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EP0305937A1 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

MOS i/o protection using switched body circuit design

Assignee: National Semiconductor Corp
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Filing: 1988-08-27
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-08-27
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Abstract

Abstract Switched body circuitry is provided to prevent a system I/O from being effected by the loss of power supply or ground to an MOS integrated circuit within the system. A semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type has formed therein a well region of a second conductivity type opposite to that of the first conductivity type. First, second, third and fourth spaced-apart shallow diffusion regions of the first conductivity type are formed at the surface of the well region. The first and fourth of these regions are electrically connected to the well region through ohmic contacts. A first gate electrode, which overlies a first channel region between the second diffusion region and the third diffusion region, is connected to provide the proper logic function on the data line. This first gate electrode and the second and third diffusion regions combine to form an MOS transistor which is either an input pull up or pull down device or an output pull up or pull down driver of the MOS circuit. An I/O pad of the MOS circuit is connected to the second region and to a second gate electrode which overlies a second channel region between the third diffusion region and the fourth diffusion region. Thus, the second gate electrode and the third and fourth diffusion regions combine to define a first MOS switched body transistor. A power supply pad of the MOS circuit is connected to the third diffusion region and to a third gate electrode which overlies a third channel region between the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region. Thus, the third gate electrode and the first and second diffusion regions combine to define a second MOS switched body transistor. These two transistors control the potential of the I/O transistor's body (P-well or N-well) so as to keep the parasitic and ESD protection bipolar transistors and diode turned off during loss of power or ground to the chip.

Inventors

  • 👤 William E. Miller

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 17:16
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D89/00; H10D89/60; H10D89/601; H03; H03K; H03K17/00; H03K17/08; H03K17/081; H03K17/08104; H03K19/00; H03K19/003; H03K19/00315; H10D89/211; H10D89/213

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 265 words
Switched body circuitry for protecting a system data line connected to the input/output pad of an MOS integrated circuit utilizing the said circuitry comprising: (a) a semiccnductor substrate of a first conductivity type; (b) a well region of a second conductivity type opposite to that of the first conductivity type formed in a surface of the substrate; (c) first, second, third and fourth spaced-apart shallow diffusion regions of the first conductivity type formed in a surface of the well region, the first and fourth of these regions being electrically connected to the well region through ohmic contacts; (d) a first gate electrode overlying a first channel region between the second diffusion region and the third diffusion region, the first gate electrode and the second and third diffusion regions combining to define an MOS transistor of the MOS circuit, the first gate electrode being connected to receive a logic signal from the MOS circuit; (e) an I/O pad of the MOS circuit connected to the second diffusion region and to a second gate electrode overlying a second channel region between the third diffusion region and the fourth diffusion region, the second gate electrode and the third and fourth diffusion regions combining to define a first switched body MOS transistor; and (f) a power supply pad of the MOS circuit connected to the third diffusion region and to a third gate electrode overlying a third channel region between the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region, the third gate electrode and the first and second diffusion regions combining to define a second switched body MOS transistor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 265 words
Switched body circuitry for protecting a system data line connected to the input/output pad of an MOS integrated circuit utilizing the said circuitry comprising: (a) a semiccnductor substrate of a first conductivity type; (b) a well region of a second conductivity type opposite to that of the first conductivity type formed in a surface of the substrate; (c) first, second, third and fourth spaced-apart shallow diffusion regions of the first conductivity type formed in a surface of the well region, the first and fourth of these regions being electrically connected to the well region through ohmic contacts; (d) a first gate electrode overlying a first channel region between the second diffusion region and the third diffusion region, the first gate electrode and the second and third diffusion regions combining to define an MOS transistor of the MOS circuit, the first gate electrode being connected to receive a logic signal from the MOS circuit; (e) an I/O pad of the MOS circuit connected to the second diffusion region and to a second gate electrode overlying a second channel region between the third diffusion region and the fourth diffusion region, the second gate electrode and the third and fourth diffusion regions combining to define a first switched body MOS transistor; and (f) a power supply pad of the MOS circuit connected to the third diffusion region and to a third gate electrode overlying a third channel region between the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region, the third gate electrode and the first and second diffusion regions combining to define a second switched body MOS transistor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 282 words
Switched body circuitry for protecting a system data line connected to an input pull up or pull down device of an MOS integrated circuit utilizing the said circuitry comprising: (a) a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; (b) a well region of a second conductivity type opposite to that of the first conductivity type formed in a surface of the substrate; (c) first, second, third and fourth spaced-apart shallow diffusion regions of the first conductivity type formed in a surface of the well region, the first and fourth of these regions being electrically connected to the well region through ohmic contacts; (d) a first gate electrode overlying a first channel region between the second diffusion region and the third diffusion region, the first gate electrode and the second and third diffusion regions combining to define an MOS pull up or pull down transistor of the MOS circuit, the first gate electrode being connected to V SS for a MOS pull up or to V DD for a pull down; (e) an input pad of the MOS circuit connected to the second diffusion region and to a second gate electrode overlying a second channel region between the third diffusion region and the fourth diffusion region, the second gate electrode and the third and fourth diffusion regions combining to define a first switched body MOS transistor; and (f) a power supply pad of the MOS circuit connected to the third diffusion region and to a third gate electrode overlying a third channel region between the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region, the third gate electrode and the first and second diffusion regions combining to define a second switched body MOS transistor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 282 words
Switched body circuitry for protecting a system data line connected to an input pull up or pull down device of an MOS integrated circuit utilizing the said circuitry comprising: (a) a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; (b) a well region of a second conductivity type opposite to that of the first conductivity type formed in a surface of the substrate; (c) first, second, third and fourth spaced-apart shallow diffusion regions of the first conductivity type formed in a surface of the well region, the first and fourth of these regions being electrically connected to the well region through ohmic contacts; (d) a first gate electrode overlying a first channel region between the second diffusion region and the third diffusion region, the first gate electrode and the second and third diffusion regions combining to define an MOS pull up or pull down transistor of the MOS circuit, the first gate electrode being connected to V SS for a MOS pull up or to V DD for a pull down; (e) an input pad of the MOS circuit connected to the second diffusion region and to a second gate electrode overlying a second channel region between the third diffusion region and the fourth diffusion region, the second gate electrode and the third and fourth diffusion regions combining to define a first switched body MOS transistor; and (f) a power supply pad of the MOS circuit connected to the third diffusion region and to a third gate electrode overlying a third channel region between the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region, the third gate electrode and the first and second diffusion regions combining to define a second switched body MOS transistor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 268 words
Switched body circuitry for protecting a system data line connected to an output driver of an MOS integrated circuit utilizing the said circuitry comprising: (a) a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; (b) a well region of a second conductivity type opposite to that of the first conductivity type formed in a surface of the substrate; (c) first, second, third and fourth spaced-apart shallow diffusion regions of the first conductivity type formed in a surface of the well region, the first and fourth of these regions being electrically connected to the well region through ohmic contacts; (d) a first gate electrode overlying a first channel region between the second diffusion region and the third diffusion region, the first gate electrode and the second and third diffusion regions combining to define an MOS output driver transistor of the MOS circuit, the first gate electrode being connected to receive a logic output signal from the MOS circuit; (e) an output pad of the MOS circuit connected to the second diffusion region and to a second gate electrode overlying a second channel region between the third diffusion region and the fourth diffusion region, the second gate electrode and the third and fourth diffusion regions combining to define a first switched body MOS transistor; and (f) a power supply pad of the MOS circuit connected to the third diffusion region and to a third gate electrode overlying a third channel region between the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region, the third gate electrode and the first and second diffusion regions combining to define a second switched body MOS transistor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 268 words
Switched body circuitry for protecting a system data line connected to an output driver of an MOS integrated circuit utilizing the said circuitry comprising: (a) a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; (b) a well region of a second conductivity type opposite to that of the first conductivity type formed in a surface of the substrate; (c) first, second, third and fourth spaced-apart shallow diffusion regions of the first conductivity type formed in a surface of the well region, the first and fourth of these regions being electrically connected to the well region through ohmic contacts; (d) a first gate electrode overlying a first channel region between the second diffusion region and the third diffusion region, the first gate electrode and the second and third diffusion regions combining to define an MOS output driver transistor of the MOS circuit, the first gate electrode being connected to receive a logic output signal from the MOS circuit; (e) an output pad of the MOS circuit connected to the second diffusion region and to a second gate electrode overlying a second channel region between the third diffusion region and the fourth diffusion region, the second gate electrode and the third and fourth diffusion regions combining to define a first switched body MOS transistor; and (f) a power supply pad of the MOS circuit connected to the third diffusion region and to a third gate electrode overlying a third channel region between the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region, the third gate electrode and the first and second diffusion regions combining to define a second switched body MOS transistor.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

DE2832154A1 Cited
EP0020113A1 Cited
EP0114061A2 Cited

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