I/O device, method for providing ESD protection for an I/O device and ESD protection device for an I/O device
AssigneeNXP B.V.
InventorsDa-Wei Lai, Taede Smedes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of a method for providing electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection for an Input/Output (I/O) device, an ESD protection device for an I/O device, and an I/O device are described. In one embodiment, a method for providing ESD protection for an I/O device involves activating a switch device to turn off the I/O device during an ESD event and deactivating the switch device to turn on the I/O device in the absence of an ESD event. Other embodiments are also described.
Claims19
A method for providing electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection for an Input/Output (I/O) device, the method comprising:
- activating a switch device to turn off the I/O device during an ESD event, wherein the switch device is directly connected to a trigger device configured to generate an ESD trigger signal during the ESD event and is not directly connected to an ESD power clamp, and wherein the trigger device and the ESD power clamp are connected to different voltage lines;
- and
- deactivating the switch device to turn on the I/O device in the absence of an ESD event.
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device for an Input/Output (I/O) device, the ESD protection device comprising:
- an ESD element configured to conduct an ESD current during an ESD event;
- and
- a switch device configured to be activated to turn off the I/O device during the ESD event and to be deactivated to turn on the I/O device in the absence of an ESD event, wherein the switch device is directly connected to a trigger device configured to generate an ESD trigger signal during the ESD event and is not directly connected to an ESD power clamp of the ESD element, and wherein the trigger device and the ESD power clamp are connected to different voltage lines.
An Input/Output (I/O) device, the I/O device comprising:
- an NMOS I/O driver circuit connected to an I/O terminal;
- an ESD element configured to conduct an ESD current away from the NMOS I/O driver during an ESD event;
- and
- a switch device configured to be activated to turn off the NMOS I/O driver circuit during the ESD event and to be deactivated to turn on the NMOS I/O driver circuit in the absence of an ESD event, wherein the switch device is directly connected to a trigger device configured to generate an ESD trigger signal during the ESD event and is not directly connected to an ESD power clamp of the ESD element, and wherein the trigger device and the ESD power clamp are connected to different voltage lines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.