ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE PROTECTION CIRCUIT HAVING A RING OSCILLATOR TIMER CIRCUIT

摘要

An electrostatic discharge protection circuit is provided having a first electrically conductive element (such as a current sinking transistor) to couple between a power source and a first node. The first electrically conductive element has a control input terminal. A discharge path control circuit having an output terminal couples to the control input terminal of the first electrically conductive element. A timer circuit having an output terminal couples to the input terminal of the discharge path control circuit. A ring oscillator timer circuit having an output terminal couples to an input terminal of the timer circuit. The ring oscillator timer circuit may include a series of inverter circuits and/or counter circuits (such as flip-flop circuits).