Power supply ESD protection circuit
First Claim
1. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit comprising:
- first and second supply terminals;
a current source;
a shunt transistor coupled between the first and second supply terminals and having a control terminal;
an inverter comprising an input coupled to the current source, an output coupled to the control terminal of the shunt transistor, and pull-up and pull-down transistors coupled between the first and second supply terminals, the pull-up and pull-down transistors having control terminals which are coupled to the input; and
a voltage level shifting device coupled between the input and the control terminal of one of the pull-up and pull-down transistors.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit includes first and second supply terminals, a current source, a shunt transistor, an inverter and a voltage level shifting device. The shunt transistor is coupled between the first and second supply terminals and has a control terminal. The inverter includes an input coupled to the current source, an output coupled to the control terminal of the shunt transistor and pull-up and pull-down transistors coupled between the first and second supply terminals. The pull-up and pull-down transistors have control terminals which are coupled to the input. The voltage level shifting device is coupled between the input and the control terminal of one of the pull-up and pull-down transistors.
44 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit comprising:
-
first and second supply terminals; a current source; a shunt transistor coupled between the first and second supply terminals and having a control terminal; an inverter comprising an input coupled to the current source, an output coupled to the control terminal of the shunt transistor, and pull-up and pull-down transistors coupled between the first and second supply terminals, the pull-up and pull-down transistors having control terminals which are coupled to the input; and a voltage level shifting device coupled between the input and the control terminal of one of the pull-up and pull-down transistors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. An integrated circuit die comprising:
-
a plurality of semiconductor cells; first and second power supply conductors which have different relative polarities and are electrically coupled to the plurality of semiconductor cells; and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit comprising; a current source coupled to one of the first and second power supply conductors; a shunt transistor coupled between the first and second power supply conductors and having a control terminal; an inverter comprising a pull-up transistor and a pull-down transistor which are coupled between the control terminal of the shunt transistor and the first and second power supply conductors, respectively, and which have control terminals which are coupled to the current source; and a voltage level shifting device coupled between the current source and the control terminal of one of the pull-up and pull-down transistors. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit comprising:
-
first and second supply terminals; a current source coupled to one of the first and second supply terminals; a shunt transistor having first and second terminals coupled to the first and second supply terminals, respectively, and having a control terminal; and an inverter formed by a pull-up transistor and a pull-down transistor coupled between the first and second supply terminals and having an input coupled to the current source and an output coupled to the control terminal of the shunt transistor; and means for creating a voltage difference between the inverter input and a control terminal of one of the pull-up and pull-down transistors.
-
Specification