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:
Oct. 05, 2010
Filed:
Dec. 03, 2007
Phillip A. Young, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Honggo Wijaya, San Jose, CA (US);
Phillip A. Young, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Honggo Wijaya, San Jose, CA (US);
Xilinx, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for a configurable input/output (I/O) interface within an integrated circuit to support a plurality of I/O standards. The configurable I/O interface exhibits a default operation that facilitates hot-swappability, which eliminates current paths within the I/O interface that may be created during plug-and-play operation of the I/O interface. The current paths are eliminated within the I/O interface even while the I/O interface is not receiving operational power, or while the I/O interface is in a power-on reset condition. A programmable option of the configurable I/O interface, on the other hand, alleviates over-voltage conditions while the I/O interface is tri-stated by activating shunt circuitry to conduct a clamp current during the over-voltage condition. The over-voltage condition is further alleviated by passively establishing current paths through existing circuitry within the I/O interface for the duration of the over-voltage condition.