Semiconductor having reduced configuration pins and method thereof

• US 6,970,794 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2002
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Sutardja, Sehat
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Carol S. W.
• Application Number:
  US10/251,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20040059528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 702/65, 702/105, 365/149, 365/194, 365/189.9, 324/73.1, 714/743
• US Class Current: 702/65
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/5444 for electrical read out
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/261 Amplifier which being suitable for instrumentation applications
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45138 Two or more differential amplifiers in IC-block form are combined, e.g. measuring amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45475 using IC blocks as the active amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/1291 Current or voltage controlled filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/30 Automatic matching of source impedance to load impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/0153 Electrical filters; Controlling thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance

Abstract

A configurable semiconductor device having a plurality of predetermined configurations comprises a measurement circuit to measure an electrical characteristic of at least one external impedance and to determine a digital value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic. A storage circuit includes memory locations having contents accessible as a function of the digital value. Each of the contents corresponds to a respective one of the predetermined configurations. A controller configures a device characteristic of the configurable semiconductor device based on the contents of the memory locations corresponding to the digital value.

Claims

1. A configurable semiconductor device having a plurality of predetermined configurations, comprising:

a measurement circuit to measure an electrical characteristic of at least one external impedance and to determine a digital value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic;

a storage circuit including memory locations having contents accessible as a function of the digital value, wherein each of the contents corresponds to a respective one of the predetermined configurations; and

a controller to configure a device characteristic of the configurable semiconductor device based on the contents of the memory locations corresponding to the digital value.

2. The configurable semiconductor of claim 1 further comprising a generator to supply energy to the external impedance.

3. The configurable semiconductor of claim 1 wherein the storage circuit includes memory devices selected from a group consisting of content addressable memory, static memory, dynamic memory, and look-up tables.

4. The configurable semiconductor of claim 1 wherein the measurement circuit is selected from a group consisting of timing circuits, Digital to Analog Converters, and Analog to Digital Converters.

5. The configurable semiconductor of claim 1 further comprising a value determiner to determine the digital value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic;

and

an address generator to convert the digital value to a first digital address corresponding to one of the memory locations.

6. The configurable semiconductor of claim 1 wherein the at least one external impedance is selected from a group consisting of a resistor, a capacitor, and combinations thereof.

7. The configurable semiconductor of claim 1 wherein the at least one external impedance has a value;

the electrical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of voltage and current; and

the electrical characteristic is a function of the value.

8. The configurable semiconductor of claim 7 wherein the at least one external impedance value is selected from a predetermined group of values comprising at least three values.

9. The configurable semiconductor of claim 8 wherein the group of values has a spacing characteristic selected from a group consisting of exponential, linear, and logarithmic.

10. The configurable semiconductor of claim 8 wherein the at least three values are each nominal values;

and

wherein the at least three nominal values are spaced apart based on tolerances associated with at least the measurement circuit.

11. The configurable semiconductor of claim 1 being adapted to connect to at least two external impedances;

a first one of the at least two external impedances to be used to select an electrical characteristic of the configurable semiconductor; and

a second one of the at least two external impedances to be used to select a tolerance associated with the configurable semiconductor electrical characteristic.

12. The configurable semiconductor of claim 11 wherein the configurable semiconductor electrical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of output voltage, reference voltage, output current, reference current, output frequency, reference frequency, and temperature level.

13. The configurable semiconductor of claim 1 further comprising a package having pins, to enclose the configurable semiconductor;

and

the at least one external impedance to interface to the configurable semiconductor through the package pins.

14. The configurable semiconductor of claim 13 further including another circuit to provide a circuit function;

each external impedance corresponding to one of the package pins; and

at least one package pin corresponding to one external impedance to connect to the other circuit, the at least one package pin to provide at least a selection function and a circuit function.

15. The configurable semiconductor of claim 14 wherein the circuit function of the other circuit includes an additional operation such that the at least one package pin provides at least a selection function and an additional operation function.

16. The configurable semiconductor of claim 1 included in a functional device selected from a group consisting of a voltage regulator, a current regulator, a clock circuit, and a temperature sensing circuit.

17. A method of operating a configurable semiconductor device having a plurality of predetermined configurations, comprising:

measuring an electrical characteristic of at least one external impedance;

determining a digital value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic;

accessing contents in memory locations as a function of the digital value, wherein each of the contents corresponds to a respective one of the predetermined configurations; and

configuring a device characteristic of the configurable semiconductor device based on the contents of the memory locations corresponding to the digital value.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising supplying energy to the external impedance.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising converting the digital value to a first digital address corresponding to a memory location having contents;

and

setting the device characteristic as a function of the contents of the memory location corresponding to the first digital address.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one external impedance is selected from a group consisting of a resistor, a capacitor, and combinations thereof.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one external impedance has a value;

the electrical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of voltage and current; and

the electrical characteristic is a function of the value.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one external impedance value is selected from a predetermined group of values comprising at least three values.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the group of values has a spacing characteristic selected from a group consisting of exponential, linear, and logarithmic.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the at least three values are each nominal values and further comprising:

spacing apart the at least three nominal values based on tolerances associated with measuring the electrical characteristic of the at least one external impedance.

25. The method of claim 17 further comprising using a first one of at least two external impedances to select an electrical characteristic of the configurable semiconductor;

and

using a second one of the at least two external impedances to select a tolerance associated with the configurable semiconductor electrical characteristic.

26. The method of claim 17 wherein the electrical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of output voltage, reference voltage, output current, reference current, output frequency, reference frequency, and temperature level.

27. The method of claim 17 further comprising enclosing the configurable semiconductor within a package having pins;

and

interfacing the at least one external impedance to the configurable semiconductor through the package pins.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising providing another circuit having a circuit function;

associating each external impedance to one of the package pins such that there is a one-to-one correspondence; and

at least one package pin corresponding to one external impedance to connect to the other circuit of the configurable semiconductor, the at least one package pin to provide at least a selection function and a circuit function.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the circuit function of the other circuit includes an additional operation such that the at least one package pin provides at least a selection function and an additional operation function.

30. The method of claim 17 further comprising generating a device output selected from the group consisting of a regulated output voltage, a regulated output current, a clock signal, and a temperature sense signal.

31. A configurable semiconductor device having a plurality of predetermined configurations, comprising:

measurement means for measuring an electrical characteristic of at least one external impedance and for determining a digital value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic;

storing means including memory locations having contents accessible as a function of the digital value, wherein each of the contents corresponds to a respective one of the predetermined configurations; and

control means for configuring a device characteristic of the configurable semiconductor device based on the contents of the memory locations corresponding to the digital value.

32. The configurable semiconductor of claim 31 further comprising means for supplying energy to the external impedance.

33. The configurable semiconductor of claim 31 further comprising means for determining a digital value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic;

and

means for converting the digital value to a first digital address corresponding to a memory location having contents.

34. The configurable semiconductor of claim 31 wherein the means for measuring is selected from a group consisting of timing circuits, Digital to Analog Converters, and Analog to Digital Converters.

35. The configurable semiconductor of claim 31 wherein the at least one external impedance is selected from a group consisting of a resistor, a capacitor, and combinations thereof.

36. The configurable semiconductor of claim 31 wherein the at least one external impedance has a value;

the electrical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of voltage and current; and

the electrical characteristic is a function of the value.

37. The configurable semiconductor of claim 36 wherein the at least one external impedance value is selected from a predetermined group of values comprising at least three values.

38. The configurable semiconductor of claim 37 wherein the group of values has a spacing characteristic selected from a group consisting of exponential, linear, and logarithmic.

39. The configurable semiconductor of claim 37 wherein the at least three values are each nominal values;

and

wherein the at least three nominal values are spaced apart based on tolerances associated with at least the measurement circuit.

40. The configurable semiconductor of claim 31 being adapted to connect to at least two external impedances;

a first one of the at least two external impedances to be used to select an electrical characteristic of the configurable semiconductor; and

a second one of the at least two external impedances to be used to select a tolerance associated with the configurable semiconductor electrical characteristic.

41. The configurable semiconductor of claim 40 wherein the configurable semiconductor electrical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of output voltage, reference voltage, output current, reference current, output frequency, reference frequency, and temperature level.

42. The configurable semiconductor of claim 31 further comprising means for enclosing the configurable semiconductor, the enclosing means having pins;

and

the at least one external impedance to interface to the configurable semiconductor through the enclosing means pins.

43. The configurable semiconductor of claim 42 further including another circuit to provide a circuit function;

each external impedance corresponding to one of the enclosing means pins; and

at least one enclosing means pin corresponding to one external impedance to connect to the other circuit, the at least one enclosing means pin to provide at least a selection function and a circuit function.

44. The configurable semiconductor of claim 43 wherein the circuit function of the other circuit includes an additional operation such that the at least one enclosing means pin provides at least a selection function and an additional operation function.

45. The configurable semiconductor of claim 31 included in a functional device selected from a group consisting of a voltage regulator, a current regulator, a clock circuit, and a temperature sensing circuit.