Vlsi Technology, Inc.

Richard M Taylor

Sung-Hun Oh

A programmable output pad is disclosed that reduces ground bounce noise and power supply noise under different power supply values and under different load conditions. The programmable output pad comprises a pre-driver, a driver, and a controllable delay. The pre-driver transfers a signal from the input of the output pad to the driver which, in turn, transfers the signal from the pre-driver to an output of the output pad. The controllable delay provides one or more resistors, transistors, transmission gates, or equivalents thereof at the input of the driver which are controlled in order to provide a plurality of different time delays. By selecting these different time delays, the activation of the driver is delayed by different amounts of time. For a given power supply value and load condition, selection of the proper delay effectively reduces both the ground bounce noise on the ground supply of the programmable output pad and the noise on the power supply of the programmable output pad.

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Phoenix, AZ, United States of America

Richard M Taylor