Patent ID: 7116536
Filing Date: 2006-10-03
Classification: H02H

Abstract:
1. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit for bypassing an ESD current between a first pad and a second pad, comprising: a detection circuit for detecting an ESD current, wherein the detection circuit is connected to the first pad and the second pad; and a bypass circuit for bypassing the ESD current, wherein the bypass circuit is connected to the first pad, the second pad and the output terminal of the detection circuit, the bypass circuit comprises an N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) transistor, a first NPN bipolar transistor and a second NPN bipolar transistor, wherein a drain of the NMOS transistor, a collector of the first NPN bipolar transistor and a collector of the second NPN bipolar transistor are connected to the first pad, and a source and a substrate of the NMOS transistor and an emitter of the second NPN bipolar transistor are connected to the second pad, a base of the first NPN bipolar transistor is connected to a gate of the NMOS transistor and an emitter of the first NPN bipolar transistor is connected a base of the second NPN bipolar transistor.