Protecting circuit and integrated circuit

A method of protecting a protected circuit against an electrostatic discharge (ESD), the method comprising:

• applying a voltage to the protected circuit that is connected to a first terminal and to a second terminal;
• turning on a discharge switch by a trigger circuit when the voltage between the first terminal and the second terminal becomes higher than a first voltage value, wherein the discharge switch is connected to the first terminal and the second terminal, and wherein the trigger circuit comprises load devices connected in series between the first terminal and the second terminal, each of the load devices being configured to consume power;
• electrically connecting, by a shunt circuit, a first shunt pathway to bypass a first one of the load devices but not a second one of the load devices, when the voltage becomes higher than a second voltage value that is greater than the first voltage value;
• and
• electrically connecting, by the shunt circuit, a second shunt pathway to bypass the first one of the load devices and the second one of the load devices, when the voltage becomes higher than a third voltage value that is greater than the first voltage value;
• wherein the shunt circuit is connected between the trigger circuit and the protected circuit and comprises the first shunt pathway and the second shunt pathway.

A method for the manufacture of a protecting circuit, the method comprising:

• providing a discharge switch configured to connect to a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal and the second terminal being configured to connect to a protected circuit;
• providing a trigger circuit comprising load devices configured to be connected in series between the first terminal and the second terminal, each of the load devices being configured to consume power;
• wherein the trigger circuit is configured to turn on the discharge switch when a voltage between the first terminal and the second terminal is higher than a first voltage value;
• and
• providing a shunt circuit connected between the trigger circuit and the protected circuit, the shunt circuit comprising a first shunt pathway configured to bypass a first one of the load devices but not a second one of the load devices and a second shunt pathway configured bypass the first one of the load devices and the second one of the load devices;
• wherein the shunt circuit is configured to electrically connect the first shunt pathway when the voltage is higher than a second voltage value that is greater than the first voltage value, and wherein the shunt circuit is configured to electrically connect the second shunt pathway when the voltage is higher than a third voltage value that is greater than the first voltage value.