Input circuit for an integrated circuit
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorMarkus Krach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to an integrated circuit comprising: a functional circuit; a setting memory for storing a setting data item; an input circuit for receiving signals via an input terminal, the input circuit comprising a first receiving circuit having first hysteresis and a second receiving circuit having second hysteresis; the input circuit connecting either the first or the second receiving circuit to the input terminal on the basis of the setting data item in order to receive the signals and to provide the functional circuit with said signals.
Claims20
An integrated circuit, comprising:
- a functional circuit;
- a setting memory for storing a setting data item;
- and
- an input circuit for receiving signals via an input terminal, the input circuit comprising a first receiving circuit having a first hysteresis and a second receiving circuit having a second hysteresis;
- the input circuit selectively connecting either the first or the second receiving circuit to the input terminal depending on a value of the setting data item in order to receive the signals and to provide the functional circuit with the signals.
A method for testing an integrated circuit, comprising:
- on the basis of a setting data item having a first value, coupling an input terminal to a first receiving circuit having a first hysteresis, thereby establishing a first signal path from the input terminal to a functional circuit;
- on the basis of a setting data item having a second value, decoupling the input terminal from the first receiving circuit and coupling the input terminal to a second receiving circuit having a second hysteresis, thereby establishing a second signal path from the input terminal to the functional circuit;
- wherein the first hysteresis and the second hysteresis are selected to accommodate respective desired operations of the functional circuit in response to receiving different input signals at the input terminal.
A method for testing an integrated circuit, comprising:
- writing a first value of a setting data item to a setting memory;
- responsive to the first value being written to the setting memory, coupling an input terminal to a first receiving circuit having a first hysteresis, thereby establishing a first signal path from the input terminal to a functional circuit;
- operating the functional circuit in a first mode in response to receiving a first signal at the functional circuit via the first signal path, the first signal having a first signal characteristic;
- the first hysteresis being selected on the basis of the first signal characteristic;
- writing a second value of the setting data item to the setting memory;
- responsive to the second value being written to the setting memory, decoupling the input terminal from the first receiving circuit and coupling the input terminal to a second receiving circuit having a second hysteresis, thereby establishing a second signal path from the input terminal to the functional circuit;
- and
- operating the functional circuit in a second mode in response to receiving a second signal at the functional circuit via the second signal path, the second signal having a second signal characteristic;
- the second hysteresis being selected on the basis of the second signal characteristic.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.