Method for protecting mixed signal chips from electrostatic disc

Details Method for protecting mixed signal chips from electrostatic disc Method for protecting mixed signal chips from electrostatic disc

1998-03-02

1999-07-20

Leja, Ronald W.

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Safety and protection of systems and devices

Load shunting by fault responsive means

361111, H02H 900

Patent

active

059263539

ABSTRACT:
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device for an integrated circuit (IC) is presented which has both digital and analog I/O pads. The ESD protection device employs a separate ESD power supply bus capacitively coupled to the digital power supply bus and the analog power supply bus. An ESD event trigger is coupled between the ESD power supply bus and the analog ground substrate of the IC. The ESD event trigger detects ESD events, which are manifested by high-voltage high-current spikes present on the ESD power supply bus. A shunting device is coupled between the ESD power supply bus and analog ground substrate, and is responsive to the detection of an ESD event by the ESD event trigger by electrically connecting the ESD power supply bus and said analog ground substrate. Each I/O pad is capacitively coupled to the ESD power supply bus in order to protect any internal circuitry that is coupled to the I/O pad from damage due to ESD events. Protected internal circuitry is coupled to either the digital power supply bus and digital ground substrate, or the analog power supply bus and analog ground substrate, but is electrically isolated from the ESD power supply bus.

REFERENCES:
patent: 5301084 (1994-04-01), Miller
patent: 5616943 (1997-04-01), Nguyen et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Method for protecting mixed signal chips from electrostatic disc does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Method for protecting mixed signal chips from electrostatic disc, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for protecting mixed signal chips from electrostatic disc will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1327646