Patent ID: 7280330
Filing Date: 2007-10-09
Classification: H01L,H03F

Abstract:
1. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) device for protecting a power amplifier circuit, the device comprising: a first ESD protection circuit coupled between a positive terminal of a supply voltage and a negative terminal of the supply voltage; a second ESD protection circuit coupled between the negative terminal of the supply voltage and an output terminal of the power amplifier circuit, wherein a first current path is formed from the positive terminal to the output terminal through the first and second ESD protection circuits; a drive circuit coupled to the power amplifier circuit; and a circuit device, coupled between the positive terminal of the supply voltage and a supply terminal of the drive circuit, operative to increase impedance of a second current path from the positive terminal to the output terminal through the power amplifier circuit to divert current from the second current path to the first current path in the course of an ESD event.