Patent ID: 7589577

Claim:
A circuit adjustable after packaging, comprising: a functional circuit supplied with a power potential and a reference potential and comprising at least one parameter adjustable by the programming of at least one programmable element; a programming control circuit to program the programmable element of the functional circuit; a limiter circuit to limit the voltage between the power supply potential and the reference potential to an adjustable limiting voltage, and a circuit to adjust the limiting voltage, wherein the limiter circuit comprises: a first generator producing a first stable potential and a second generator producing a second potential, series-connected between a power supply terminal to which the power supply potential is applied and a reference terminal to which the reference potential is applied; and a programmable switch that is parallel-connected between the terminals of the first stable generator and closed or open as a function of a programmed or non-programmed state, and wherein the first generator and the second generator together comprise: a first resistor having one terminal coupled to the reference terminal of the circuit and the other terminal coupled to an emitter of a first bipolar transistor having one collector coupled to the power supply terminal; a second resistor having one terminal coupled to a base of the first bipolar transistor and another terminal coupled to the reference terminal; a second bipolar transistor having a base coupled to the emitter of the first transistor, a collector coupled to the power supply terminal and an emitter coupled to the reference terminal; and a first diode and a second diode series-connected between the power supply terminal and the base of the first transistor, the programmable switch being parallel-connected between the terminals of the first diode.