Integrated circuit with electrostatic discharge protection

Abstract

An integrated circuit includes an input/output (I/O) pad, an electrostatic discharge (ESD) primary circuit and a bias voltage generator. The electrostatic discharge primary circuit includes a first transistor. A first terminal of the first transistor is coupled to the I/O pad. The bias voltage generator is configured to provide a gate bias signal to the gate terminal of the first transistor. The bias voltage generator provides the gate bias signal at a first voltage level in response to that an ESD event occurs on the I/O pad. The bias voltage generator provides the gate bias signal at a second voltage level in response to that no ESD event occurs on the I/O pad. The first voltage level is lower than the second voltage level.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.