US Patent No: 5,357,156

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

Active clamp circuit scheme for CMOS devices

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ATTORNEY / AGENT: (SPONSORED)
 

Importance

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Abstract

An improved pin clamp is described. According to one embodiment of the invention, a pin clamp circuit with improved undershoot clamping characteristics is provided. The clamp circuit actively senses the pin voltage and enhances this voltage so as to cause a voltage-to-current converter to transmit an increased amount of clamp current, relative to prior art passive clamps, to the device pin for a given amount of pin undershoot. As a result, the pin undershoot is clamped more effectively than has been the case with passive clamps. Further, since more clamp current may pass for a given voltage-to-current converter size, smaller clamp circuit components may be used. The clamp circuit according to the invention may be used generally with integrated circuit devices, but it is particularly useful in applications where bipolar devices are not available or might create adverse effects.

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First Claim

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddressTotal Patents
LATTICE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATIONHILLSBORO, OR806

International Classification(s)

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Herrington, Scott K Cedar Park, TX 3 37

Cited Art

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
BUILDING TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATES (1)
4,943,739 Non-reflecting transmission line termination 24 1988

Patent Citation Ranking

Forward Cites

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
ROUND ROCK RESEARCH, LLC (4)
7,715,256 Active termination circuit and method for controlling the impedance of external integrated circuit terminals 1 2006
7,382,667 Active termination circuit and method for controlling the impedance of external integrated circuit terminals 1 2006
7,936,181 Method and circuit for off chip driver control, and memory device using same 0 2008
8,054,703 Active termination circuit and method for controlling the impedance of external integrated circuit terminals 0 2010
 
APPLE COMPUTER, INC. (1)
5,731,999 Method of controlling clamp induced ringing 0 1995
 
ATMEL CORPORATION (1)
5,815,012 Voltage to current converter for high frequency applications 13 1996
 
FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION (1)
5,546,017 Hot insertable active SCSI terminator 13 1995
 
HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA (1)
7,154,954 Communication system 0 2000
 
NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION (1)
6,664,809 Method and system for a CMOS level shifter circuit for converting a low voltage input to a very high-voltage output 7 2001
 
SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC. (1)
5,619,149 Single ended dynamic sense amplifier 10 1995
 
TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL) (1)
5,726,582 Control circuit for keeping constant the impedance of a termination network 47 1995
 
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED (1)
6,919,751 Dynamic receiver clamp that is enabled during periods in which overshoot is likely 0 2003
 
VIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (1)
7,482,846 Pull-up devices 0 2006