IP Library Granted Patent US 10,379,565
Granted Patent B2
US 10,379,565 · App. 14/521,057 · Granted Aug 13, 2019

Output driver circuit

Inventors: Masahiro Mitani (Chiba, JP); Minoru Ariyama (Chiba, JP); Daisuke Muraoka (Chiba, JP); Tomoki Hikichi (Chiba, JP)
Assignee: ABLIC INC.
G05F3/262H02H9/02H03K17/08122H03K17/687H03K19/018507H03K19/1737H03K2217/0063H03K2217/0072H03K2217/0081
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,379,565
App. No.
14/521,057
Granted
Aug 13, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An output driver circuit provides an overcurrent protection function by a simple circuit configuration. The output driver circuit has a constant-current circuit, a constant-current mirror MOS transistor, and a selector circuit. The constant-current mirror MOS transistor and the output MOS transistor constitute a current mirror circuit. The gate of the output MOS transistor is controlled by a voltage based on a constant current generated by the constant-current mirror MOS transistor, thereby limiting the current flowing between the source and the drain of the output MOS transistor.

Claims (9)

1. An output driver circuit with an open-drain output, comprising:

a constant-current circuit which supplies a constant current;

a constant-current mirror MOS transistor which generates a voltage based on the constant current;

a selector circuit which separately receives the voltage based on the constant current that is generated by the constant-current mirror MOS transistor and a voltage of a first supply terminal and outputs one of the received voltages according to a signal supplied to an input terminal of the output driver circuit; and

an output MOS transistor having a gate thereof connected to an output terminal of the selector circuit, an open drain output thereof connected to an output terminal of the output driver circuit, and a source thereof connected to the first supply terminal, the output terminal connected to a second supply terminal through an external pull-up resistor,

wherein the constant-current mirror MOS transistor and the output MOS transistor constitute a current mirror circuit, the selector circuit is between the constant-current mirror MOS transistor and the output MOS transistor, and

a current flowing between the source and the drain of the output MOS transistor is limited by a voltage based on the constant current.

2. The output driver circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the current mirror circuit has a fuse configured to adjust a current mirror ratio to adjust a current limit value of the output MOS transistor.

3. The output driver circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the current mirror circuit has a fuse configured to adjust a current value so as to adjust a current limit value of the output MOS transistor.

Assignments (5)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jun 8, 2023
From: ABLIC INC.
To: ABLIC INC.
Reel/Frame 064021/0575 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 12, 2018
From: SII SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: ABLIC INC.
Reel/Frame 045567/0927 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE EXECUTION DATE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 037783 FRAME: 0166. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Feb 23, 2016
From: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC
To: SII SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 037903/0928 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 11, 2016
From: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC
To: SII SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION .
Reel/Frame 037783/0166 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 23, 2014
From: MITANI, MASAHIRO; ARIYAMA, MINORU; MURAOKA, DAISUKE; HIKICHI, TOMOKI
To: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
Reel/Frame 034019/0823 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2012-103218 · Apr 27, 2012 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2013058681 · Mar 26, 2013
Related Publication 20150035567A1 · Feb 5, 2015