Cambridge Silicon Radio Limited

Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd.

William Pugsley

Ian Michael Sabberton

Justin Penfold

A circuit for protecting a node () in an electronic device () from an electrostatic discharge comprising: a voltage rail () arranged to provide an predetermined voltage when the device is powered; a first switching device () connected between said node () and ground (); a second switching device () coupled to said node () and arranged to control the conductance of the first switching device () between said node () and ground (); wherein, the second switching device () is configured to, irrespective of whether the device is powered or not powered, (a) hold the conductance of the first switching device () low when the potential difference between the node () and the voltage rail () is within an operating range, and (b) hold the conductance of the first switching device () high in response to an overvoltage at the node () so as to allow current to flow from the node () to ground ().

Electrostatic discharge protection

A protection circuit for protecting components from an electrostatic discharge at a node in an integrated circuit having a first set of electronic components of a first voltage sensitivity, the protection circuit comprising: detection circuitry arranged to detect an electrostatic discharge at the node; a first switching device connected between the first set of components and the node; and a second switching device connected between the node and ground; wherein, when an electrostatic discharge is detected at the node, the first switching device is configured to isolate the first set of components from the node and the second switching device is configured to provide a current path from said node to ground.

Low voltage electrostatic discharge protection

An integrated circuit () comprising a driver element () electrically connected to a pin of a package housing the integrated circuit (), the driver element () being associated with a detection element () such that on detection of an electrostatic discharge event occurring at the pin by the detection element () a system associated with the integrated circuit () can be activated.

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Cambridge, United Kingdom

William Pugsley