Patent ID: 7315179
Filing Date: 2008-01-01
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. An electronic system comprising an input device, an output device, a memory device, and a processor device coupled to the input, output, and memory devices, at least one of the input, output, memory, and processor devices including an integrated circuit (IC) comprising: an external communications terminal, the external communications terminal comprising a supply voltage bond pad for receiving a supply voltage from circuitry external to the integrated circuit; an internal circuit; switching circuitry coupled between the external communications terminal and the internal circuit for selectively isolating the internal circuit from the external communications terminal in response to receiving a control signal; and control circuitry coupled to the external communications terminal and the switching circuitry for sensing a short in the internal circuit and outputting the control signal to the switching circuitry in response thereto, the control circuitry includes: a supply terminal coupled to the supply voltage bond pad for receiving the supply voltage; an output terminal for outputting the received supply voltage; a control signal terminal for outputting the control signal in response to a current flow between the supply terminal and the output terminal exceeding a predetermined threshold; a first PMOS transistor having a source coupled to the supply terminal, a gate coupled to the output terminal, and a drain coupled to the control signal terminal; a first resistive device coupled between the supply terminal and the output terminal; a second resistive device coupled between the control signal terminal and a reference voltage bond pad; a second PMOS transistor having a source coupled to the supply terminal, a gate, and a drain coupled to the control signal terminal; and an inverter coupled between the control signal terminal and the gate of the second PMOS transistor.