Patent ID: 7696809

Claim:
A high current power output stage, comprising: a common carrier; at least four power transistors, each of the at least four transistors being disposed on a separate semiconductor chip, each of the at least four transistors having a diode which is turned off during a first operating state of the respective power transistor, and each of the semiconductor chips being arranged on the common carrier; two electrical supply lines coupling the at least four power transistors to a supply potential and a reference potential, at least one of the two electrical supply lines comprises at least one bonding wire, the at least four transistors being connected in series connected pairs between the two electrical supply lines so that each of said pairs is connected in parallel with the others of said pairs; at least one fusible link connected in series with said at least four power transistors in at least one of said two electrical power supply lines, said fusible link being configured to trigger in response to a current which flows through the diodes of the at least four transistors when the supply potential and the reference potential are reversed; and at least one additional diode electrically connected in parallel with the series connected pairs of power transistors such that said at least one additional diode is turned off during the first operating state and is in the on state when the supply potential and the reference potential are reversed.