Patent ID: 8422187

Claim:
An apparatus for providing transient electrical event protection, the apparatus comprising: a detection and timing circuit configured to detect a presence or absence of a transient electrical event at a first node, wherein the detection and timing circuit is further configured to generate a first current for a first duration upon detection of the transient electrical event; a current amplification circuit configured to receive the first current from the detection and timing circuit and to amplify the first current to generate a second current, the current amplification circuit comprising; a first bipolar transistor having an emitter, a base, and a collector, wherein the first bipolar transistor is configured to receive at least a portion of the first current or configured to generate at least a portion of the second current; and a second bipolar transistor having an emitter, a base, and a collector, wherein the emitter of the second bipolar transistor is electrically connected to the collector of the first bipolar transistor, and wherein the collector of the second bipolar transistor is electrically connected to the base of the second bipolar transistor and to a second node; and a clamping circuit electrically connected between the first node and the second node and configured to receive the second current for activation, wherein the clamping circuit is configured to activate a low impedance path between the first and second nodes in response to the second current, and to otherwise deactivate the low impedance path.