Granted Patent B2

US 6,999,292 · App. 10/303,188 · Granted Feb 14, 2006

Abstract

Claims (26)

1. Method for supplying circuit units with an overvoltage present on a high voltage circuit, in which connected items of low voltage equipment are protected from damage due to the applied overvoltage, the method comprising:

a) provisioning the high voltage circuit for the application of the overvoltage, which supplies the circuit units;

b) provisioning at least one item of low voltage equipment with at least one low voltage circuit for carrying out low voltage circuit functions and with at least one protection voltage source for the provision of at least one protection voltage;

c) connecting a protection device for the protection of the items of low voltage equipment from damage due to the overvoltage present on the high voltage circuit in such a way that the protection device is connected in series between the high voltage circuit and the items of low voltage equipment;

d) feeding a reference voltage potential in the form of the protection voltage to the protection device via a connection unit, the protection voltage being present between the connection unit and ground, wherein the protection device is a serial protection device that ensures that a maximum voltage value of a low voltaae present at a circuit module is not exceeded;

e) clamping, by means of the protection device, of the low voltage, which is applied to a low voltage node, which is arranged between the protection device and the items of low voltage equipment, and which is made available to the items of low voltage equipment, to a voltage value, which does not exceed a definable voltage value of the protection voltage, in such a way that the items of low voltage equipment are protected from damage due to overvoltages; and

f) providing a protection current by a protection current source, wherein the protection current prevents the potential present at the low voltage node from varying when a main current flowing into the items of low voltage eguipment becomes zero.

2. Method according to claim 1 , comprising clamping a clamping voltage applied to at least one low voltage circuit, which is provided in the items of low voltage equipment, in the protection device to a voltage value below the definable voltage value of the protection voltage.

3. Method according to claim 1 , comprising maintaining a clamping current by means of the protection device at a current value less than a current value of the main current flowing into the items of low voltage equipment.

4. Method according to claim 1 , comprising providing the protection device integrally with the high voltage circuit.

5. Method according to claim 1 , comprising setting the clamping voltage to a voltage value less than the voltage value of the maximum low voltage that can be applied to the items of low voltage equipment.

6. Device for the protection of items of low voltage equipment, which work together with a high voltage circuit, from damage due to an overvoltage present on the high voltage circuit, the device comprising:

a) a protection device;

b) at least one protection voltage source for the provision of at least one protection voltage, which can be applied to the protection device;

c) a connection unit for feeding a reference voltage potential in the form of the protection voltage to the protection device, the protection voltage being present between the connection unit and ground;

d) a low voltage node, which is arranged between the protection device and the items of low voltage equipment, for the application of a definable clamping voltage to at least one low voltage circuit in the low voltage protection device, the clamping voltage not exceeding a maximum permissible protection voltage; and

e) a protection current source adapted to provide a protection current which prevents the potential present at the low voltage node from varying when a main current flowing into the items of low voltage equipment becomes zero.

7. Device according to claim 6 , wherein the protection device is connected in series between the high voltage circuit and the items of low voltage equipment.

8. Device according to claim 6 , wherein the protection device comprises:

a) a clamping current source for the provision of a clamping current;

b) a first protection transistor; and

c) a second protection transistor.

9. Device according to claim 8 , wherein the first and second protection transistors of the protection device form a cascode circuit.

10. Device according to claim 6 , wherein the protection device is designed integrally with the high voltage circuit and has four connection units.

11. Device according to claim 6 , wherein the protection device is designed integrally with the items of low voltage equipment.

12. Device according to claim 6 , wherein the protection device is provided as an individual circuit unit, which is connected in series between the high voltage circuit and the items of low voltage equipment.

Assignments (9)