Electronic device protection circuit, corresponding device and method

An electronic device, comprising:

• an input terminal;
• a first supply terminal configured to be coupled to a voltage regulator;
• a comparator having a first input coupled to the input terminal and a second input coupled to the first supply terminal;
• a level shifter coupled to the first and second inputs of the comparator and configured to provide to the first and second inputs of the comparator with level-shifted replicas of a voltage at the input terminal and a voltage at the first supply terminal, respectively;
• and
• a current sink coupled between the first supply terminal and a second supply terminal and configured to sink current from the first supply terminal into the second supply terminal based on an output of the comparator, wherein the input terminal is configured to be coupled to a load.

A method for supplying a regulated voltage to an electronic device via a regulated supply line, the method comprising:

• receiving an input voltage at an input terminal, the input terminal being coupled to the regulated supply line via an electrostatic discharge protection and driver circuit, wherein a current injected into the input terminal produces a voltage increase on the regulated supply line;
• level-shifting the input voltage and the regulated voltage with a level shifter to generate a level-shifted input voltage and a level-shifted regulated voltage;
• sensing the level-shifted input voltage and the level-shifted regulated voltage with a comparator;
• and
• activating, with an output of the comparator, a current sink coupled to the regulated supply line to sink current from the regulated supply line into a second supply line as a result of the input voltage exceeding the regulated voltage by an intervention threshold.