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:
May. 14, 2002
Filed:
Oct. 15, 1999
Douglas A. Larson, Lakeville, MN (US);
Joseph Jeddeloh, NE. Blaine, MN (US);
Jeffrey J. Rooney, Blaine, MN (US);
Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US);
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus that flexibly allocates I/O pins used for bus grant signals between bus controllers. The apparatus includes a semiconductor chip containing a first bus arbitration circuit and a second bus arbitration circuit. A first set of grant lines originates from the first bus arbitration circuit and is used to grant control of a first bus to devices on the first bus. This first set of grant lines is divided into a first subset of grant lines and a second subset of grant lines. A second set of grant lines originates from the second bus arbitration circuit and is used to grant control of a second bus to devices on the second bus. This second set of grant lines is divided into a third subset of grant lines and a fourth subset of grant lines. A selector circuit selects a plurality of outputs from between the first subset of grant lines and the third subset of grant lines. This plurality of outputs is coupled to a first set of output pins on the semiconductor chip. The selector circuit is configured to select the first subset of grant lines to be driven through the first set of output pins during a first mode of operation, and is configured to select the third subset of grant lines to driven through the first set of output pins during a second mode of operation.