Method and apparatus for a low power, multi-mode GTL I/O buffer utilizing midrail I/O buffer pad clamping

An apparatus, comprising:

• a buffer having
• a p-kicker pull-up device to pull up a voltage level at a buffer pad to an intended overshoot voltage level;
• a pull-down device to pull down the voltage level at the buffer pad to a termination voltage level Vtt;
• wherein the pull up of the voltage level at the buffer pad to the intended overshoot voltage level and the pull down of the voltage level at the buffer pad to the termination voltage level Vtt counteract to produce a midrail overshoot voltage level less than or equal to a maximum gate voltage level and greater than the termination voltage level Vtt in order to prevent gate oxide breakdown caused by overshoot voltage levels in excess of the maximum gate voltage level.

A system comprising:

• a front side bus coupling a processor to chipset via a chipset front side bus;
• a plurality of front side bus buffers including:
• a p-kicker pull-up device to pull up a voltage level at a buffer pad to an intended overshoot voltage level;
• a pull-down device to pull down the voltage level at the buffer pad to a termination voltage level Vtt
• wherein the pull up of the voltage level at the buffer pad to the intended overshoot voltage level and the pull down of the voltage level at the buffer pad to the termination voltage level Vtt counteract to produce a midrail overshoot level less than or equal to a maximum gate voltage level and greater than the termination voltage Vtt in order to prevent gate oxide breakdown caused by overshoot voltage levels in excess of the maximum gate voltage level.