Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit with EOS and latch-up immunity
First Claim
1. An electrostatic discharge protection circuit, comprising:
- a main electrostatic discharge (ESD) circuit, coupled between a first rail and a second rail, and having a control end, wherein the main ESD circuit is arranged to establish an electrical connection between the first rail and the second rail based on a voltage of the control end;
a voltage detection circuit, coupled between the first rail and the second rail for setting the voltage at the control end when a voltage of the first rail is greater than a limiting voltage, thereby driving the main ESD circuit to establish the electrical connection between the first rail and the second rail; and
an electrostatic driving circuit, coupled between the main ESD circuit and the control end for setting the voltage at the control end when an instant variation of the voltage at the first rail is greater than a predetermined value, thereby driving the main ESD circuit to establish the electrical connection between the first rail and the second rail,wherein the main ESD circuit, the voltage detection circuit and the electrostatic driving circuit are connected in parallel connection between the first rail and the second rail, andwherein the voltage detection circuit comprises;
a limiting voltage setup circuit, having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the limiting voltage setup circuit is coupled to the first rail, and the limiting voltage setup circuit is arranged to establish an electrical connection between the first terminal of the limiting voltage setup circuit and the second terminal of the limiting voltage setup circuit when voltage at the first rail is greater than the limiting voltage;
a first resistor, having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the first resistor is coupled to the second terminal of the limiting voltage setup circuit, and the second terminal of the first resistor is coupled to the second rail; and
a first switch, having a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, wherein the first terminal of the first switch is coupled to the control end of the main ESD circuit, the second terminal of the first switch is coupled to the second rail, and the control terminal of the first switch is coupled to the second terminal of the limiting voltage setup circuit and the first terminal of the first resistor.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit with electrical overstress (EOS) and latch-up immunity has a main ESD circuit, a voltage detection circuit and an electrostatic driving circuit. The main ESD circuit is coupled between a first rail and a second rail and has a control end. The main ESD circuit is configured to establish an electrical connection between the first rail and the second rail based on a voltage of the control end. The voltage detection circuit is coupled between the first rail and the second rail for setting the voltage of the control end when a voltage of the first rail is greater than a limiting voltage. The electrostatic driving circuit is used to drive the main ESD circuit when an ESD phenomenon occurs.
19 Citations
13 Claims
-
1. An electrostatic discharge protection circuit, comprising:
-
a main electrostatic discharge (ESD) circuit, coupled between a first rail and a second rail, and having a control end, wherein the main ESD circuit is arranged to establish an electrical connection between the first rail and the second rail based on a voltage of the control end; a voltage detection circuit, coupled between the first rail and the second rail for setting the voltage at the control end when a voltage of the first rail is greater than a limiting voltage, thereby driving the main ESD circuit to establish the electrical connection between the first rail and the second rail; and an electrostatic driving circuit, coupled between the main ESD circuit and the control end for setting the voltage at the control end when an instant variation of the voltage at the first rail is greater than a predetermined value, thereby driving the main ESD circuit to establish the electrical connection between the first rail and the second rail, wherein the main ESD circuit, the voltage detection circuit and the electrostatic driving circuit are connected in parallel connection between the first rail and the second rail, and wherein the voltage detection circuit comprises; a limiting voltage setup circuit, having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the limiting voltage setup circuit is coupled to the first rail, and the limiting voltage setup circuit is arranged to establish an electrical connection between the first terminal of the limiting voltage setup circuit and the second terminal of the limiting voltage setup circuit when voltage at the first rail is greater than the limiting voltage; a first resistor, having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the first resistor is coupled to the second terminal of the limiting voltage setup circuit, and the second terminal of the first resistor is coupled to the second rail; and a first switch, having a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, wherein the first terminal of the first switch is coupled to the control end of the main ESD circuit, the second terminal of the first switch is coupled to the second rail, and the control terminal of the first switch is coupled to the second terminal of the limiting voltage setup circuit and the first terminal of the first resistor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
4. An electrostatic discharge protection circuit, comprising:
-
a main electrostatic discharge (ESD) circuit, coupled between a first rail and a second rail, and having a control end, wherein the main ESD circuit is arranged to establish an electrical connection between the first rail and the second rail based on a voltage of the control end, a voltage detection circuit, coupled between the first rail and the second rail for setting the voltage at the control end when a voltage of the first rail is greater than a limiting voltage, thereby driving the main ESD circuit to establish the electrical connection between the first rail and the second rail; and an electrostatic driving circuit, coupled between the main ESD circuit and the control end for setting the voltage at the control end when an instant variation of the voltage at the first rail is greater than a predetermined value, thereby driving the main ESD circuit to establish the electrical connection between the first rail and the second rail, wherein the main ESD circuit, the voltage detection circuit and the electrostatic driving circuit are connected in parallel connection between the first rail and the second rail, and wherein the voltage detection circuit comprises; a first switch, having a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, wherein the first terminal of the first switch is coupled to the first rail; a limiting voltage setup circuit, having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the limiting voltage setup circuit is coupled between the control terminal of the first switch and the second rail, the limiting voltage setup circuit is arranged to establish an electrical connection between the first terminal of the limiting voltage setup circuit and the second terminal of the limiting voltage setup circuit when voltage at the first rail is greater than the limiting voltage; a first resistor, having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the first resistor is coupled to the second terminal of the first switch, and the second terminal of the first resistor is coupled to the second rail; and a second switch, having a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, wherein the first terminal of the second switch is coupled to the control end of the main ESD circuit, the control terminal of the second switch is coupled to the second terminal of the first switch and the first terminal of the first resistor, and the second terminal of the second switch is coupled to the second rail. - View Dependent Claims (5, 13)
-
-
6. An electrostatic discharge protection circuit, comprising:
-
a main electrostatic discharge (ESD) circuit, coupled between a first rail and a second rail, and having a control end, wherein the main ESD circuit is arranged to establish an electrical connection between the first rail and the second rail based on a voltage of the control end; a voltage detection circuit, coupled between the first rail and the second rail for setting the voltage at the control end when a voltage of the first rail is greater than a limiting voltage, thereby driving the main ESD circuit to establish the electrical connection between the first rail and the second rail; and an electrostatic driving circuit, coupled between the main ESD circuit and the control end for setting the voltage at the control end when an instant variation of the voltage at the first rail is greater than a predetermined value, thereby driving the main ESD circuit to establish the electrical connection between the first rail and the second rail, wherein the main ESD circuit, the voltage detection circuit and the electrostatic driving circuit are connected in parallel connection between the first rail and the second rail, and wherein the voltage detection circuit comprises; a first resistor, having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the first resistor is coupled to the first rail; a limiting voltage setup circuit, having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the limiting voltage setup circuit is coupled to the second terminal of the first resistor, and the second terminal of the limiting voltage setup circuit is coupled to the second rail, and wherein the limiting voltage setup circuit is arranged to establish an electrical connection between the first terminal of the limiting voltage setup circuit and the second terminal of the limiting voltage setup circuit when voltage at the first rail is greater than the limiting voltage; a first switch, having a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, wherein the first terminal of the first switch is coupled to the first rail, the control terminal of the first switch is coupled to the second terminal of the first resistor and the first terminal of the limiting voltage setup circuit; a second resistor, having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the second resistor is coupled to the second terminal of the first switch, and the second terminal of the second resistor is coupled to the second rail; a third resistor, having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the third resistor is coupled to the first rail; a second switch, having a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, wherein the first terminal of the second switch is coupled to the second terminal of the third resistor, the second terminal of the second switch is coupled to the second rail, and the control terminal of the second switch is coupled to the second terminal of the first switch and the first terminal of the second resistor; and a third switch, having a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal, wherein the first terminal of the third switch is coupled to the first rail, the second terminal of the third switch is coupled to the electrostatic driving circuit, and the control terminal of the third switch is coupled to the first terminal of the second switch and the second terminal of the third resistor. - View Dependent Claims (7)
-
Specification