Patent ID: 7187527

Claim:
A device for connection between a first conductor and a second conductor, comprising: a diode having an anode and a cathode in a semiconductor substrate, the anode coupled to the first conductor; a transistor having a source and a drain in the semiconductor substrate, and having a gate coupled to the source and to the second conductor; an implant region in the semiconductor substrate, the implant region arranged to surround the source and the drain of the transistor and including a portion in a region in the substrate between the diode and the transistor; a connector electrically coupling the cathode of the diode to the drain of the transistor, and electrically isolated from the implant region; and a control circuit coupled to the implant region, the control circuit applying a bias voltage to the implant region in response to a voltage pulse affecting the first and second conductors, the bias voltage tending to inject carriers into the semiconductor substrate including into there region between the diode and the transistor, which enable discharge of the voltage pulse via the substrate.