Patent ID: 7471494

Claim:
An output circuit for forwarding a signal provided by a circuit via a signal path, the output circuit comprising: an input node coupled to the circuit, to receive the signal from the circuit; an output node; a reference potential terminal; a supply potential terminal; wherein the input node is separate and distinct from the supply potential terminal and separate from the reference potential terminal; wherein the output node is separate and distinct from the supply potential terminal and separate from the reference potential terminal; a semiconductor switch within the signal path between the input node and the output node; a control circuit designed to open the semiconductor switch, both when the potential at the output node is higher than a first limit potential depending on a potential applied to the supply potential terminal and when the potential at the output node is lower than a second limit potential depending on a potential applied to the reference potential terminal; and to close the semiconductor switch when the potential at the output node is between the first limit potential and the second limit potential.