SHARED ESD CIRCUITRY

摘要

An integrated circuit including ESD circuitry that is shared among more than one terminal segment of the integrated circuit to discharge current from an ESD event on any of the terminal segments. The shared ESD circuitry includes a clamp circuit that is coupled to power buses of each segment to discharge current from ESD events on each segment. The shared ESD circuitry includes a trigger circuit that is coupled to nodes coupled to terminals of each segment to detect an ESD event on each segment.

主权项

1. An integrated circuit comprising:
an ESD clamp circuit; a first bus coupled to a first current electrode of the ESD clamp circuit; a first diode coupled between the first bus and the first current electrode; a second bus coupled to the first current electrode of the ESD clamp circuit; a second diode coupled between the second bus and the first current electrode; a first plurality of terminals, each terminal of the first plurality coupled to the first bus; a second plurality of terminals, each terminal of the second plurality coupled to the second bus; and a trigger circuit including a first input coupled to a first node to sense an ESD event occurring on at least one terminal of the first plurality of terminals, a second input coupled to a second node to sense an ESD event occurring on at least one terminal of the second plurality of terminals, and an output coupled to a control electrode of the ESD clamp circuit for making the ESD clamp circuit conductive in response to a sensed ESD event on at least one terminal of the first plurality of terminals to discharge current from the sensed ESD event on the first bus through the first diode and for making the ESD clamp circuit conductive in response to a sensed ESD event on at least one terminal of the second plurality of terminals to discharge current from the sensed ESD event on the second bus through the second diode.