Abstract: An integrated circuit includes an output driver circuit having first and second transistors coupled to an external pad of the integrated circuit and first and second multiplexer circuits. The first multiplexer circuit is configurable to cause the first transistor to be controlled by a first voltage during a data output mode of operation and to couple a first control input of the first transistor to the external pad during a hot-socket protection mode of operation. The second multiplexer circuit is configurable to cause the second transistor to be controlled by a second voltage during the data output mode of operation and to couple a second control input of the second transistor to the external pad during the hot-socket protection mode of operation.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes first and second pads, a buffer circuit coupled to the first pad, a first pass gate circuit coupled to the first pad and to the buffer circuit, a second pass gate circuit coupled to the second pad, and a test bus coupled to the first pass gate circuit and the second pass gate circuit. The first pass gate circuit and the second pass gate circuit are configurable to couple the second pad to the buffer circuit through the test bus during a test of the buffer circuit that is performed using the second pad.

Abstract: An integrated circuit may include a first logic region having a first bidirectional driver circuit and a second logic region having a logic circuit and a second bidirectional circuit. The first bidirectional driver circuit may be coupled to the second bidirectional driver circuit via a conductive path. The second bidirectional circuit may receive a dynamic control signal from the logic circuit to selectively transmit a signal to the first bidirectional driver circuit based on the dynamic control signal. The first logic region further includes an additional logic circuit. The additional logic circuit may provide an additional dynamic control signal to the first bidirectional driver circuit to selectively transmit an additional signal to the second bidirectional driver circuit over the conductive path. To prevent current contention, only one bidirectional driver circuit may be activated to drive the conductive path at a given time.

Abstract: An integrated circuit system may include a first integrated circuit (IC), a second IC, and interface circuitry. The first IC is operable to output a parallel data stream at a first data rate. The second IC is operable to output a serialized data stream at a second date rate. The second data rate may be different than the first data rate. The interface circuitry may be coupled between the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit. The interface circuitry may be operable to convert the parallel data stream received from the first IC into a serialized data stream with the second data rate. The interface circuitry may be also operable to convert the serialized data stream received from the second IC to a parallel data stream with the first data rate.