Integrated circuit having programmable voltage level line drivers and method of operation

For use in an integrated circuit, an apparatus for driving a signal line in said integrated circuit comprising:

• a line driver capable of receiving an incoming data signal and transmitting an outgoing data signal on said signal line;
• an adjustable power supply capable of generating an adjustable supply voltage that is applied to a power supply rail of said line driver;
• and
• a power level controller capable of determining a data rate of said outgoing data signal and in response to said determination, adjusting the value of said adjustable supply voltage level applied to said power supply rail of said line driver to thereby modify an amplitude of said outgoing data signal.

A system-on-a-chip (SOC) circuit comprising:

• a plurality of bus devices, each of said bus devices capable of transmitting data to a target one of said plurality of bus devices and receiving data from said target bus device;
• a bus interface unit coupled to each of said plurality of bus devices, wherein said bus interface unit is capable of transmitting data between said plurality of bus devices;
• a line driver disposed in at least one of said plurality of devices and said bus interface device, said line driver capable of receiving an incoming data signal and transmitting an outgoing data signal on a signal line in said SOC circuit;
• a power source capable of supplying a plurality of power voltage levels to a power supply rail of said line driver;
• and
• a power level controller capable of determining a data rate of said outgoing data signal and in response to said determination, selectively applying one of said plurality of power voltage levels to said power supply rail of said line driver to thereby modify an amplitude of said outgoing data signal.

A system-on-a-chip (SOC) circuit comprising:

• a plurality of bus devices, each of said bus devices capable of transmitting data to a target one of said plurality of bus devices and receiving data from said target bus device;
• a bus interface unit coupled to each of said plurality of bus devices, wherein said bus interface unit is capable of transmitting data between said plurality of bus devices;
• a line driver disposed in at least one of said plurality of devices and said bus interface device, said line driver capable of receiving an incoming data signal and transmitting an outgoing data signal on a signal line in said SOC circuit;
• an adjustable power supply capable of generating an adjustable supply voltage that is applied to a power supply rail of said line driver;
• and
• a power level controller capable of determining a data rate of said outgoing data signal and in response to said determination, adjusting the value of said adjustable supply voltage level applied to said power supply rail of said line driver to thereby modify an amplitude of said outgoing data signal.