# US 9,438,241 B1 · Multipurpose pads used as digital serial and analog interface > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,438,241 B1 - Document ID: US9438241B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 14/841,280 - Filed: 2015-08-31 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-08-31 - Assignees: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. - Applicants: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. - Inventors: Milos Davidovic; Kurt Schweiger; Robert Swoboda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438241B1 ## CPC - H03K 19/018571: {of complementary type, e.g. CMOS} - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract An Integrated Circuit, a system, and a method are provided. The disclosed Integrated Circuit may include a plurality of pads exposing internal components of the Integrated Circuit to external circuits, a digital interface connectable to the plurality of pads, an analog interface connectable to the plurality of pads, and sensing circuitry configured to detect whether a digital circuit or an analog circuit is externally connected to the plurality of pads and based on such detection selectively connect at least one of the digital interface and analog interface to the plurality of pads. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An Integrated Circuit, comprising: a plurality of pads exposing internal components of the Integrated Circuit to external circuits; a digital interface connectable to the plurality of pads; an analog interface connectable to the plurality of pads; and sensing circuitry configured to detect whether a digital circuit or an analog circuit is externally connected to the plurality of pads and based on such detection selectively connect at least one of the digital interface and analog interface to the plurality of pads. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The Integrated Circuit of claim 1, wherein only one of the digital interface and analog interface is capable of being connected to the plurality of pads at any given time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The Integrated Circuit of claim 2, wherein the sensing circuitry comprises impedance sensing circuitry. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The Integrated Circuit of claim 3, wherein the impedance sensing circuitry detects whether an external circuit connected to the plurality of pads comprises an impedance within a specified range and in the event that the detected impedance is not within the specified range, then the analog interface is connected to the plurality of pads and the digital interface is disconnected from the plurality of pads. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The Integrated Circuit of claim 4, wherein the specified range corresponds to an impedance range specified for Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) drivers of the internal components of the Integrated Circuit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The Integrated Circuit of claim 3, wherein the impedance sensing circuitry comprises an output buffer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The Integrated Circuit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pads include a first input pad, a second input pad, and a third input pad. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The Integrated Circuit of claim 6, wherein the plurality of pads include a fourth pad, wherein the fourth pad is capable of operating as an input pad or an output pad. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The Integrated Circuit of claim 1, wherein the digital interface comprises a digital serial interface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The Integrated Circuit of claim 1, wherein the digital interface and analog interface are selectively connected to the plurality of pads by at least one of physical switches and logic signals provided to the digital interface and analog interface causing the digital interface and analog interface to turn ON and OFF. ### Claim 11 A system, comprising: an Integrated Circuit having a plurality of pads and an interface that connects the plurality of pads to internal components of the Integrated Circuit; external circuitry connectable to the plurality of pads; and a sensing module configured to detect whether the external circuitry corresponds to digital or analog circuitry and based on such detection switch the interface of the Integrated Circuit between an analog mode of operation and a digital mode of operation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the sensing module comprises sensing circuitry incorporated in the Integrated Circuit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the sensing module senses an impedance of the external circuitry to determine whether to operate the interface in the analog mode of operation or the digital mode of operation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the sensing module causes the interface to operate in the digital mode of operation when the impedance of the external circuitry is determined to be less than a predetermined threshold. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the sensing module causes the interface to operate in the analog mode of operation when the impedance of the external circuitry is determined to be greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the interface comprises both an analog interface and a digital interface, wherein while the interface is operating in the analog mode of operation the analog interface is connected to the plurality of pads and the digital interface is disconnected from the plurality of pads, and wherein while the interface is operating in the digital mode of operation the analog interface is disconnected from the plurality of pads and the digital interface is connected to the plurality of pads. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the digital interface comprises a digital serial interface, wherein the plurality of pads are used as digital serial interface pads during the digital mode of operation, and wherein the plurality of pads are used as analog current inputs and outputs during the analog mode of operation. ### Claim 18 A method, comprising: connecting external circuitry to an Integrated Circuit via a plurality of pads; detecting, within the Integrated Circuit, whether the external circuitry corresponds to digital or analog circuitry; and based on whether the external circuitry is detected as corresponding to digital or analog circuitry, switching an interface of the Integrated Circuit into one of a digital mode of operation and an analog mode of operation. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein detecting whether the external circuitry corresponds to digital or analog circuitry comprises sensing an impedance of the external circuitry and wherein detecting whether the external circuitry corresponds to digital or analog circuitry further comprises comparing the sensed impedance of the external circuitry to an impedance threshold. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: determining whether each of the plurality of pads are connected to a same type of external circuitry; and in the event that the plurality of pads are determined not to be connected to the same type of external circuitry, setting operational values of the Integrated Circuit to default operational values.