Method for improved ESD performance within power over ethernet devices

A method to provide electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection to an Ethernet physical layer (PHY) module within an integrated circuit (IC), comprising:

• physically coupling the Ethernet PHY module to a power feed circuit circuit;
• charging a parasitic capacitance to float a ground plane associated with the Ethernet PHY module;
• and
• shunting an ESD current with the power feed circuit to the parasitic capacitance.

A power over Ethernet (PoE) network device operable to distribute both an Ethernet power signal and an Ethernet data signal through a coupled Ethernet network, comprising:

• an Ethernet network connector operable to physically couple the PoE network device to the Ethernet network;
• a PoE controller;
• and
• an integrated circuit (IC) coupled to the Ethernet network connector;
• wherein the IC further comprises:
• an Ethernet physical layer (PHY) module having a plurality of inputs;
• a power feed circuit electrically coupled to the plurality of inputs;
• and
• wherein the power feed circuit allows a ground of the Ethernet PHY module to float relative to earth ground;
• and
• wherein the power feed circuit is operable to:
• exchange Ethernet data signals with the Ethernet PHY module and the Ethernet connector;
• and
• couple to a power management module operable to distribute a power signal as directed by the PoE controller.