Assigned to Sofics BVBA
-
Patent number: 11515876Abstract: A driver for a shared bus, such as a LIN bus, having a supply node (Vbat), a bus node (LIN), a transmit data input node (TX) and a receive data output node (RX), said driver comprising: a pull-up circuitry between the supply node and the bus node, driver circuitry (100) having a control input connected to the transmit data input node, feedback circuitry (200) configured to provide feedback from the shared bus to the control input of the driver circuitry; said feedback circuitry comprising copy circuitry (210) configured to obtain at least one copy signal representative for a signal on the bus node, filter circuitry (220) configured to low-pass filter the at least one copy signal, derivative circuitry (230) configured to obtain at least one derivative signal representative for the speed at which the signal on the bus node varies.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2019Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: SOFICS BVBAInventors: Koen Jan Decock, Olivier Eugene A Gesquiere, Henk Roel Motte, Wouter Faelens
-
Publication number: 20220085810Abstract: A driver for a shared bus, such as a LIN bus, having a supply node (Vbat), a bus node (LIN), a transmit data input node (TX) and a receive data output node (RX), said driver comprising: a pull-up circuitry between the supply node and the bus node, driver circuitry (100) having a control input connected to the transmit data input node, feedback circuitry (200) configured to provide feedback from the shared bus to the control input of the driver circuitry; said feedback circuitry comprising copy circuitry (210) configured to obtain at least one copy signal representative for a signal on the bus node, filter circuitry (220) configured to low-pass filter the at least one copy signal, derivative circuitry (230) configured to obtain at least one derivative signal representative for the speed at which the signal on the bus node varies.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2019Publication date: March 17, 2022Applicant: SOFICS BVBAInventors: Koen Jan DECOCK, Olivier Eugene A GESQUIERE, Henk Roel MOTTE, Wouter FAELENS
-
Patent number: 11211791Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device including a stack of ESD clamps, a trigger circuit, and a transistor. The trigger circuit may respond to an ESD event by conducting current, which may cause the transistor to turn on. A combination of the trigger circuit conducting current and the transistor turning on may trigger the ESD clamps into a conducting state to shunt current from a first node to a second node.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2020Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: SOFICS BVBAInventors: Sven Van Wijmeersch, Stefaan Verleye, Benjamin Ernest Henri Virginie Van Camp
-
Patent number: 10447033Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device with a high holding voltage is disclosed including at least an ESD clamp coupled to a holding voltage tuning circuit. The ESD clamp may be coupled to the holding voltage tuning circuit through a connection circuit such as a diode. The ESD clamp may be implemented by a first silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) and the holding voltage tuning circuit may be implemented as a second SCR.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2018Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: SOFICS BVBAInventor: Sven Van Wijmeersch
-
Patent number: 10181464Abstract: Disclosed is an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit. The ESD protection circuit may include a silicon controller rectifier (SCR) which may be triggered via at least one of its first trigger gate or second trigger gate. The ESD protection circuit may further include a highly doped region coupled to either the anode or cathode of the SCR, wherein the highly doped region may provide additional carriers to facilitate triggering of the SCR during an ESD event, whereby the SCR may be triggered more quickly.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2017Date of Patent: January 15, 2019Assignee: SOFICS BVBAInventors: Bart Sorgeloos, Benjamin Van Camp, Olivier Marichal
-
Publication number: 20180166876Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device with a high holding voltage is disclosed including at least an ESD clamp coupled to a holding voltage tuning circuit. The ESD clamp may be coupled to the holding voltage tuning circuit through a connection circuit such as a diode. The ESD clamp may be implemented by a first silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) and the holding voltage tuning circuit may be implemented as a second SCR.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2018Publication date: June 14, 2018Applicant: Sofics BVBAInventor: Sven Van Wijmeersch
-
Patent number: 9881914Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device is disclosed including at least an NPN transistor and a PNP transistor coupled between a first node and a second node, wherein the ESD protection device may be configured to sink current from the first node to the second node in response to an ESD event. The transistors may be coupled such that a collector of the NPN may be coupled to the first node. A collector of the PNP may be coupled to the second node. A base of the NPN may be coupled to the emitter of the PNP. An emitter of the NPN may be coupled to a base of the PNP.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2017Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: SOFICS BVBAInventors: Bart Sorgeloos, Benjamin Van Camp, Sven Van Wijmeersch, Wim Vanhouteghem
-
Patent number: 9882375Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device with a high holding voltage is disclosed including at least an ESD clamp coupled to a holding voltage tuning circuit. The ESD clamp may be coupled to the holding voltage tuning circuit through a connection circuit such as a diode. The ESD clamp may be implemented by a first silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) and the holding voltage tuning circuit may be implemented as a second SCR.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: SOFICS BVBAInventor: Sven Van Wijmeersch
-
Publication number: 20180006016Abstract: Disclosed is an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit. The ESD protection circuit may include a silicon controller rectifier (SCR) which may be triggered via at least one of its first trigger gate or second trigger gate. The ESD protection circuit may further include a highly doped region coupled to either the anode or cathode of the SCR, wherein the highly doped region may provide additional carriers to facilitate triggering of the SCR during an ESD event, whereby the SCR may be triggered more quickly.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2017Publication date: January 4, 2018Applicant: Sofics BVBAInventors: Bart Sorgeloos, Benjamin Van Camp, Olivier Marichal
-
Publication number: 20170243864Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device is disclosed including at least an NPN transistor and a PNP transistor coupled between a first node and a second node, wherein the ESD protection device may be configured to sink current from the first node to the second node in response to an ESD event. The transistors may be coupled such that a collector of the NPN may be coupled to the first node. A collector of the PNP may be coupled to the second node. A base of the NPN may be coupled to the emitter of the PNP. An emitter of the NPN may be coupled to a base of the PNP.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2017Publication date: August 24, 2017Applicant: Sofics BVBAInventors: Bart Sorgeloos, Benjamin Van Camp, Sven Van Wijmeersch, Wim Vanhouteghem
-
Patent number: 9685431Abstract: Disclosed is an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit. The ESD protection circuit may include a silicon controller rectifier (SCR) which may be triggered via at least one of its first trigger gate or second trigger gate. The ESD protection circuit may further include a highly doped region coupled to either the anode or cathode of the SCR, wherein the highly doped region may provide additional carriers to facilitate triggering of the SCR during an ESD event, whereby the SCR may be triggered more quickly.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2014Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: SOFICS BVBAInventors: Bart Sorgeloos, Benjamin Van Camp, Olivier Marichal
-
Patent number: 9653453Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device is disclosed including at least an NPN transistor and a PNP transistor coupled between a first node and a second node, wherein the ESD protection device may be configured to sink current from the first node to the second node in response to an ESD event. The transistors may be coupled such that a collector of the NPN may be coupled to the first node. A collector of the PNP may be coupled to the second node. A base of the NPN may be coupled to the emitter of the PNP. An emitter of the NPN may be coupled to a base of the PNP.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2016Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: Sofics BVBAInventors: Bart Sorgeloos, Benjamin Van Camp, Sven Van Wijmeersch, Wim Vanhouteghem
-
Publication number: 20160268250Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device is disclosed including at least an NPN transistor and a PNP transistor coupled between a first node and a second node, wherein the ESD protection device may be configured to sink current from the first node to the second node in response to an ESD event. The transistors may be coupled such that a collector of the NPN may be coupled to the first node. A collector of the PNP may be coupled to the second node. A base of the NPN may be coupled to the emitter of the PNP. An emitter of the NPN may be coupled to a base of the PNP.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2016Publication date: September 15, 2016Applicant: Sofics BVBAInventors: Bart Sorgeloos, Benjamin Van Camp, Sven Van Wijmeersch, Wim Vanhouteghem
-
Patent number: 9349716Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device is disclosed including at least an NPN transistor and a PNP transistor coupled between a first node and a second node, wherein the ESD protection device may be configured to sink current from the first node to the second node in response to an ESD event. The transistors may be coupled such that a collector of the NPN may be coupled to the first node. A collector of the PNP may be coupled to the second node. A base of the NPN may be coupled to the emitter of the PNP. An emitter of the NPN may be coupled to a base of the PNP.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2013Date of Patent: May 24, 2016Assignee: Sofics BVBAInventors: Bart Sorgeloos, Benjamin Van Camp, Sven Van Wijmeersch, Wim Vanhouteghem
-
Patent number: 9041054Abstract: A high holding voltage (HV) electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit comprises a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) device and compensation regions located within the length between the anode and cathode (LAC) of the SCR device which increase the holding voltage of the SCR device. The compensation regions may introduce negative feedback mechanisms into the SCR device which may influence the loop gain of the SCR and cause it to reach regenerative feedback at a higher holding voltage.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2014Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: Sofics BVBAInventors: Sven Van Wijmeersch, Olivier Marichal
-
Patent number: 9042065Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit is disclosed including at least a clamping device, a switching device, and a voltage limiter. The ESD protection circuit may include devices of different voltage domains. The switching device may be in series with the clamping device to block at least a portion of a voltage from dropping across the clamping device. The switching device may sustain higher maximum operating voltages than the clamping device.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2012Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: Sofics BVBAInventors: Sven Van Wijmeersch, Benjamin Van Camp, Olivier Marichal, Johan Van der Borght
-
Publication number: 20150091056Abstract: Disclosed is an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit. The ESD protection circuit may include a silicon controller rectifier (SCR) which may be triggered via at least one of its first trigger gate or second trigger gate. The ESD protection circuit may further include a highly doped region coupled to either the anode or cathode of the SCR, wherein the highly doped region may provide additional carriers to facilitate triggering of the SCR during an ESD event, whereby the SCR may be triggered more quickly.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2014Publication date: April 2, 2015Applicant: SOFICS BVBAInventors: Bart Sorgeloos, Benjamin Van Camp, Olivier Marichal
-
Patent number: 8922960Abstract: An improved ESD protection circuit having an ESD device and a triggering device to provide a continuously adjustable trigger voltage. This can be accomplished by various techniques such as placing a selected number of triggering elements in series, modifying the gate control circuitry and varying the size of the triggering elements.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2009Date of Patent: December 30, 2014Assignee: Sofics BVBAInventor: Sven Van Wijmeersch
-
Publication number: 20140268451Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device with a high holding voltage is disclosed including at least an ESD clamp coupled to a holding voltage tuning circuit. The ESD clamp may be coupled to the holding voltage tuning circuit through a connection circuit such as a diode. The ESD clamp may be implemented by a first silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) and the holding voltage tuning circuit may be implemented as a second SCR.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2014Publication date: September 18, 2014Applicant: SOFICS BVBAInventor: Sven Van Wijmeersch
-
Patent number: 8830641Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device is disclosed. The ESD protection circuit is configured to operate in high voltage domains. The ESD protection device may further include stacked NMOS or PMOS devices. The gates of the MOS devices may be driven by respective inverters. The inverters may be coupled to a voltage divider and may be triggered by respective trigger circuits. Power nodes of the inverters may be connected such that devices in the ESD protection circuit are exposed to voltages that are within their maximum voltage rating.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2013Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: Sofics BVBAInventors: Johan Van Der Borght, Sven Van Wijmeersch, Benjamin Van Camp, Bart Sorgeloos