1. A transistor device, comprising:
an individual transistor cell arranged in a transistor cell field on a semiconductor body, the individual transistor cell comprising a gate electrode;
a gate contact, electrically coupled to the gate electrode and configured to switch on the individual transistor cell by providing a gate current in a first direction and configured to switch off the individual transistor cell by providing a gate current in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction; and
a gate-resistor structure monolithically integrated in the transistor device, the gate-resistor structure providing a first resistance for the gate current when the gate current flows in the first direction, and providing a second resistance for the gate current, which is different from the first resistance, when the gate current flows in the second direction.
2. The transistor device of claim 1, wherein the gate-resistor structure is arranged between the gate contact and the gate electrode.
3. The transistor device of claim 1, further comprising a connecting layer having a top surface and configured to electrically couple the gate contact to the gate electrode.
4. The transistor device of claim 3, wherein the gate-resistor structure is arranged between the gate contact and the connecting layer.
5. The transistor device of claim 3, wherein the gate-resistor structure is arranged between the connecting layer and the gate electrode.
6. The transistor device of claim 3, further comprising a contact layer arranged on the top surface of the connecting layer and forming or being electrically connected to the gate contact.
7. The transistor device of claim 6, wherein the gate-resistor structure is at least partly covered by the contact layer.
8. The transistor device of claim 6, wherein the contact layer is arranged distant to the individual transistor cell.
9. The transistor device of claim 1, wherein the gate electrode is of a first conductivity type or a second conductivity type and comprises a top surface, and wherein the gate-resistor structure comprises:
a first semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, extending from the top surface into the gate electrode in a vertical direction;
a second semiconductor region of the second conductivity type, arranged adjacent to the first semiconductor region and forming a p-n junction with the first semiconductor region, the second semiconductor region being arranged below the first semiconductor region in a vertical direction;
a second insulating layer arranged to insulate the first semiconductor region from the surrounding gate electrode; and
a contact layer arranged on the top surface of the gate electrode, covering the first semiconductor region to electrically connect the first semiconductor region and additionally covering portions of the top surface of the gate electrode beside the first semiconductor region in a horizontal direction.
10. The transistor device of claim 4, wherein the connecting layer is of a first conductivity type or a second conductivity type, and wherein the gate-resistor structure comprises:
a first semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, extending from the top surface of the connecting layer into the connecting layer in a vertical direction;
a second semiconductor region of the second conductivity type, arranged adjacent to the first semiconductor region and forming a p-n junction with the first semiconductor region, the second semiconductor region being arranged below the first semiconductor region in a vertical direction;
an insulating layer arranged to insulate the first semiconductor region from the surrounding connecting layer; and
a contact layer arranged on the top surface of the connecting layer, covering the first semiconductor region to electrically connect the first semiconductor region and additionally covering portions of the top surface of the connecting layer beside the first semiconductor region in a horizontal direction.
11. The transistor device of claim 4, wherein the gate-resistor structure comprises:
a first resistance section of a first or a second conductivity type, the first resistance section comprising a top surface;
a second resistance section electrically coupled between the connecting layer and the gate contact;
an insulating layer arranged to insulate the first resistance section from the second resistance section; and
a first diode region extending from the top surface of the first resistance section into the first resistance section in a vertical direction, the first diode region and the first resistance section being coupled in series between the connecting layer and the gate contact.
12. The transistor device of claim 11, wherein the diode region is coupled between the gate contact and the first resistance section.
13. The transistor device of claim 11, wherein the diode region is coupled between the connecting layer and the first resistance section.
14. The transistor device of claim 11, wherein the diode region is of a conductivity type different to the conductivity type of the first resistance section and forms a pn-junction with the first resistance section.
15. The transistor device of claim 11, wherein the diode region and the first resistance section form a Schottky contact.
16. The transistor device of claim 3, wherein the connecting layer includes at least one opening close to the individual transistor cell, the at least one opening being configured to decrease a cross-sectional area through which the gate current may pass between the gate electrode and the connecting layer.
17. A gate-resistor structure on a semiconductor body, the gate-resistor structure comprising:
a first resistance section of a first or a second conductivity type, the first resistance section comprising a top surface;
a second resistance section electrically coupled between a connecting layer and a gate contact, the connecting layer being configured to be coupled to a plurality of transistor cells and the gate contact being configured to switch on the plurality of transistor cells by providing a gate current in a first direction and configured to switch off the plurality of transistor cells by providing a gate current in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction;
a first insulating layer arranged to insulate the connecting layer, the first resistance section and the second resistance section from the semiconductor body;
a second insulating layer arranged to insulate the first resistance section from the connecting layer and the second resistance section; and
a first diode region extending from the top surface of the first resistance section into the first resistance section in a vertical direction, the first diode region and the first resistance section being coupled in series between the connecting layer and the gate contact.
18. The gate-resistor structure of claim 17, further comprising a first contact layer arranged to electrically couple the first resistance section to the second resistance section.
19. The gate-resistor structure of claim 17, further comprising a second contact layer arranged to electrically couple the first diode region to the connecting layer.
20. The gate-resistor structure of claim 17, wherein the first resistance structure has a first resistance value that depends on a length and a width of the first resistance structure.
21. The gate-resistor structure of claim 17, wherein the second resistance structure has a second resistance value that depends on a length and a width of the second resistance structure.
22. A gate-resistor structure on a semiconductor body, the gate-resistor structure comprising:
a connecting layer coupled to a plurality of transistor cells;
a first resistance section of a first or a second conductivity type;
a gate contact for receiving a gate signal for the transistor cells, the gate contact being coupled to the first resistance section;
a second resistance section electrically coupled between the gate contact and the connecting layer;
an insulating layer arranged to insulate the first resistance section from the connecting layer and the second resistance section; and
a first diode region arranged in the first resistance section to form a diode, wherein the first resistance section including the diode is coupled between the connecting layer and the gate contact.
23. The gate-resistor of claim 22, wherein the first diode region extends from a top surface of the first resistance section into the first resistance section in a vertical direction.
24. The gate-resistor of claim 22, further comprising:
a further insulating layer arranged to insulate the connecting layer, the first resistance section and the second resistance section from a subjacent semiconductor body.
25. The gate-resistor structure of claim 22, further comprising a first contact layer arranged to electrically connect the first resistance section to the second resistance section.
26. The gate-resistor structure of claim 22, further comprising a second contact layer arranged to electrically connect the first diode region to the connecting layer.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A mobile device, comprising:
a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a cover comprising a protective surface and a positioning mechanism, wherein the positioning mechanism positions the protective surface between a first position in which the protective surface covers at least a portion of a user interface in the top surface of the mobile device housing, a second position in which the protective surface supports the mobile device, and a third position in which the protective surface is at least partly adjacent to the bottom surface of the mobile device housing.
2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the protective surface is transparent to enable viewing of the user interface while the protective cover is in the first position.
3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the protective surface includes a plurality of apertures, and wherein a plurality of controls are selectable on the user interface through the apertures.
4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism includes a pair of pins on the cover that mount to a pair of rails on the housing.
5. The mobile device of claim 3, wherein the pins rotate about the rails in order to position the protective surface between the first, second and third positions.
6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a cellular telephone, a two-way pager, or a personal digital assistant.
7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a hinge.
8. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the comprises a first part integral to the protective cover and a second part integral to the housing.
9. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a keyboard, and wherein the cover extends over the keyboard when in the first position.
10. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a touch screen.
11. A mobile device, comprising:
a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface; and
a cover comprising a surface and a positioning mechanism, wherein the cover is mounted to the housing such that the positioning mechanism positions the protective surface between a first position in which the protective surface covers at least a portion of a user interface of the mobile device, and a second position in which the protective surface is at least partly adjacent to the bottom surface of the mobile device;
wherein the cover includes a plurality of apertures for providing input commands to the user interface while the cover is biased in the first position.
12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the positioning mechanism including a pair of pins configured on the cover that mount to and engage with a pair of rails integral to and extending substantially along the sides of the housing, wherein the pins rotate about the rails and slidably engage therewith in order to translate the cover between the first position and the second position.
13. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the user interface includes a touch screen.
14. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the protective surface is at least partially transparent.
15. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the user interface includes a keyboard.
16. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the user interface comprises a touch control area and a display area, wherein the plurality of apertures are aligned in the cover above the touch control area when the cover is in the first position.
17. A mobile device, comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of covers which may be detachably mounted to the mobile device, each of the covers including at least one aperture; and
a plurality of cover models stored within the mobile device, each cover model corresponding to one of the plurality of covers and describing the position of the at least one aperture within the cover, the cover models being selectable from a user interface of the mobile device.
18. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein a user of the mobile device physically attaches one of the plurality covers to the mobile device and then interacts with the user interface to select the cover model corresponding to the attached cover.