Patent ID: 8730637

Claim:
A surge protection device comprising: a ground terminal and a signal terminal; a surge protection element coupled with the ground terminal and the signal terminal and configured to fail as a conductor; a switch coupled with the surge protection element and having a first position and a second position, the first position of the switch configured to allow transmittal of a signal from the signal terminal, through the surge protection element, to the ground terminal, and the second position of the switch configured to prevent transmittal of a signal from the signal terminal, through the surge protection element, to the ground terminal; and a control element configured to control the movement of the switch from the first position to the second position if the surge protection element fails as a conductor, wherein the surge protection element failing as a conductor creates a conductive path through the control element, wherein a current flows across the conductive path through the control element and causes the movement of the switch from the first position to the second position.