Patent ID: 9634482
Date: 2017-04-25
CPC Classifications: H01L,H02H

Claim:
1. An apparatus comprising: a transient detection circuit configured to generate a detection current in response to a transient overstress event detected between a first node and a second node; a clamp circuit having an on state and an off state and comprising a clamp transistor, wherein a shunt current flows through the clamp transistor between the first node and the second node when the clamp circuit operates in the on state; a sense feedback circuit comprising a first sense transistor electrically coupled to the clamp transistor and configured to generate a sense current that is based on the shunt current, and a second sense transistor configured to generate a positive feedback current based on the sense current; and a bias circuit configured to receive a combined current, wherein the combined current is based on a sum of the detection current and the positive feedback current, wherein the bias circuit is configured to control operation of the clamp circuit in the on state or the off state based on the combined current.