Key based pin sharing selection
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorGary L. Swoboda
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention is an integrated circuit having at least one data pin connecting to external circuits. The invention plural operational units each having a normal mode and a stall mode controlled by an enable input. Selection logic selectively enables an operation unit and connects the data input/output of the enabled operation unit to the data pin. The operational units are responsive to a preceding or following key to enter the normal mode. Each operational unit switches between stall mode and the normal mode upon receiving a corresponding predetermined selection number of pulses at while the clock input receives a non-cycling signal. Greater number of pulses deselect all operational units, switch operational units to the normal mode if the correct key is received and switch all operational units to the stall mode.
Claims5
An integrated circuit comprising:
- at least one data pin connecting the integrated circuit to circuits external to the integrated circuit;
- a plurality of operational units, each including at least one data input/output for data transfer, an enable input and a clock input, a predetermined enable signal on said enable input placing said operational unit in a normal mode to exchange data via said at least one data input/output and a predetermined not-enable signal on said enable input placing said operational unit in a stall mode not capable of exchanging data via said at least one data input/output;
- a selection logic including a plurality of enable lines each connected to an enable input of a corresponding operational unit, a plurality of data lines, a data line connected to each of said at least one data input/output of each operational unit and connected to said data pin, and a plurality of clock outputs equal in number to the number of operational units, each clock output connected to a clock input of a corresponding operational unit, said selection logic selectively supplying a key and enabling an operation unit and connecting said data input/output of said enabled operation unit to said at least one data pin, and said selection logic further supplying a cycling clock signal via said corresponding clock output to each operational unit in said normal mode and a non-cycling signal via said corresponding clock output to each operational unit operational unit in said stall mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.