Patent · US Expired

Digitally controlled impedance for I/O of an integrated circuit device

US6445245B1 · kind B1 · utility

78Cited by
8References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 6, 2000
Grant dateSep 3, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 6, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L25/0278
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A system for controlling the impedances of circuits on an integrated circuit chip is provided. At least one circuit is selected to operate as a p-channel reference circuit, and at least one circuit is selected to operate as an n-channel reference circuit. Other circuits are selected to operate as circuits and/or line termination circuits. A digitally controlled impedance (DCI) circuit controls the p-channel reference circuit to determine a desired configuration of p-channel transistors for use in the circuits. The DCI circuit further controls the n-channel reference circuit to determine a desired configuration of n-channel transistors for use in the circuits. The DCI circuit takes into account such factors as resistances of p-channel transistors in the p-channel reference circuit, resistances of n-channel transistors in the n-channel reference circuit, as well as temperature, voltage and process variations. The DCI circuit relays information identifying the desired configurations of the n-channel and p-channel transistors to the circuits. The circuits are then configured in response to this information.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.