Electronic digital logic circuitry – Interface – Current driving
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-25
2002-02-26
Tokar, Michael (Department: 2819)
Electronic digital logic circuitry
Interface
Current driving
C326S026000, C326S032000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06351147
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to configurations and methods for matching output drivers of integrated circuits to specified conditions.
Such configurations and methods are used for temperature compensation, for example. In that instance, pre-drivers for output transistors are controlled by taking into account an analog voltage which is a function of temperature.
Matching the output drivers in that manner is generally very advantageous. Nevertheless, from time to time there are instances in which the matching is not satisfactory, or not fully satisfactory anyway.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a configuration and a method for matching output drivers of integrated circuits to specified conditions, which overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type in such a manner that they can be used under all circumstances to achieve optimum matching of the output drivers of integrated circuits to the specified conditions.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a configuration for matching output drivers of integrated circuits to specified conditions, comprising digital parameters to be taken into account when matching output drivers, and/or digital control signals based on the parameters for matching output drivers.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the parameters to be taken into account when matching the output drivers and/or the control signals based on the parameters for matching the output drivers, are produced digitally, or are digitized immediately after they have been produced.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the parameters to be taken into account when matching the output drivers and/or the control signals based on the parameters for matching the output drivers, are transmitted digitally to the output drivers.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided a method for matching output drivers of integrated circuits to specified conditions, which comprises providing parameters to be taken into account when matching output drivers and/or control signals based on the parameters for matching the output drivers, in digital form.
In accordance with another mode of the invention, there is provided a method which comprises selecting the parameters to be taken into account as a temperature of an integrated circuit or its environment and/or a level or waveform of a supply voltage of the integrated circuit and/or a technology used in the integrated circuit and/or technical data on a load to be driven and/or demands placed on the output drivers by the load to be driven.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is additionally provided a configuration for matching output drivers of integrated circuits to specified conditions, comprising a device for performing matching by taking into account a level or waveform of a supply voltage of an integrated circuit, and/or a technology used in the integrated circuit, and/or technical data on a load to be driven and/or demands placed on output drivers by the load to be driven.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the parameters to be taken into account when matching the output drivers and/or control signals to be used for matching the output drivers, are provided in digital form.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is furthermore provided a method for matching output drivers of integrated circuits to specified conditions, which comprises performing matching by taking into account a level or waveform of a supply voltage of an integrated circuit, and/or technology used in the integrated circuit, and/or technical data on a load to be driven and and/or demands placed on output drivers by the load to be driven.
Taking into account such states as the level or waveform of the supply voltage of the integrated circuit and/or the technology used in the integrated circuit and/or the technical data on the load to be driven and/or the demands placed on the output drivers by the load to be driven, allows the output drivers of the integrated circuit to be matched more precisely to the specified conditions than is possible if merely the temperature is considered. In this instance, it is possible, among other things, to define and vary the maximum value of the current output by the output drivers on an individual basis while the integrated circuit is in operation. Such current limiting makes it possible, for example, to allow the current to become just as large as is necessary for correctly driving the load to be driven by the output drivers. This makes it possible to avoid unnecessarily large currents and/or unnecessarily steep edges in the waveform of the signals output by the output drivers. This, in turn, has the positive effect of permitting the electromagnetic radiation produced by the current flow to be reduced to the respective minimum. The integrated circuit and circuit components disposed in the close vicinity thereof are not exposed to electromagnetic radiation more than is absolutely necessary.
Among other things, providing the parameters to be taken into account when matching the output drivers, and/or the control signals based on the parameters, in digital form, enables:
the parameters and/or control signals to be transmitted, with as little interference as possible, from the location where they are produced to the output driver which is to be matched;
the parameters and/or control signals not to be produced all at once (because they can be stored);
the parameters and/or control signals to be output singly from the integrated circuit, particularly for test purposes; and
the user to be given the opportunity to influence the matching of the output drivers (because digital signals are considerably easier to process than analog signals).
The advantages of these and other opportunities are clear: even after they have been manufactured (while the integrated circuit is in operation), the output drivers can still be extremely easily matched precisely to the respective conditions and individual requirements.
Configurations and methods have therefore been found which can be used to operate the output drivers of integrated circuits optimally under all circumstances.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a configuration and a method for matching output drivers of integrated circuits to specified conditions, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
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Renner Franz
Rosenbusch Jens
Greenberg Laurence A.
Infineon - Technologies AG
Le Don Phu
Lerner Herbert L.
Stemer Werner H.
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