ESD Protection scheme for designs with positive, negative, and ground rails

Abstract

Apparatuses and systems for dissipating ESD events are provided. In an embodiment, an integrated circuit (IC) device, includes a ground rail, a positive supply rail, a negative supply rail, a circuit block, a plurality of contact pads, and a coupling system. Each of the ground rail, positive supply rail, negative supply rail, and the circuit block are coupled to a respective contact pad of the plurality of contact pads. The contact pad coupled to the circuit block is configured to swing from a voltage of the negative rail to a voltage of the positive rail. The coupling system couples each contact pad of the plurality of contact pads to all other contact pads of the plurality of contact pads, whereby an electrostatic discharge (ESD) event between two contacts pads of the plurality of contact pads can be dissipated.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.