Methods and apparatus for an auxiliary channel
AssigneeSemiconductor Components Industries, LLC
InventorsAthar Ali Khan. P, Rajiv Pandey, Yogendri Ramsingh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments of the present technology may provide methods and apparatus for an auxiliary channel. The auxiliary channel may include a first PMOS transistor connected between two terminals of the auxiliary channel and a second PMOS transistor connected to one of the two terminals, via a resistor, at a first end and to a gate terminal of the first PMOS. The auxiliary channel may further include a support circuit connected to the gate terminals of both the first and second PMOS transistors.
Claims19
An auxiliary channel, comprising:
- a first set of I/O pads, comprising a first I/O pad and a second I/O pad;
- a second set of I/O pads, comprising a third I/O pad and a fourth I/O pad;
- a first switch device comprising a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal, wherein the first terminal is connected to the second I/O pad, the second terminal is connected to the fourth I/O pad;
- a second switch device comprising a fourth terminal, a fifth terminal and a sixth terminal;
- wherein the fourth terminal is connected to the second I/O pad, the fifth terminal is connected to the third terminal;
- and
- a circuit connected to:
- the first switch device via the third terminal;
- and
- the second switch device via the sixth terminal.
A method for operating an auxiliary channel having an input pad, an output pad, a charge pump and a plurality of switches, comprising:
- operating the auxiliary channel in a normal mode, wherein:
- the charge pump is ON;
- a first switch, from the plurality of switches, connected between the input pad and the output pad, is ON;
- and
- a second switch, from the plurality of switches, connected to the input pad and the first switch, is OFF;
- and
- operating the auxiliary channel in a high impedance mode, wherein:
- the charge pump is OFF;
- the first switch is OFF;
- and
- the second switch is ON.
A system, comprising:
- a host device connected to a sink device via an auxiliary channel, wherein the auxiliary channel comprises:
- a first set of I/O pads, connected to the host device, comprising:
- a first I/O pad and a second I/O pad;
- a second set of I/O pads, connected to the sink device, comprising:
- a third I/O pad and a fourth I/O pad;
- a plurality of switch devices connected to at least one the first and second I/O pads, wherein each switch device from the plurality of switch devices is selectively operable to drive the auxiliary channel into a high impedance mode;
- wherein the plurality of switch devices comprises:
- a first switch device connected between the second I/O pad and the fourth I/O pad;
- a second switch device connected to the second I/O pad and the first switch device;
- a third switch device connected between the second I/O pad and the third I/O pad;
- and
- a fourth switch device connected to the second I/O pad and the third switch device;
- and
- a plurality of support circuits connected to at least one of the switch devices from the plurality of switch devices and configured to define an internal voltage of the auxiliary channel when the auxiliary channel is in the high impedance mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.