Patent ID: 6933541

Claim:
A thyristor device package having a cathode terminal and an anode terminal, comprising: a thyristor device having a thyristor emitter, a thyristor collector, and a thyristor gate, said thyristor comprising alternating P-type and N-type semiconductor regions; a first discrete metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor connected in series with said thyristor between said cathode terminal and said thyristor emitter; a second discrete MOS transistor connected between said cathode terminal and said thyristor gate; and means for injecting current into said thyristor gate for triggering said thyristor into a latching state; wherein a first voltage applied to a gate terminal of said first MOS transistor causes a current to flow between said cathode terminal and said anode terminal turning said thyristor device package to an on state, and a zero to second voltage applied to said gate of said first MOS transistor turns said thyristor device package to an off state.