Electronic device having a pin for setting its mode of operation and method to set a mode of operation for an electronic device having a pin

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9658664-B2
Application number	US-201214395730-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2012
Priority date	Apr 26, 2012
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

An electronic device having a pin for setting its mode of operation, wherein the pin is connected or connectable to a first connection of a resistor, wherein the electronic device is arranged to detect a location of the resistor, wherein the electronic device is arranged to detect a size of the resistor, wherein the electronic device is arranged to determine a first setting based on the location of the resistor, and wherein the electronic device is arranged to determine a second setting based on the size of the resistor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device having a pin for setting its mode of operation, the electronic device comprising:
a push-pull stage including a first transistor having a first current electrode coupled to the pin and a second current electrode coupled to a first reference voltage and a second transistor having a first current electrode coupled to the pin and a second current electrode coupled to a second reference voltage, the push-pull stage configured to adjust a voltage provided at the pin;
a first current mirror including a third transistor, a control electrode of the third transistor coupled to a control electrode of the first transistor, the first current mirror to clone a current conducted at the first transistor; and
a second current mirror including a fourth transistor, a control electrode of the fourth transistor coupled to a control electrode of the second transistor, the second current mirror to clone a current conducted at the second transistor,
wherein the pin is connected to a first terminal of a resistor,
wherein the electronic device is arranged to detect a location of the resistor, the location identifying connectivity of a second terminal of the resistor,
wherein the electronic device is arranged to detect a size of the resistor based on a current provided by the first current mirror and a current provided by the second current mirror,
wherein the electronic device is arranged to determine a first setting based on the location of the resistor, and
wherein the electronic device is arranged to determine a second setting based on the size of the resistor.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the electronic device is arranged to detect the location of the resistor based on a sensed first internal current and a sensed second internal current,
wherein the sensed first internal current flows between a voltage supply pin of the electronic device and the pin, and wherein the sensed second internal current flows concurrent with the first internal current between the pin and a ground pin of the electronic device.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the electronic device is arranged to generate a first signal for the first setting based on a sign of a difference between the sensed first internal current and the sensed second internal current.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the electronic device is arranged to generate a second signal for the second setting based on an absolute value of a difference between the sensed first internal current and the sensed second internal current.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the electronic device is arranged to detect the absolute value of the difference between the sensed first internal current and the sensed second internal current In by a comparison with at least one reference current source.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first setting is related to a debug mode.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second setting is related to a hardware configuration.

8. A method to set a mode of operation for an electronic device having a pin connected to a first terminal of a resistor, the method comprising:
generating a first current conducted between a first current electrode and a second current electrode of a first transistor of a push pull circuit, the first current electrode coupled to the pin and a second current electrode coupled to a first reference voltage;
generating a second current conducted between a first current electrode and a second current electrode of a second transistor of the push pull circuit, the second transistor having a first current electrode coupled to the pin and a second current electrode coupled to a second reference voltage, the push-pull stage configured to adjust a voltage provided at the pin;
cloning the first current at a first current mirror, the first current mirror including a third transistor, a control electrode of the third transistor coupled to a control electrode of the first transistor; and
cloning the second current at a second current mirror, the second current mirror including a fourth transistor, a control electrode of the fourth transistor coupled to a control electrode of the second transistor;
wherein the electronic device detects a location of the resistor, the location identifying connectivity of a second terminal of the resistor,
wherein the electronic device detects a size of the resistor based on the cloned first current and the cloned second current,
wherein the electronic device determines a first setting based on the location of the resistor, and
wherein the electronic device determines a second setting based on the size of the resistor.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 ,
wherein the electronic device detects the location of the resistor based on a sensed first internal current and a sensed second internal current,
wherein the sensed first internal current flows between a voltage supply pin and the pin, and wherein the sensed second internal current flows between the pin and a ground pin.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the electronic device generates a first signal for the first setting based on the sign of a difference between the sensed first internal current and the sensed second internal current.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the electronic device generates a second signal for the second setting based on an absolute value of a difference between the sensed first internal current and the sensed second internal current.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the electronic device detects the absolute value of the difference between the sensed first internal current and the sensed second internal current by a comparison with at least one reference current source.

13. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first setting is related to a debug mode.

14. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the second setting is related to a hardware configuration.

15. An electronic device having a pin for setting its mode of operation, the electronic device comprising:
wherein the pin is connected to a first terminal of a resistor,
wherein the electronic device is arranged to detect a location of the resistor, the location identifying connectivity of a second terminal of the resistor,
wherein the electronic device is arranged to detect a size of the resistor,
wherein the electronic device is arranged to determine a first setting based on the location of the resistor,
wherein the electronic device is arranged to determine a second setting based on the size of the resistor,
wherein the electronic device is arranged to detect the location of the resistor based on a sensed first internal current and a sensed second internal current,
wherein the sensed first internal current flows between a voltage supply pin of the electronic device and the pin, and wherein the sensed second internal current flows concurrent with the first internal current between the pin and a ground pin of the electronic device.

16. The electronic device as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the electronic device is arranged to generate a first signal for the first setting based on a sign of a difference between the sensed first internal current and the sensed second internal current.

17. The electronic device as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the electronic device is arranged to generate a second signal for the second setting based on an absolute value of a difference between the sensed first inte

Assignees

• Bernon-Enjalbert Valerie
• Mounier Philippe
• Galtie Franck
• Nxp Usa Inc

Inventors

• Bernon-Enjalbert Valerie
• Mounier Philippe
• Galtie Franck

Classifications

• G06F1/24 Primary

  Resetting means · CPC title

• G06F11/3656 Primary

  using a specific debug interface · CPC title

• G06F1/26

  Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) · CPC title