Abstract: The various embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus, system and method of asynchronous testing a serializer and deserializer data communication apparatus (SERDES) for determining frequency and phase locking to pseudo asynchronous input data having a continual phase offset. An exemplary apparatus includes a data sampler adapted to sample input serial data and to provide output data; a controlled tap delay with a selected tap having a phase offset from the input serial data, in which the selected tap is selectively coupleable to the data sampler to provide pseudo asynchronous input serial data; a first variable delay control adapted to delay a reference frequency provided to the controlled tap delay in response to the pseudo asynchronous input serial data; and a second delay control adapted to adjust the plurality of taps in response to the pseudo asynchronous input serial data.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes topological features for weakening or otherwise modifying a blowable fuse in order to decrease the current needed to blow the fuse. This allows a decrease in the size of the circuit components which are needed to supply the current for blowing the fuse, in turn allowing compaction of the layout of the circuitry needed to blow the fuse. To this end, topological features are used to deform the shape of or otherwise modify the fuse, in turn increasing the resistance of the fuse or introducing flaws that allow the fuse to blow at a lower current.

Abstract: Blowable fuses on an integrated circuit are programmed in software, responsive to the control of an addressable memory which communicates with the peripheral data bus of a digital processor to allow increased flexibility of the programming operation, and to allow for correction both during the manufacturing process and after packaging of the manufactured integrated circuit. In a preferred embodiment, the fuses are operated (i.e., blown) responsive to transistor switching elements present on the integrated circuit and which are controlled by the addressable memory. The switching elements, and the associated fuses, can be accessed through software in similar fashion to any other peripheral device. The preferred addressable memory includes an instruction register and a data register, which are loaded from and write to the peripheral data bus. Internally, the data register includes an array of registers corresponding to the fuse links with which the system is associated.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a power-up detector circuit that includes a node that is held at a charged state by a capacitor during normal operation. The voltage on the node is sensed by a sensing circuit, typically an inverter that produces a power-up reset pulse when power is initially applied. However, the voltage on the node may not properly discharge in all cases during brief power interruptions. Therefore, to increase the reliability of the power-up detector, a discharge circuit is included to help ensure that the voltage sensed by the power supply voltage-sensing circuit is at the proper level when the power supply voltage drops below a given level. The discharge circuit comprises a first capacitor that turns on a node discharge transistor when the power supply voltage drops below the given level. To provide protection against false discharge, a second capacitor is optionally provided that prevents the discharge transistor from conducting during very brief power supply voltage interruptions.

Abstract: There is disclosed an integrated circuit includes an output driver circuit providing control of transition time from one state to another. The output driver includes first and second input transistors coupled to an input node at which data is received. First and second output transistors are coupled to an output node at which the data is presented when the output driver is enabled. The first input transistor is coupled to the first output transistor defining a first node. The second input transistor is coupled to the second output transistor defining a second node. First and second switching circuits are coupled between the first node and the second node. The first switching circuit is switchable between a first state that isolates the first node from the second node, and a second state that couples the first node to the second node.

Abstract: The present invention is an embedded random access memory device especially adapted for use with digital processors having a pipelined data architecture. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention a write access cycle performed at a memory location within the memory device is phase shifted by one phase of a clock cycle relative an access cycle of a read operation. This is advantageous in that the integrity of data which traditionally would have been presented late in the write access cycle can still be maintained, since the entire write cycle is now shifted one phase later. A precharge signal which follows the write access is correspondingly shifted by one phase of a clock cycle. A wait state is inserted between the write access cycle and a read access cycle which directly follows in the same memory bank of the memory device. The wait state eliminates conflicts between the access cycle and the precharge cycle.

Abstract: An improved integrated circuit conductor layout technique provides lower and upper conductor levels that bound circuit blocks and provide for power supply voltage distribution to the circuitry in the circuit blocks. The lower and upper conductor levels also provide for first and second groups of parallel signal conductors in wiring channels between circuit blocks. An intermediate conductor level is located between the lower and upper conductor levels, and conducts power supply voltages between adjacent circuit blocks. The power supply conductors formed in the intermediate conductor level also serve to isolate the signal conductors in the lower conductor level from the signal conductors in the upper conductor level (and vice-versa) in the wiring channel. This isolation typically improves the design of the integrated circuit by providing more reliable estimates of signal propagation in the wiring channels.

Abstract: A multifunctional chip includes first and second electrically isolated bonding pads. The chip also includes a control circuit coupled to the second bonding pad. The control circuit commands the chip to perform the first function if the first and second bonding pads are coupled. Alternatively, the control circuit commands the chip to perform the second function if the first and second bonding pads remain electrically isolated. The coupling or isolation between the first and second bonding pads is determined by wire bonds. Therefore, the use of wire bonds selects the function for the chip.