Clamp circuit

Abstract

The clamp circuit clamps an input voltage at prescribed higher and lower clamp voltages which are stabilized under a temperature fluctuation. Transistors Q12 and Q14 are switched on in their linear region. In a lower voltage clamp circuit 18, an Vin detecting circuit 20 outputs Va1 by level-shifting Vin by Q13 and voltage-divides by series resistance circuit 23 the level-shifted Vin, while a reference voltage generating circuit 21 outputs Vr1 by level-shifting 0 V by Q15 and voltage-divides by series resistance circuit 25 the level-shifted voltage. Q11 is switched on, when a comparator 22 determines that Va1 descends and goes across Vr1. Here, Q12 is of the same characteristics as Q14, while Q13 is of the same characteristics as Q15. Further, the resistance of the circuits 23 is the same as that of the circuit 25. The higher voltage clamp circuit 19 is similar to the circuit 18.

Description

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention[0002] The present invention relates to a clamp circuit for clamping a voltage inputted into a signal input terminal in a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC).[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art[0004] Recently, a large scale semiconductor IC (LSI) is manufactured in a smaller scale rule, in order to raise a response speed of the device and to reduce its chip area. Accordingly, for example, a thickness of a gate oxide film is made thinner, thereby causing such a necessity that a gate voltage be lower in order to ensure a sufficient device life and therefore, any overvoltage not be applied to the device in order to prevent a device destruction.[0005] In order to lower the gate voltage, it is effective to employ a step-down circuit mainly used in an internal logic circuit in LSI for lowering a supply voltage. Further, in order to avoid an application of the overvoltage, it is effective to add a clamp circuit to a buffer circuit or interface circuit...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014] Thus, the terminal voltage can be clamped, against an overvoltage input, at a prescribed clamp voltage. According to the means as described in claim 1, only resistance elements are connected at the exterior of the IC for limiting an electric current, thereby reducing an area and cost of a substrate on which the IC is mounted.

[0016] Further, the input voltage detecting circuit as well as the reference voltage generating circuit comprises a resistance circuit and a first & second transistors of the similar temperature characteristics, respectively. Therefore, the temperature charasteristics of the detected voltage is almost the same as that of the reference voltage. Accordingly, the clamp circuit of the present invention has an advantage that the clamp voltage fluctuates little, even if the clamp circuit of the present invention is applied to such a device which is used under a wide temperature range, as an electronic control unit (ECU) for automobiles.

[0019] According to the means as described in claim 4, the third & forth transistors connected between the first supply line and first & second resistance circuits, respectively, are switched on and off in accordance with an enable signal. Therefore, the current consumption in the clamp circuit can be reduced by allowing the electric currents to flow in the input voltage detecting circuit and reference voltage generating circuit only when the voltage clamping is required.

Problems solved by technology

However, if the control IC 3 receives a larger number of input signals, the required number of the Zener diodes become larger, thereby increasing an area of the control substrate 1 and raising a production cost of the clamp circuit.

Accordingly, the low withstand voltage device process can not employed, but a high withstand voltage device process for, e.g., MOS having 6 V withstand voltage is required, thereby raising the production cost due to additive manufacturing processes and lowering the response speed.

Further, the clamp circuits 4 and 10 have a disadvantage that the clamped voltage greatly fluctuates depending upon the temperature fluctuation.

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