Patent ID: 8861151
Filing Date: 2014-10-14
Classification: H01L,H02H

Abstract:
1. An overvoltage protection circuit comprising: a first terminal through which a first voltage is supplied to an internal circuit; a second terminal through which a second voltage is supplied; a rectifier which has an input end connected to the first terminal, and an output end; and first-stage to n-th-stage switching elements which are connected in parallel to one another where n is an integer of 2 or larger, the first-stage to n-th-stage switching elements having first to n-th controlling ends respectively through which an output voltage from the output end of the rectifier is applied, each of the switching elements having first and second controlled ends connected to the first terminal and the second terminal respectively, the rectifier being configured to output a control voltage from the output end thereby to cause the first-stage to n-th-stage switching elements to be turned on to establish electrical continuity between the first and second controlled ends, in response to receipt of an overvoltage not smaller than a predetermined voltage that is higher than the second voltage from the first terminal.