Voltage supply discriminator and method
AssigneeATI International SRL
InventorsOleg Drapkin, Grigori Temkine
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A voltage supply discriminator circuit senses multiple logic voltage supply levels and produces a plurality of control signals to select either or both of an output buffer circuit and/or an input buffer circuit that is coupled to a pad or pin. The discriminator circuit utilizes an input/output ring voltage supply and a reference voltage, such as a core voltage supply, to determine the appropriate circuitry to be used for the I/O pad. The appropriate circuitry is then automatically activated.
Claims11
A voltage supply discriminator circuit comprising:
- a first power supply voltage level sensor circuit responsive to at least a first and second constant power supply level that produces a first multi-level voltage control signal for an input/output pad;
- and
- at least a second power supply voltage level Sensor circuit responsive to the at least first and second constant power supply levels that produces a second multi-level voltage control signal for the input/output (I/O) pad.
A voltage supply discriminator system comprising:
- a voltage discriminator circuit including:
- a first power supply voltage level sensor circuit responsive to at least a first and second constant power supply level that produces a first multi-level voltage control signal for an input/output pad;
- and
- at least a second power supply voltage level sensor circuit responsive to the at least first and second constant power supply levels that produces a second multi-level voltage control signal;
- the input/output (I/O) pad operatively responsive to at least one of the first and second multilevel voltage control signals;
- and
- data providing circuitry operatively responsive to at least one of the first and second multilevel voltage control signals to facilitate data speed selection.
A voltage supply discriminating method comprising the steps of:
- producing a first multi-level voltage control signal for an input/output pad based on at least a first and second constant power supply level;
- and
- producing a second multi-level voltage control signal for the input/output (I/O) pad based on at least first and second constant power supply levels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.