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:
Jun. 13, 2000
Filed:
Jun. 18, 1998
Mehran Amerian, Campbell, CA (US);
Max Hamidi, San Jose, CA (US);
S3 Incorporated, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
The improved pin system enables a single, shared pin of a semiconductor device to have multiple functions that include: receiving data that determines the operating mode of the semiconductor device and also receiving data unrelated to the operating mode of the semiconductor device. The improved pin system comprises the single, shared pin coupled to a data latch. The data latch is configured to store operating mode data from the single, shared pin. This operating mode data preferably corresponds to a particular operating mode such as a functional mode or a test mode. Preferably, in response to the operating mode data stored in the data latch, the semiconductor device operates in either the functional mode or the test mode. As long as the data latch stores the operating mode data, this shared, single pin is capable of receiving data unrelated to the operating mode of the semiconductor device without changing the current operating mode of the semiconductor device.