Abstract: The disclosed invention provides a reduction of voltage noise or bounce in logic chips and does so in a practical way without requiting additional circuit elements that impact on circuit performance or speed. Broadly this reduction in voltage bounce is achieved by forcing the unused Input/Output (I/O) circuits, i.e., those chips not being activated, to serve as alterative paths to the voltage power supply used by the switching circuits. More particularly this is accomplished this by grouping the I/O points on the chips into logical, functional units such as data buses, control lines, the I/O points on switched circuits, i.e., those switched at high frequency and the I/O points on static circuits, i.e., non-switched and interconnecting and using the I/O points on the static circuits and the power supply drives coupled thereto as alternate pats to the power supply used by the switched circuits.

Abstract: A self-terminating module is provided that at least partially terminates a signal line when the self-terminating module is coupled thereto. The self-terminating module comprises an internal non-self-terminating module directly coupled to an internal termination circuit. Preferably an active internal termination circuit is employed. A pass circuit may be coupled between the internal termination circuit and the internal non-self-terminating module so as to pass a received signal therebetween with fewer reflected signal contributions. When a pass circuit is employed, a delay circuit responsive to a trigger signal controls signal transfer between the internal termination circuit and the internal non-self-terminating module. One or more self-terminating modules may be coupled to a signal line and the termination impedance of each module is selected to provide adequate signal line termination without significantly loading the signal line when one or more of the self-terminating modules are coupled thereto.

Abstract: A self-terminating module is provided that at least partially terminates a signal line when the self-terminating module is coupled thereto. The self-terminating module comprises an internal non-self-terminating module directly coupled to an internal termination circuit. Preferably an active internal termination circuit is employed. A pass circuit may be coupled between the internal termination circuit and the internal non-self-terminating module so as to pass a received signal therebetween with fewer reflected signal contributions. When a pass circuit is employed, a delay circuit responsive to a trigger signal controls signal transfer between the internal termination circuit and the internal non-self-terminating module. One or more self-terminating modules may be coupled to a signal line and the termination impedance of each module is selected to provide adequate signal line termination without significantly loading the signal line when one or more of the self-terminating modules are coupled thereto.