Integrated circuit configuration
First Claim
1. An electronic system including a plurality of components, each component including one or more integrated circuits, wherein each integrated circuit is, during normal operation of the system, configured in provide individual operating functionality for its respective component;
- wherein at least one of the integrated circuits is configured to be installed as a generic integrated circuit having a plurality of connecting pins and being capable of providing any one of a number of individual operating functionalities, the generic integrated circuit being configured to;
determine where in the system the generic integrated circuit has been installed upon system initialization by determining which of the plurality of connecting pins have been electrically connected during installation and which one of the pins has been connected to a power supply during installation;
based upon the determination, configure itself;
to provide the individual operating functionality for normal operation of the system;
as an internal part of the system in response to determining that a first one of the pins has been connected to the power supply; and
as an external part of the system in response to determining that a second one of the pins has been connected to the power supply.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic system is provided which includes a number of components. Each component includes one or more integrated circuits. During normal operation of the system, each integrated circuit provides individual operating functionality for its respective component. At least one of the integrated circuits is installed as a generic integrated circuit capable of providing any one of a number of potential operating functionalities. The generic integrated circuit is arranged to determine where in the system it has been installed upon system initialization, and, based upon the determination, configure itself to provide the required individual operating functionality for normal operation of the system.
9 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An electronic system including a plurality of components, each component including one or more integrated circuits, wherein each integrated circuit is, during normal operation of the system, configured in provide individual operating functionality for its respective component;
wherein at least one of the integrated circuits is configured to be installed as a generic integrated circuit having a plurality of connecting pins and being capable of providing any one of a number of individual operating functionalities, the generic integrated circuit being configured to; determine where in the system the generic integrated circuit has been installed upon system initialization by determining which of the plurality of connecting pins have been electrically connected during installation and which one of the pins has been connected to a power supply during installation; based upon the determination, configure itself; to provide the individual operating functionality for normal operation of the system; as an internal part of the system in response to determining that a first one of the pins has been connected to the power supply; and as an external part of the system in response to determining that a second one of the pins has been connected to the power supply. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13, 14, 17, 18)
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7. A method for configuring the operating functionality of an electronic system, the system including a plurality of components, each component including one or more integrated circuits having a plurality of pins, wherein:
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during normal operation of the system, each integrated circuit provides individual operating functionality for its respective component; and at least one of the integrated circuits is installed as a generic integrated circuit capable of providing any one of a number of individual operating functionalities, the method comprising; determining, by the generic integrated circuit, where in the system the generic integrated circuit has been installed by determining which of the generic integrated circuit'"'"'s plurality of pins have been electrically connected during installation and which one of the pins has been connected to a power supply during installation; and based upon the determining, the generic integrated circuit configuring itself; to provide the required individual operating functionality for normal operation of the system; as an internal part of the system in response to determining that a first one of the pins has been connected to the power supply; and as an external part of the system in response to determining that a second one of the pins has been connected to the power supply. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16)
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19. A hearing prosthesis system including a plurality of components, each component including one or more integrated circuits, wherein each integrated circuit is, during normal operation of the hearing prosthesis system, configured to provide individual operating functionality for its respective component;
wherein at least one of the integrated circuits is configured to be installed as a generic integrated circuit having a plurality of connecting pins and being capable of providing any one of a number of individual operating functionalities, the generic integrated circuit being configured to; determine where in the hearing prosthesis system the generic integrated circuit has been installed upon initialization of the hearing prosthesis system by determining which of the plurality of connecting pins have been electrically connected during installation and which one of the pins has been connected to a power supply during installation; based on the determination, configure itself; to provide the individual operating functionality; as an internal part of the hearing prosthesis system in response to the generic integrated circuit determining that a first one of the pins has been connected to the power supply; and as an external part of the hearing prosthesis system in response to the generic integrated circuit determining that a second one of the pins has been connected to the power supply.
Specification