preferably in the form of one or more integrated circuit chips the functions of any part of such circuitry may alternatively be implemented using one or more appropriately programmed processors depending upon the signal frequencies or data rates to be processed referring to fig1 an esd protection circuit in accordance with one embodiment of the presently claimed invention includes a first set e g two of diodes d 1 p d 2 p coupling the signal electrode 1 s and the positive power supply electrode vdd a second set e g two of diodes d 1 n d 2 n coupling the signal electrode 1 s to the negative power supply electrode vss gnd a differential amplifier a 1 e g an operational amplifier and resistances r 1 r 2 all interconnected substantially as shown a current source p 1 can also be included to provide a source current is discussed in more detail below the input signal having a voltage vin and current iin is conveyed via the signal electrode is to host circuitry elsewhere within the integrated circuit not shown the diodes d 1 p d 2 p d 1 n d 2 n provide esd protection for the signal electrode 1 s in accordance with well known principles the esd protection circuitry comprising.