Patent ID: 6728084
Filing Date: 2004-04-27
Classification: H02H

Abstract:
An overvoltage protection system, comprising:a detector that detects a voltage level at an input and provides a mode signal based on the detected voltage level; and an output stage having first and second active components electrically coupled in series between the input and a second voltage level that is lower than the input, the first and second components being controlled to limit the voltage across at least one of the first and second components based on the mode signal indicating an overvoltage condition, so that the first and second components can tolerate an increased voltage level at the input, an intermediate node connecting the first and second components in series between the input and the second voltage, in response to detecting an overvoltage condition at the input, the voltage potential between the intermediate node and the input controlling operation of the first component and the voltage potential between the node and the second voltage level controlling operation of the second component.