Patent ID: 8149553

Claim:
An integrated circuit comprising: a power supply rail; a ground rail; at least one signal processing transistor controlled by a processing control signal to perform signal processing; a clamp transistor coupled between said power supply rail and said ground rail and controlled by a clamp control signal to provide a current path between said power supply rail and said ground rail; and a detector circuit coupled to said power supply rail and said ground rail and generating said clamp control signal, said detector circuit being responsive to a change in voltage difference between said power supply rail and said ground rail indicative of an electrostatic discharge event to generate said clamp control signal with a value that switches said clamp transistor to a conductive state in which current flow through said clamp transistor suppresses said change in voltage difference; wherein said detector circuit generates an electrostatic discharge event signal when said electrostatic discharge event is detected; and said electrostatic discharge event signal controls a protection circuit element to force said processing control signal to a protection state in which said signal processing transistor has an increased resistance to damage from said electrostatic discharge event.