The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 12, 1996
Filed:
Apr. 09, 1996
Mickey L Fandrich, Placerville, CA (US);
Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
Circuitry for reconfiguring a pin of an integrated circuit. The reconfiguration circuitry includes a multiplexer, whose output is coupled to the pin. Upon powering-up the integrated circuit, the multiplexer couples to the pin to a first signal that conforms to the historical definition of the pin's function. The user reconfigures the pin by issuing a command that causes the multiplexer to couple a second signal to the pin. This second signal behaves in a manner more useful to the user. The switch from the first signal to the second is achieved via a reconfiguration register, which generates the multiplexer's select signal. A control engine within the integrated circuit responds to the reconfiguration command by writing once to the reconfiguration register. The pin remains reconfigured until the integrated device is powered down.