Integrated circuit protected against electrostatic overvoltages

A protection circuit for protecting an integrated circuit having a plurality of pads including a first circuit pad, a second circuit pad, a first voltage supply pad that connects to a first voltage supply and a second voltage supply pad that connects to the first voltage supply, the protection circuit comprising:

• a first conductive path and a second conductive path;
• a plurality of first diodes, a first diode being coupled between each pad and the first conductive path;
• a plurality of second diodes, a second diode being coupled between each pad and the second conductive path;
• and
• a clipping circuit coupled between the first and the second conductive paths.

A protection circuit for protecting an integrated circuit having a plurality of pads including a first circuit pad, a second circuit pad, a first voltage supply pad that connects to a first voltage supply, and a second voltage supply pad that connects to the first voltage supply, the protection circuit comprising:

• a first conductive path and a second conductive path;
• a plurality of first diodes, a first diode being coupled between each pad and the first conductive path;
• a plurality of second diodes, a second diode being coupled between each pad and the second conductive path;
• and
• a clipping circuit coupled between the first and the second conductive paths, wherein
• each diode has an anode and a cathode,
• each pad is coupled to the anode of the first diode that is coupled between the pad and the first conductive path;
• each pad is coupled to the cathode of the second diode that is coupled between the pad and the second conductive path;
• the first conductive path is coupled to the cathode of each first diode;
• and
• the second conductive path is coupled to the anode of each second diode.

A protection circuit for protecting an integrated circuit having a plurality of external connecting means for establishing an external connection including first circuit means for establishing an external circuit connection, second circuit means for establishing an external circuit connection, first voltage supply means for establishing first external voltage connection to a first voltage supply and second voltage supply means for establishing a second external voltage connection to the first voltage supply, the protection circuit comprising:

• first conducting means for conducting current and second conducting means for conducting current;
• a plurality of first voltage controlling means for controlling voltage, a first voltage controlling means being coupled between each external connecting means and the first conducting means;
• a plurality of second voltage controlling means for controlling voltage, a second voltage controlling means being coupled between each external connecting means and the second conducting means;
• and
• clipping means for clipping voltage coupled between the first and a second conducting means.