Seeq Technology, Incorporated

Stephen F Dryer

Rong-Hui Hu

The invention provides a method and system in which a single pin coupled to an integrated circuit (IC) chip is used to enter configuration information at a power-up time or a reset time (collectively referred to herein as a 'reset time' or 'reset interval'), and is also used to display output information during normal operation. The pin is coupled to a memory device, so as to store configuration information received during the reset interval. The pin is also coupled to an output driver controlled by a gate which combines output data with a signal indicating reset time, so as to put the output driver into a high impedance state during reset time when the input configuration data is being stored into the device and to drive the pin with the output value during non-reset times. Thus, a user of the IC may cause the memory to receive configuration information from the pin at power-up or during another reset time, while having the pin output normal data at times other than the reset interval.

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Los Altos, CA, United States of America

Stephen F Dryer