Patent ID: 8253474

Claim:
Leakage compensated electronic circuit for switching purposes in an automatic test equipment, comprising a set of at least four electronic switches, an electronic switch having a closed state allowing for desired current flow and an open state disallowing a desired current flow, whereby a first subset comprises at least two electronic switches of said set, a second subset comprises at least two other electronic switches of said set, said at least two electronic switches of said first subset are arranged in a serial connection such that desired current flows from a first electronic switch of said first subset to a second electronic switch of said first subset, and whereby said at least two electronic switches of said second subset are arranged in a serial connection such that desired current flows from a first electronic switch of said second subset to a second electronic switch of said second subset, and further comprising a first buffer and a second buffer, said first buffer being connected to the first electronic switch of said first subset such that an input side of the first buffer is connected to the first electronic switch of said first subset and an output side of the first buffer is connected, via a switch, to the first electronic switch of said first subset and the second electronic switch of said first subset, said second buffer being connected to the second electronic switch of said second subset such that an input side of the second buffer is connected to the second electronic switch of said second subset and an output side of the second buffer is connected, via a switch, to the first electronic switch of said second subset and the second electronic switch of said second subset, whereby said first buffer minimises a potential drop across said first electronic switch when in open state, and said second buffer minimises a potential drop across said second electronic switch when in open state, and the electronic circuit further comprising a switched connection towards ground arranged in between the first subset and the second subset, whereby said connection towards ground, in its closed state, provides a current through said ground connection when in operation, and whereby said current via said ground connection comprises a current flow via said first buffer of said first subset and a current via said second buffer of said second subset.