Abstract: ESD protection apparatus disclosed herein include an ESD trigger circuit to sense the occurrence of an ESD event and an ESD discharge device to provide a low impedance path to ground through which to discharge energy associated with the ESD pulse. Some embodiments also include a VDD turn-on clamp to prevent the ESD discharge device from switching to a conductive state during a VDD power-on event. Some embodiments further include a VDD glitch clamp to prevent a switching pulse triggered by a transient disruption in the VDD supply from propagating to the ESD discharge device and causing the ESD discharge device to conduct in the absence of an ESD event.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD)-triggered protection apparatus includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit includes an ESD trigger circuit to sense an ESD pulse and to generate a switching pulse responsive to the ESD pulse; a first ESD discharge device communicatively coupled to the ESD trigger circuit and responsive to the switching pulse to transfer a current generated by the ESD pulse to the ground rail; a control circuit that generates a control signal in response to the switching pulse. The second circuit includes at least one trigger cell buffer that is configured to receive the control signal and to control a second ESD discharge device such that the current generated by the ESD pulse is transferred to the ground rail.

Abstract: ESD protection apparatus disclosed herein include an ESD trigger circuit to sense the occurrence of an ESD event and an ESD discharge device to provide a low impedance path to ground through which to discharge energy associated with the ESD pulse. Some embodiments also include a VDD turn-on clamp to prevent the ESD discharge device from switching to a conductive state during a VDD power-on event. Some embodiments further include a VDD glitch clamp to prevent a switching pulse triggered by a transient disruption in the VDD supply from propagating to the ESD discharge device and causing the ESD discharge device to conduct in the absence of an ESD event.

Abstract: A circuit (100) ensures electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection during an ESD event. The ESD circuit (100) has a current shunting device (135), a RC trigger circuit (125) and a RC delay circuit (130). The shunting device (135) is connected between two IC power supply rails, and provides the primary current path for a positive ESD event referenced from one power supply rail (V.sub.DD 105) to the other (V.sub.ss 110). The trigger circuit (125) initially activates the shunting device into a low resistance conductive state in response to an ESD event. The RC delay circuit (130) serves to maintain the shunting device in the conductive state, initially produced by the trigger circuit (125), for the remaining duration of the ESD event. A large capacitor required to achieve the delay time in this RC circuit may be eliminated by utilizing the gate-to-body capacitance in the existing shunting device (135).