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US 10,256,821 B2Granted
Dual function analog or digital input/output buffer
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsVenkateswar Reddy Kowkutla, Erkan Bilhan, Venkateswara Reddy Pothireddy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and circuitry that enables an input/output pin (I/O) on a System on a Chip to function either as an analog or as a digital input/output without compromising the overall performance of the system, thus giving the automated test equipment full flexibility to maximize parallel testing for both analog and digital modules.
Claims17
A System on a Chip (SoC), comprising:
- an analog module;
- a digital module;
- a package pin;
- and
- an analog/digital input/output buffer coupled between the analog module and the package pin, and between the digital module and the package pin, the analog/digital input/output buffer comprising:
- an isolation analog switch coupled between the analog module and the package pin, the isolation analog switch configured to:
- couple the analog module to the package pin, to test the analog module, while the analog/digital input/output buffer is in an analog mode;
- and
- isolate the analog module from the package pin, while the analog/digital input/output buffer is in a digital mode;
- and
- a digital buffer circuit coupled between the digital module and the package pin, the digital buffer circuit configured to couple the digital module to the package pin, to test the digital module, while the analog/digital input/output buffer is in the digital mode.
8 more elements
An analog/digital input/output buffer, comprising:
- an isolation analog switch coupled between an analog module and a package pin, the isolation analog switch configured to:
- couple the analog module to the package pin, to test the analog module, while the analog/digital input/output buffer is in an analog mode;
- and
- isolate the analog module from the package pin, while the analog/digital input/output buffer is in a digital mode;
- a digital output buffer coupled between a digital module and the package pin, the digital output buffer configured to couple the digital module to the package pin, to test the digital module, while the analog/digital input/output buffer is in a digital output mode;
- and
- a digital input buffer coupled between the digital module and the package pin, the digital input buffer configured to couple the digital module to the package pin, to test the digital module, while the analog/digital input/output buffer is in a digital input mode.
4 more elements
A method of testing a System on a Chip (SoC), the method comprising:
- closing an isolation analog switch of an analog/digital input/output buffer of the SoC, to couple an analog module to a package pin of the SoC, to test the analog module, in response to determining that the analog/digital input/output buffer is in an analog mode;
- and
- in response to determining that the analog/digital input/output buffer is in a digital mode:
- opening the isolation analog switch, to isolate the analog module from the package pin;
- enabling an output buffer, to couple a digital circuit to output data to the package pin, to test the digital circuit, in response to determining that a digital output mode is selected;
- and
- placing the output buffer in a high impedance state, to couple the digital circuit to receive data from the package pin using a digital input buffer, to test the digital circuit, in response to determining that a digital input mode is selected.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.