Patent ID: 8228011

Claim:
A bi-direction driver IC (Integrated Circuit), comprising: a first power node for receiving power from a first power supply; a second power node for receiving power from a second power supply; at least one first chip coupled to the first power node, the at least one first chip including: a first transistor; a first diode coupled to the first transistor in parallel, the first diode having an anode-cathode direction opposite to a current direction through the first transistor; and a first control circuit controlling an operation of the first transistor, the first control circuit receiving power directly or indirectly from the second power supply; at least one second chip coupled to the second power node, the at least one second chip including: a second transistor; a second diode coupled to the second transistor in parallel, the second diode having an anode-cathode direction opposite to a current direction through the second transistor; and a second control circuit controlling an operation of the second transistor, the second control circuit receiving power directly or indirectly from the first power supply; wherein, when the first power supply is at a positive voltage, current flows through the first diode to the second chip, such that the second control circuit functions to turn on the second transistor; and when the second power supply is at a positive voltage, current flows through the second diode to the first chip, such that the first control circuit functions to turn on the first transistor.