Microchip Technology Inc.

Bart De Geeter

Nicolas Furrer

Philippe Deval

A circuit and method for digital controlling the slew rate of load voltage are provided. The circuit is comprised of a digital slew-rate control unit that utilizes a feedback signal to generate control signals where the feedback signal indicates the observed rate of voltage change on the load. The circuit is further comprised of a load driver circuit that is operated by the control signals and provides a slew-rate controlled output voltage used to operate a load switch, where the load switch provides power to the load. The circuit is configured to operate the load switch using a slew-rate controlling driver, depending on the state of the load switch transition, and a non-controlling driver.

Inductive load driver slew rate controller

For adaptive electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection, an integrated circuit device having an adaptive electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection, has an external connection pin to be protected from ESD; an external ground connection pin; an adaptive electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit having: an ESD protection N-metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistor having drain connected to the external connection pin and a source and bulk connected to ground; a resistor coupled between a gate of the NMOS transistor and ground; a first PMOS transistor having a source coupled to a gate of the NMOS transistor and a drain connected to ground; a first capacitor having a first terminal connected to the external connection pin and a second terminal that is coupled with the gate of the NMOS transistor, wherein the first capacitor within the adaptive ESD protection circuit is the only capacitor connected to the external connection pin.

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Lausanne, Switzerland

Bart De Geeter