Electrostatic discharge protection for a transformer balun

An apparatus comprising:

• a balun including an input coil and an output coil having a center point connection and a first and second connection of the output coil coupled respectively to first and second output pads;
• and
• a first ESD circuit coupled at a first node of the first ESD circuit to the center point connection and coupled at a second node to a reference voltage node, the first ESD circuit responsive to a voltage at the center point connection being above or below respective first and second threshold voltages to provide a low impedance path from the center point connection to the reference voltage node through the first ESD circuit and when the voltage at the center point connection is below the first threshold voltage and above the second threshold voltage the center point connection is isolated from the reference voltage node by the first ESD circuit;
• wherein the voltage at the center point connection varies but is substantially stable during normal operation as compared to positive and negative outputs of the balun and the voltage at the center point connection remains within several tenths of volts of zero volts during normal operation.