On-chip input/output device having programmable I/O unit being configured based upon internal configuration circuit
First Claim
1. An I/O device for use on the I/O area of an IC chip, which comprisesa programmable I/O unit serving as a data buffer between the core circuitry of the IC chip and the external circuitry to which the IC chip is connected for use, said programmable I/O unit being capable of being set to one of a plurality of combinations of built-in I/O characteristics;
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wherein said programmable I/O unit and said I/O configuration means are both integrally formed on the IC chip, allowing for a change in the I/O characteristics of said I/O device to match to the external circuitry.
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Abstract
An input/output (I/O) device with programmable I/O characteristics is provided for use on an integrated circuit to serve as a communication interface whose input/output characteristics can be set through programmable means to be matched to the external circuitry to which the IC chip is connected for use. This allows the IC chip on which the I/O device is provided to be matched for use with various kinds of external systems. Further, the I/O device can also be provided with a self-control feature that can detect whether the I/O characteristics of the I/O device are matched to the external circuitry and, if not, automatically set the I/O device to the required I/O characteristic. The I/O device can prevent an IC chip from being discarded due to a mismatch in the I/O characteristics with the external circuitry to which the IC chip is connected for use.
27 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An I/O device for use on the I/O area of an IC chip, which comprises
a programmable I/O unit serving as a data buffer between the core circuitry of the IC chip and the external circuitry to which the IC chip is connected for use, said programmable I/O unit being capable of being set to one of a plurality of combinations of built-in I/O characteristics; - and
I/O configuration means, coupled to said programmable I/O unit, for use to control said programmable I/O unit to be set to the desired combination of I/O characteristics that are matched to the external circuitry; wherein said programmable I/O unit and said I/O configuration means are both integrally formed on the IC chip, allowing for a change in the I/O characteristics of said I/O device to match to the external circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A self-control I/O device for use on the I/O area of an IC chip, capable of detecting the I/O requirements of the external circuitry to which the IC chip is connected for use and then self adjusting its I/O characteristics to meet the I/O requirements of the external circuitry, said self-control I/O device comprising:
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a programmable I/O unit serving as a data buffer between the core circuitry of the IC chip and the external circuitry to which the IC chip is connected for use, said programmable I/O unit being capable of being set to one of a plurality of combinations of built-in I/O characteristics; I/O configuration means, coupled to said programmable I/O unit, for use to control said programmable I/O unit to be set to the desired combination of I/O characteristics that are matched to the external circuitry; an I/O testing circuit, coupled to said programmable I/O unit, capable of detecting whether the programmable I/O unit is matched to the external circuitry;
if not, said basic I/O system generating a change request signal; anda basic I/O system, coupled to both of said I/O testing circuit and said I/O configuration means;
in response to said change request signal from said I/O testing circuit, said basic I/O system requesting said I/O configuration means to send a corresponding I/O configuration signal to set said programmable I/O unit to the required set of I/O characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification