
Functional anomalies observed during electrostatic discharge (ESD) testing typically indicate insufficient board-level ESD protection. These anomalies can occur through direct injection or indirect coupling. Key protection methods include placing fast-responding transient voltage suppressor (TVS) diodes with appropriate clamping voltages at all I/O ports, communication interfaces, buttons, and reset lines, ensuring their ground paths are extremely short. For metal casings, ensure they are connected to PCB ground via high-voltage capacitors or direct low-impedance connections to equalize potential. Decoupling capacitors should be used on the power pins of sensitive ICs on the board. Using multilayer boards and providing a complete ground plane helps dissipate energy. Coordinated design of system-level and board-level protection can effectively prevent ESD-induced resets, communication interruptions, and other anomalies.