Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Jurgen Vollrach
  • Stable BJT electrostatic discharge protection clamp
    Patent number: 6667867
    Abstract: In an ESD protection circuit for an analog bipolar circuit, the avalanche breakdown voltage of a BJT acting as an avalanche diode is reduced by injecting current into the base of the BJT. This is achieved through the use of a capacitor connected between Vdd and the base of the avalanche BJT to speed up the switching of the protection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Vladislav Vashchenko, Peter J. Hopper