Patent ID: 6987654

Claim:
A vibration sensor, comprising: a transducer adapted to generate an electrical signal as a function of vibration; a signal conditioning circuit, comprising (i) at least one input node, (ii) at least one output node, and (iii) circuit components, the signal conditioning circuit characterized by a transfer function, adapted to receive an input signal from said at least one input node and to provide a conditioned output signal at said at least one output node according to the transfer function; and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit adapted to the signal conditioning circuit (i) to suppress ESD signals greater than about 2000 Vpp applied to said at least one node to levels electrically non-destructive to the signal conditioning circuit and (ii) to interface with the signal conditioning circuit in a manner substantially maintaining the transfer function; said ESD protection circuit including linear protection elements coupled to components of said signal conditioning circuit sensitive to ESD signals; and one of said linear protection elements coupled to said transducer has an impedance matching an impedance of the transducer to maintain electrical characteristics of the sensor while protecting the transducer and the signal conditioning circuit.