Patent ID: 6924532

Claim:
Field-effect power transistor comprising: (a) a first semiconductor region with first MOS channels having a first ratio of a channel width to a channel length for conducting through an electric current from a source terminal to a drain terminal in a manner dependent on a signal at a gate contact of the first semiconductor region; (b) at least one second semiconductor region with second MOS channels having a second ratio of the channel width to the channel length for conducting through an electric current from the source terminal to the drain terminal in a manner dependent on a signal at a gate contact of the second semiconductor region; (c) a drive terminal for providing a drive signal at the gate contacts, a first predetermined resistor in each case being provided between the gate contact of the at least one second semiconductor region and the drive terminal; and (d) an overvoltage protection device being provided at least between the gate contact of the second semiconductor region and the drain terminal, said device switching on the at least one second semiconductor region if the voltage between the gate contact of the second semiconductor region and the drain terminal exceeds a predetermined value.