Patent ID: 7940513

Claim:
A switch arrangement for providing a drive signal at an output, the switch arrangement comprising: a drive switch coupled to the output of the switch arrangement, the drive switch being operable to provide the drive signal at the output; a regulating element coupled in series between the drive switch and a power supply input of the switch arrangement, wherein the regulating element is coupled in a cascode arrangement with the drive switch; and a voltage source operable to provide a reference voltage across a first terminal and a second terminal thereof, wherein the first terminal is coupled to a control input of the drive switch and the second terminal is coupled to a control input of the regulating element for providing a voltage signal to the control inputs to control the operation of the regulating element and the drive switch such that in operation the regulating element limits the voltage drop across the drive switch to a predetermined level which is determined by the level of the voltage signal provided by the voltage source.