ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE PROTECTION CIRCUIT, EQUIPMENT AND METHOD
First Claim
1. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit for protecting one or more devices in an electronic circuit from an ESD current which enters the electronic circuit through one or more input/output pins, the protection circuit comprising:
- a voltage clamp circuit connectable to a pin, for diverting the ESD current from the or each a device;
a current sensor circuit connected to the pin and the voltage clamp circuit and connected to the device, the current sensor circuit for sensing the ESD current and for switching off the device when the sensed current exceeds a threshold value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit for protecting one or more devices in an electronic circuit from an ESD current which enters the electronic circuit through one or more input/output pins, the protection circuit comprising: a voltage clamp circuit connectable to the or each pin, for diverting the ESD current from the or each device; and a current sensor circuit connected between the input/output pins and the voltage clamp circuit and connected to the one or more devices, the current sensor circuit for sensing the ESD current and for switching off the or each device when the sensed current exceeds a threshold value, wherein when a current flows in the current mirror circuits above a threshold value the device is caused to switch off.
31 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit for protecting one or more devices in an electronic circuit from an ESD current which enters the electronic circuit through one or more input/output pins, the protection circuit comprising:
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a voltage clamp circuit connectable to a pin, for diverting the ESD current from the or each a device; a current sensor circuit connected to the pin and the voltage clamp circuit and connected to the device, the current sensor circuit for sensing the ESD current and for switching off the device when the sensed current exceeds a threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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15. A method of manufacturing a protection circuit for protecting one or more devices from an ESD current which enters the circuit through one or more input/output pins, the method comprising the steps of:
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forming a voltage clamp circuits on a substrate connectable to a pin for diverting current from said device; forming a current sensor circuit on the substrate such that the current sensor circuit is connected between the pin and the voltage clamp circuits and is connected to said device, the current sensor circuit for sensing the ESD current and for switching off the device when the sensed current exceeds a threshold value.
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Specification