Defining a default configuration for configurable circuitry in an integrated circuit
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsDavid Ray Street, Degang Xia
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integrated circuit with a configurable portion, such as an input/output port, that can be placed in a default configuration prior to actual configuration of the integrated circuit. An external terminal that serves as an output during normal operation is coupled, after power-on of the integrated circuit, to a comparator that senses the voltage level at that external terminal. If the external terminal is at a particular level, a multiplexer is controlled to ignore the state of the normal configuration memory, and to place the configurable input/output port into a default protocol.
Claims16
An integrated circuit, comprising:
- functional circuitry;
- configurable circuitry, coupled to the functional circuitry, and capable of operating according to a selected one of a plurality of modes;
- circuitry for storing configuration information, the storing circuitry coupled to the configurable circuitry and operable in a selected mode corresponding to the stored configuration information;
- a first external terminal coupled to the functional circuitry, for presenting an output signal during a normal operating mode of the integrated circuit;
- and
- circuitry for coupling the first external terminal to the configurable circuitry upon power-up of the integrated circuit so that, responsive to the first external terminal being at a selected logic level after power-up of the integrated circuit, the configurable circuitry operates according to a default mode of the plurality of modes,
- wherein the coupling circuitry comprises:
- a first multiplexer having a plurality of multiplexer inputs, a select input, and a multiplexer output coupled to the first external terminal;
- comparator logic, having a first comparator input coupled to a first multiplexer input, a second comparator input receiving a reference level, and a comparator output;
- control circuitry for causing the first multiplexer to couple the first multiplexer input to the multiplexer output upon power-up of the integrated circuit;
- and
- a second multiplexer, having a first input coupled receiving a level corresponding to selection of the default mode, a second input coupled to the storing circuitry, and a control input coupled to the comparator output, the second multiplexer connecting its output to the first input responsive to the comparator logic detecting that the external terminal is at the selected logic level.
A method of operating an integrated circuit in a default mode for configurable circuitry in the integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:
- powering-up the integrated circuit;
- responsive to the powering-up step, sensing an externally-applied level at a first external terminal of the integrated circuit;
- responsive to the sensing step determining that the first external terminal is at a selected logic level, controlling the configurable circuitry to operate in a default mode;
- then operating the integrated circuit in the default mode;
- and
- then operating the integrated circuit in a normal operating mode in which the first external terminal is an output of the integrated circuit,
- wherein the sensing step comprises:
- responsive to the powering-up step, coupling the first external terminal to an input of a comparator;
- and
- operating the comparator to compare the level at the first external terminal with a reference level, and to produce a comparator output signal responsive thereto.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.