Patent ID: 6897682
Filing Date: 2005-05-24
Classification: H02M,H03K

Abstract:
1. A MOS-gated circuit, comprising: a plurality of gated switches; and a driver circuit electrically coupled to the gated switches, the driver circuit including a plurality of conduction detect circuits electrically coupled to the gated switches, respectively, each of the conduction detect circuits configured to detect a characteristic of an assigned gated switch related to whether the assigned switch is in a conducting state; wherein the driver circuit automatically prevents a simultaneous conduction of the gated switches if the assigned gated switch is in the conducting state, further wherein each of the conduction detect circuits includes a comparator configured to produce an output signal in accordance with a difference between a gate-to-source voltage of the assigned gated switch and a reference voltage, the output signal communicating whether the assigned gated switch is in a conducting state.