Electrostatic discharge circuit for cross domain ESD protection
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorGurupada Mandal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one example, an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit includes a first power supply having a first supply voltage, wherein the first power supply is connected to a first node. The ESD protection circuit also includes a second power supply having a second supply voltage, wherein the second power supply is connected to the first node. The ESD protection circuit also includes an inverter that receives an input voltage from the first node and produces an output voltage. An ESD discharge device receives the output voltage and provides a discharge path for the first power supply and the second power supply if the output voltage indicates occurrence of an ESD event affecting the first power supply or the second power supply.
Claims18
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit, comprising:
- a first power supply having a first supply voltage, the first power supply connected to a first node through a first diode;
- a second power supply having a second supply voltage, the second power supply connected to the first node through a second diode;
- an inverter that receives an input voltage from the first node and produces an output voltage;
- an ESD discharge device that receives the output voltage and provides a discharge path for the first power supply and the second power supply if the output voltage indicates occurrence of an ESD event affecting the first power supply or the second power supply;
- and
- a resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit connected between the first node and a system ground, the RC circuit operating as a trigger that causes the input voltage to indicate occurrence of the ESD event.
A method for manufacturing electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuits, comprising:
- manufacturing an ESD protection circuit having a first power supply to provide a first supply voltage, the first power supply connected to a first node;
- adding a second power supply to provide a second supply voltage, the second power supply connected to the first node;
- adding an inverter to the ESD protection circuit, the inverter to receive an input voltage from the first node and to produce an output voltage;
- adding an ESD discharge device to the ESD protection circuit, the ESD discharge device to receive the output voltage and to provide a discharge path for the first power supply and the second power supply if the output voltage indicates occurrence of an ESD event affecting the first power supply or the second power supply;
- and
- adding a resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit to the ESD protection circuit, wherein the RC circuit is connected between the first node and a system ground, the RC circuit operating as a trigger that causes the input voltage to indicate occurrence of the ESD event.
A method of operating an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit that has a first power supply that provides a first supply voltage, the first power supply connected to a first node, a second power supply that provides a second supply voltage, the second power supply connected to the first node, an inverter that receives an input voltage from the first node and produces an output voltage, and a resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit connected between the first node and a system ground, the RC circuit operating as a trigger that causes the input voltage to indicate occurrence of an ESD event, the method comprising:
- receiving an ESD strike at either the first power supply or the second power supply;
- driving, in response to the ESD strike, the output voltage to indicate the ESD event;
- receiving the output voltage at an ESD discharge device;
- and
- providing, in response to the output voltage, a discharge path for the first power supply and the second power supply.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.