Protective circuit for a control circuit, in particular of liquid crystal display screen

Claim 2

A protective circuit, included in a column control circuit, for protection against excessive voltages appearing on an output terminal which is external to said column control circuit, connected between an output of a control circuit means for supplying a voltage signal and said output terminal, comprising: first and second electronic switches connected in series between said output of the control circuit and the output terminal; a third electronic switch connected to a point located between said first and second switches also connected to a ground terminal; means for delivering control signals to said first, second and third switches in accordance with corresponding voltage signals delivered by the control circuit means.

Claim 3

The protective circuit according to claim 1, wherein a voltage signal is transferred from the control circuit to the output terminal when said first and second switches are in closed state and said third switch is in an open state.

Claim 4

A protective circuit according to claim 1, wherein said point located between said first and second switches is set to a zero potential when said first and second switches are in an open state and said third switch is in a closed state.

Claim 5

The protective circuit according to claim 1, wherein said output terminal is set to a zero potential when the second and third switches are each in a closed state.

Claim 6

The protective circuit according to claim 1, wherein said control circuit means is a sample and hold circuit.

Claim 7

The protective circuit according to claim 5, wherein said sample and hold circuit is used to sample, store and transfer video signals.

Claim 8

The protective circuit according to claim 1, wherein the output terminal is connected to a column line of a liquid crystal display device.

Claim 9

A double column control circuit, for protection against excessive voltages appearing on an output terminal which is external to said double column control circuit, comprising: a first protective circuit, connected between an output of a first control circuit means for supplying a first voltage signal and said output terminal, said first protective circuit comprising first and second electronic switches connected in series between said output of the first control circuit means and the output terminal, and a third electronic switch connected to a point between said first and second switches and also connected to a first ground terminal; a second protective circuit, connected between an output of a second control circuit means for supplying a second voltage signal and said output terminal, said second protective circuit comprising fourth and fifth electronic switches connected in series between said output of the second control circuit means and the output terminal, and a sixth electronic switch connected to a point located between said fourth and fifth switches and also connected to a second ground terminal; and mean for delivering a first set of control signals to said first, second and third electronic switches in accordance with corresponding first type voltage signals delivered by the first control circuit means, and for delivering a second set of control signals to said fourth, fifth and sixth electronic switches in accordance with corresponding second type voltage signals, said second type voltage signals being delivered by said second control circuit means, wherein said first and second protective circuits operate alternately with each other in accordance with alternating opposite-polarity input signals.

Claim 10

A double column control circuit, for protection against excessive voltages appearing on an output terminal which is external to said double column control circuit, comprising: a first protective circuit, connected between an output of a first control circuit means for supplying a first voltage signal and said output terminal, said first protective circuit comprising first and second electronic switches connected in series between said output of the first control circuit means and the output terminal, and a third electronic switch connected to a point between said first and second switches and also connected to a first ground terminal; a second protective circuit, connected between an output of a second control circuit means for supplying a second voltage signal and said output terminal, said second protective circuit comprising fourth and fifth electronic switches connected in series between said output of the second control circuit means and the output terminal, and a sixth electronic switch connected to a point located between said fourth and fifth switches and also connected to a second ground terminal; and mean for delivering a first set of control signals to said first, second and third electronic switches in accordance with corresponding first type voltage signals delivered by the first control circuit means, and for delivering a second set of control signals to said fourth, fifth and sixth electronic switches in accordance with corresponding second type voltage signals, said second type voltage signals being delivered by said second control circuit means, wherein said first and second protective circuits operate alternately with each other in accordance with alternating opposite-polarity input signals.

Claim 11

A protective circuit, included in a column control circuit, for protection against excessive voltages appearing on an output terminal which is external to said column control circuit, connected between an output of a control circuit means for supplying a voltage signal and said output terminal, comprising: first and second electronic switches connected in series between said output of the control circuit and the output terminal; a third electronic switch connected to a point located between said first and second switches also connected to a ground terminal; means for delivering control signals to said first, second and third switches in accordance with corresponding voltage signals delivered by the control circuit means, wherein when said voltage signal is to be transferred from the control circuit to the output terminal, said first and second switches are maintained in a closed state and said third switch is maintained in an open state.

Claim 12

A protective circuit, included in a column control circuit, for protection against excessive voltages appearing on an output terminal which is external to said column control circuit, connected between an output of a control circuit means for supplying a voltage signal and said output terminal, comprising: first and second electronic switches connected in series between said output of the control circuit and the output terminal; a third electronic switch connected to a point located between said first and second switches also connected to a ground terminal; means for delivering control signals to said first, second and third switches in accordance with corresponding voltage signals delivered by the control circuit means, wherein when said voltage signal is to be transferred from the control circuit to the output terminal, said first and second switches are maintained in a closed state and said third switch is maintained in an open state.

Claim 13

A protective circuit according to claim 9, wherein said point located between said first and second switches is set to a zero potential when said first and second switches are maintained in an open state and said third switch is maintained in a closed state.

Claim 14

The protective circuit according to claim 9, wherein said output pin is set to a zero potential when the second and third switches are each maintained in a closed state.

Claim 15

The protective circuit according to claim 9, wherein said control circuit means is a sample and hold circuit.

Claim 16

The protective circuit according to claim 12, wherein said sample and hold circuit is used to sample, store and transfer video signals.

Claim 17

The protective circuit according to claim 9, wherein the output terminal is connected to a column line of a liquid crystal display device.

Claim 18

A double column control circuit, for protection against excessive voltages appearing on an output terminal which is external to said double column control circuit, comprising: a first protective circuit, connected between an output of a first control circuit means for supplying a first voltage signal and said output terminal, said first protective circuit comprising first and second electronic switches connected in series between said output of the first control circuit means and the output terminal, and a third electronic switch connected to a point between said first and second switches and also connected to a first ground terminal; a second protective circuit, connected between an output of a second control circuit means for supplying a second voltage signal and said output terminal, said second protective circuit comprising fourth and fifth electronic switches connected in series between said output of the second control circuit means and the output terminal, and a sixth electronic switch connected to a point located between said fourth and fifth switches and also connected to a second ground terminal; and means for delivering a first set of control signals to said first, second and third electronic switches in accordance with corresponding first type voltage signals delivered by the first control circuit means, and for delivering a second set of control signals to said fourth, fifth and sixth electronic switches in accordance with corresponding second type voltage signals which are complementary to said first type voltage signals, said second type voltage signals being delivered by said second control circuit means, wherein said first and second protective circuits operate alternately with each of the in accordance with alternating opposite-polarity input signals and when said first voltage signal is to be transferred from said first control circuit means to said output terminal said first and second switches are maintained in a closed state and said third switch is maintained in an open state, whereas when said second voltage signal is to be transferred from said second control circuit means to said output terminal said fourth and fifth switches are maintained in a closed state and said sixth switch is maintained in an open state.

Claim 19

A double column control circuit, for protection against excessive voltages appearing on an output terminal which is external to said double column control circuit, comprising: a first protective circuit, connected between an output of a first control circuit means for supplying a first voltage signal and said output terminal, said first protective circuit comprising first and second electronic switches connected in series between said output of the first control circuit means and the output terminal, and a third electronic switch connected to a point between said first and second switches and also connected to a first ground terminal; a second protective circuit, connected between an output of a second control circuit means for supplying a second voltage signal and said output terminal, said second protective circuit comprising fourth and fifth electronic switches connected in series between said output of the second control circuit means and the output terminal, and a sixth electronic switch connected to a point located between said fourth and fifth switches and also connected to a second ground terminal; and means for delivering a first set of control signals to said first, second and third electronic switches in accordance with corresponding first type voltage signals delivered by the first control circuit means, and for delivering a second set of control signals to said fourth, fifth and sixth electronic switches in accordance with corresponding second type voltage signals which are complementary to said first type voltage signals, said second type voltage signals being delivered by said second control circuit means, wherein said first and second protective circuits operate alternately with each of the in accordance with alternating opposite-polarity input signals and when said first voltage signal is to be transferred from said first control circuit means to said output terminal said first and second switches are maintained in a closed state and said third switch is maintained in an open state, whereas when said second voltage signal is to be transferred from said second control circuit means to said output terminal said fourth and fifth switches are maintained in a closed state and said sixth switch is maintained in an open state.