Driving circuit
AssigneeVanguard International Semiconductor Corporation
InventorsShao-Chang HUANG, Shi-Hsiang LU, Geeng-Lih LIN
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A driving circuit controlling a voltage level of an input/output pad and having an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection function comprises a detector, a controller, and a release control element. The detector is configured to couple to a power terminal and the input/output pad. The controller is coupled to the detector. The release control element is coupled to the power terminal or the input/output pad and coupled to the controller. When an ESD event occurs at the power terminal or the input/output pad, the detector activates the controller to a control signal to control the voltage level of the input/output pad.
Claims20
A driving circuit controlling a voltage level of an input/output pad and having an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection function, comprising:
- a detector configured to couple to a power terminal and the input/output pad;
- a controller coupled to the detector;
- and
- a release control element coupled to the power terminal or the input/output pad and coupled to the controller,
- wherein when an ESD event occurs at the power terminal or the input/output pad, the detector activates the controller so that the controller turns on the release control element to release an ESD current,
- wherein when the ESD event does not occur at the power terminal and the input/output pad, the detector does not activate the controller and the release control element is turned on according to a control signal to control the voltage level of the input/output pad.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.