Dual-purpose I/O circuit in a combined LINK/PHY integrated circuit
US5929655A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 25, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jul 27, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 25, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/4072
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A dual-purpose I/O circuit for use in an integrated circuit having a primary circuit is provided. The dual-purpose I/O circuit includes two conducting pads, two single-ended I/O cells and one differential I/O cell. Several dual-purpose I/O circuits can be used within a single integrated circuit to support both single-ended and/or differential mode I/O signaling between external circuits and devices and a primary circuit within the integrated circuit. Within each dual-purpose I/O circuit, a first single-ended I/O cells is connected to a first conducting pad, a second single-ended I/O cell is connected to the second conducting pad and a differential I/O cell is connected to the both the first single-ended and second single-ended I/O cells and to both the first and second conducting pads. A control logic is connected to at least one of the first single-ended, second single-ended and differential I/O cells. The control logic is arranged to selectively enable and disable at least one of the first single-ended, second single-ended and differential I/O cells. The primary circuit can include any digital and/or analog circuit. The primary circuit can include a combined LINK/PHY circuit conf…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.