Patents by Inventor Bernd Fankhauser

Bernd Fankhauser 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).

  • Circuit arrangement for protection against electrostatic discharges and method for diverting electrostatic discharges
    Patent number: 7768753
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for protection against electrostatic discharges comprises a diverting element, which is connected between a first and a second terminal and has a control input, via which the diverting element can be controlled into the conducting state. Moreover, trigger elements are provided, which have a trigger output for outputting a trigger signal in a manner dependent on a voltage between the first and the second terminal. The circuit arrangement furthermore comprises at least one amplifier unit, which is coupled to one of the trigger outputs on the input side and to the control input on the output side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Austriamicrosystems AG
    Inventors: Bernd Fankhauser, Dieter Maier, Franz Unterleitner
  • Circuit arrangement and method for protecting an integrated semiconductor circuit
    Patent number: 7738222
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for protecting an integrated semiconductor circuit includes a protection circuit connected between an element to be protected and a reference potential. The protection circuit includes a thyristor structure. The circuit arrangement also includes a control circuit configured to drive the protection circuit by generating a plurality of control signals drive an active element of the protection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Austriamicrosystems AG
    Inventors: Bernd Deutschmann, Bernd Fankhauser, Michael Mayerhofer, Pawel Chojecki
  • Active protection circuit arrangement
    Patent number: 7423855
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement includes an RC element connected between a first supply potential line and a second supply potential line. The RC element includes a first resistor and a first capacitor. The circuit arrangement also includes a plurality of inverters connected in series and having junction points between the inverters in the plurality of inverters. An input of the plurality of inverters is connected to a point between the first resistor and the first capacitor. The circuit arrangement also includes a protection transistor and a plurality of resistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Austriamicrosystems AG
    Inventors: Bernd Fankhauser, Michael Mayerhofer
  • Circuit arrangement for protection against electrostatic discharges and method for diverting electrostatic discharges
    Publication number: 20070268638
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for protection against electrostatic discharges comprises a diverting element, which is connected between a first and a second terminal and has a control input, via which the diverting element can be controlled into the conducting state. Moreover, trigger elements are provided, which have a trigger output for outputting a trigger signal in a manner dependent on a voltage between the first and the second terminal. The circuit arrangement furthermore comprises at least one amplifier unit, which is coupled to one of the trigger outputs on the input side and to the control input on the output side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Applicant: austriamicrosystems AG
    Inventors: Bernd Fankhauser, Dieter Maier, Franz Unterleitner