CMOS buffer circuit having power-down feature

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 5570036
SERIAL NO

08519444

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Abstract

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The gate of a P-channel pull-up transistor connected between an input node and a supply voltage in a buffer circuit is coupled to a test node. An N-channel pull-down transistor is connected between the input node and ground and has a gate connected to the test node. A logic low signal provided to the test node allows the circuit to operate normally. During test mode, a logic high signal is provided to the test node to turn off the P-channel pull-up transistor and thus prevent DC current flow in the circuit via the pull-up transistor. This logic high signal also turns on the pull-down transistor and, by shorting the input node to ground potential, prevents any other DC crossover currents from flowing in the circuit. Thus, during test mode, quiescent current flow resulting from small manufacturing defects in the circuit are obscured by larger DC currents and, as a result, may be readily measured to detect the presence of such small manufacturing defects.

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddress
FUJITSU LIMITEDKAWASAKI-SHI KANAGAWA 211-8588

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Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Montoye, Robert K Los Gatos, CA 93 1891
Zasio, John J Sunnyvale, CA 18 653

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