Electrostatic discharge protection device and method thereof
AssigneeNanya Technology Corporation
InventorKuo-Chiang Wang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ESD (electrostatic discharge) protection device is disclosed. The ESD protection device is configured to protect an internal circuit. The ESD protection device includes an ESD protection array and a control circuit. The ESD protection array includes several ESD protection units. The control circuit is coupled to the ESD protection array. The control circuit is configured to control a conduction of each of the several ESD protection units so that a determined number of the several ESD protection units are conducted.
Claims12
An ESD (electrostatic discharge) protection device, configured to protect an internal circuit, wherein the ESD protection device comprises:
- an ESD protection array, comprising a plurality of ESD protection units;
- a control circuit, coupled to the ESD protection array, wherein the control circuit is configured to control a conduction of each of the plurality of ESD protection units so that a determined number of the plurality of ESD protection units are conducted;
- a detecting circuit, configured to detect a voltage value or a current value of the internal circuit;
- and
- a logical circuit, coupled to the control circuit, wherein the logical circuit is configured to decide the conduction of each of the plurality of ESD protection units and the determined number according to the voltage value or the current value of the internal circuit.
An ESD protection method, suitable for an ESD protection device, wherein the ESD protection device is configured to protect an internal circuit, wherein the ESD protection method comprises:
- receiving a control signal by a control circuit of the ESD protection device, wherein the control signal comprises a protection level and a determined number;
- and
- controlling a conduction of each of a plurality of ESD protection units of a ESD protection array of the ESD protection device according to the control signal by the control circuit so that the determined number of the plurality of ESD protection units are conducted;
- wherein the ESD protection method further comprises;
- detecting a voltage value or a current value of the internal circuit by a detecting circuit;
- and
- deciding the conduction of each of the plurality of ESD protection units and the determined number according to the voltage value or the current value of the internal circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.