Patents by Inventor Benjamin Van Camp
Benjamin Van Camp has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Patent number: 8537514Abstract: The present invention provides an ESD protection device having at least one diode in a well of first conductivity type formed in a substrate of second conductivity type. The circuit further includes a guard-band of the first conductivity surrounding at least a portion of the diode, thus forming an NPN transistor between the diode cathode, the substrate and the guard-band.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2012Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: Sofics BVBAInventors: Benjamin Van Camp, Geert Wybo, Stefaan Verleye
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Publication number: 20130229736Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2013Publication date: September 5, 2013Applicant: SOFICS BVBAInventors: Johan Van Der Borght, Sven Van Wijmeersch, Benjamin Van Camp, Bart Sorgeloos
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Patent number: 8283698Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit for protecting an integrated circuit (IC) having a first voltage potential, a first power supply potential and a second power supply potential. The ESD circuit includes a first NPN bipolar transistor having a first N-doped junction, a second N-doped junction and a third P-doped base junction. The first N-doped junction is coupled to the first voltage potential and the second N-doped junction is coupled to the first power supply potential. The ESD circuit also includes a first PNP bipolar transistor having a first P-doped junction, a second P-doped junction and a third N-doped base junction. The first P-doped junction is coupled to the first voltage potential and the second P-doped junction is coupled to the second power supply potential. The third P-doped base junction of the first NPN bipolar transistor is coupled to the third N-doped base junction of the first PNP bipolar transistor.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2010Date of Patent: October 9, 2012Assignee: Sofics BVBAInventors: Bart Sorgeloos, Benjamin Van Camp
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Publication number: 20120200964Abstract: The present invention provides an ESD protection device having at least one diode in a well of first conductivity type formed in a substrate of second conductivity type. The circuit further includes a guard-band of the first conductivity surrounding at least a portion of the diode, thus forming an NPN transistor between the diode cathode, the substrate and the guard-band.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2012Publication date: August 9, 2012Applicant: SOFICS BVBAInventors: Benjamin Van Camp, Geert Wybo, Stefaan Verleye
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Patent number: 8164869Abstract: The present invention provides an ESD protection device having at least one diode in a well of a first conductivity type formed in a substrate of a second conductivity type. The circuit further includes a guard-band of the first conductivity surrounding at least a portion of the diode, thus forming an NPN transistor between the diode cathode, the substrate and the guard-band.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2008Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: Sofics BVBAInventors: Benjamin Van Camp, Geert Wybo, Stefaan Verleye
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Patent number: 8143700Abstract: The present invention provides an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit with a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) having a plurality of SCR fingers (SCRs) with the advantages to couple the different fingers or SCRs to decrease the multi-triggering problem and to increase the ESD-performance of the circuit. Additionally, a boost circuit can be introduced or additionally multiple SCRs can be coupled inherent through a common base.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2008Date of Patent: March 27, 2012Assignee: Sofics BVBAInventors: Pieter Vanysacker, Benjamin Van Camp, Olivier Marichal, Wybo Geert, Steven Thijs, Gerd Vermont
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Patent number: 7973334Abstract: The present invention provides an ESD device to reduce the total triggering current without increasing the overshoot voltage. This is achieved by localizing the triggering current, such that the local current density remains high enough to trigger the ESD device. This localized triggering provides a fast and efficient triggering of the ESD device.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2008Date of Patent: July 5, 2011Assignee: Sofics BVBAInventors: Stefaan Verleye, Geert Wybo, Benjamin Van Camp
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Publication number: 20100264457Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit for protecting an integrated circuit (IC) having a first voltage potential, a first power supply potential and a second power supply potential. The ESD circuit includes a first NPN bipolar transistor having a first N-doped junction, a second N-doped junction and a third P-doped base junction. The first N-doped junction is coupled to the first voltage potential and the second N-doped junction is coupled to the first power supply potential. The ESD circuit also includes a first PNP bipolar transistor having a first P-doped junction, a second P-doped junction and a third N-doped base junction. The first P-doped junction is coupled to the first voltage potential and the second P-doped junction is coupled to the second power supply potential. The third P-doped base junction of the first NPN bipolar transistor is coupled to the third N-doped base junction of the first PNP bipolar transistor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2010Publication date: October 21, 2010Inventors: Bart Sorgeloos, Benjamin Van Camp
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Patent number: 7672100Abstract: The present invention provides an ESD protection circuitry in a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) having protected circuitry to prevent false triggering of the ESD clamp. The circuitry includes an SCR as an ESD clamp having an anode adapted for coupling to a first voltage source, and a cathode adapted for coupling to a second voltage source. The circuitry also includes at least one noise current buffer (NCB) coupled between at least one of a first trigger tap of the SCR and the first voltage source such that the first trigger tap of the SCR is coupled to a power supply.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2007Date of Patent: March 2, 2010Assignee: Sofics BVBAInventor: Benjamin Van Camp