Patent ID: 6580591
Filing Date: 2003-06-17
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) switch circuit for an integrated circuit (IC) with multiple power inputs, the IC including a plurality of positive power pins and a corresponding plurality of negative power pins, and the IC including an ESD ring network with a high ESD bus and a low ESD bus, and the IC including a control circuit indicating one of a plurality of operational modes, the ESD switch circuit comprising:a first switch circuit, for coupling to the control circuit and the ESD ring network, that couples the high ESD bus to a first positive power pin in response to the control circuit indicating a first operational mode; and a second switch circuit, for coupling to the control circuit and the ESD ring network, that couples the low ESD bus to a first negative power pin in response to the control circuit indicating the first operational mode.