Over voltage protection for a thin oxide load circuit

An integrated circuit that provides over voltage protection for a thin oxide load circuit, the integrated circuit comprising:

• a substrate having a thick oxide portion and a thin oxide portion;
• a load circuit disposed on the thin oxide portion, wherein the load circuit is coupled between a supply node and a virtual supply node;
• a current source circuit disposed on the substrate, the current source circuit having an input coupled to a control signal node and an output coupled to the virtual supply node, wherein the current source circuit is operable to provide a voltage at the virtual supply node, which is based on a control signal coupled to the control signal node;
• a protection circuit disposed on the substrate, the protection circuit comprising a sensing portion and a protection portion, wherein the sensing portion is coupled to the virtual supply node and is operable to sense the voltage at the virtual supply node, and the protection portion is coupled to the sensing portion and is operable, in response to feedback from the sensing portion of the sensed voltage, to prevent a difference in voltage between the voltage at the virtual supply node and a second voltage at the supply node from exceeding a first maximum voltage value.