System-on-a-chip integrated circuit including dual-function analog and digital inputs
View Patent ↗An integrated circuit includes a plurality of inputs, a plurality of output pads, a programmable logic block, an analog circuit block, an analog-to-digital converter programmably coupleable to individual analog circuits in the analog circuit block, and an interconnect architecture programmably coupling selected ones of the plurality of inputs, the plurality of outputs, the programmable logic block, the analog circuit block, and the analog-to-digital converter. At least one of the inputs may be programmably configured as one of a digital input programmably coupleable to elements in the programmable logic block or as an analog input to an analog circuit in the analog circuit block.
1. An integrated circuit comprising:
a plurality of inputs;
a plurality of outputs;
a programmable logic block;
an analog circuit block coupled to at least one of said inputs, said analog circuit block comprising a first set of analog functions each comprising at least one analog circuit;
an analog-to-digital converter programmably coupleable to individual analog circuits in said analog circuit block;
an interconnect architecture programmably coupling selected ones of said plurality of inputs, said plurality of outputs, said programmable logic block, said analog circuit block, and said analog-to-digital converter;
wherein at least one of said inputs may be programmably configured as one of a digital input programmably coupleable to elements in said programmable logic block or as an analog input to an analog circuit in said analog circuit block and
wherein at least one of the first set of analog functions comprises:
a multiplexer having a first input, a second input responsively coupled to an input to the analog function, a third input, a control responsively coupled to a plurality of control lines, and an output coupled to an input of an analog multiplexer;
a prescaler circuit having a first input responsively coupled to the input to the analog function, a second input responsively connected to an analog/digital control line, and an output coupled to the first input of the multiplexer;
a monitor circuit having a first input responsively coupled to the input to the analog function, a second input responsively connected to the analog/digital control line, and an output coupled to the third input of the multiplexer; and
a digital input circuit having a first input responsively coupled to the input to the analog function, a second input responsively connected to the analog/digital control line, and an output coupled to programmable logic.
2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the digital input circuit comprises:
a Schmidt trigger circuit having an input responsively coupled to the input of the digital circuit and an output;
an inverter having an input responsively coupled to the output of the Schmidt trigger and an output; and
a shift leveler circuit having an input responsively coupled to the output of the inverter and an output coupled to the programmable logic.
3. The integrated circuit of claim 2 wherein the digital input circuit further comprises:
a decoder circuit having an input responsively coupled to the control lines and an output; and
the inverter is selectively coupled to V+ and V− power rails, wherein said selectively coupling is responsive to the output of the decoder circuit.
4. The integrated circuit of claim 3 wherein the digital input circuit further comprises an operational amplifier responsively coupled to the output of the decoder circuit.
5. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the monitor circuit comprises at least one of a set comprising:
a voltage monitoring circuit;
a current monitoring circuit; and
a temperature monitoring circuit.
6. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the first set of analog functions comprises:
a voltage monitoring circuit;
a current monitoring circuit;
a gate driver output circuit; and
a temperature monitoring circuit.
7. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the analog circuit block further comprises:
a second set of analog functions;
the first set of analog functions comprises a first plurality of analog functions and the second set of analog functions comprises a second plurality of analog functions; and
each of the first plurality of analog functions and the second plurality of analog functions comprises at least one analog circuit.
8. An integrated circuit comprising:
a plurality of inputs;
a plurality of outputs;
a programmable logic block;
an analog circuit block coupled to at least one of said inputs, said analog circuit block comprising a first set of analog functions at least one comprising at least one including at least one hardwired analog function circuit;
an analog-to-digital converter programmably coupleable to individual analog circuits in the analog circuit block;
a digital circuit block coupled to at least one of the inputs, the digital circuit block including at least one hardwired digital function circuit;
an interconnect architecture programmably coupling selected ones of the plurality of inputs, the plurality of outputs, the programmable logic block, the analog circuit block, and the analog-to-digital converter;
wherein at least one of the inputs may be programmably configured as one of a digital input programmably coupleable to elements in the programmable logic block or as an analog input to an analog circuit in the analog circuit block and
wherein at least one of the first set of analog functions comprises:
a multiplexer having a first input, a second input responsively coupled to an input to the analog function, a third input, a control responsively coupled to a plurality of control lines, and an output coupled to an input of an analog multiplexer;
a prescaler circuit having a first input responsively coupled to the input to the analog function, a second input responsively connected to an analog/digital control line, and an output coupled to the first input of the multiplexer;
a monitor circuit having a first input responsively coupled to the input to the analog function, a second input responsively connected to the analog/digital control line, and an output coupled to the third input of the multiplexer; and
a digital input circuit having a first input responsively coupled to the input to the analog function, a second input responsively connected to the analog/digital control line, and an output coupled to programmable logic.
9. The integrated circuit of claim 8 wherein the at least one of the inputs may be programmably configured as a digital input programmably coupleable to elements in the programmable logic block with a slew rate less than about 10 MHz.
10. The integrated circuit of claim 8 wherein:
the at least one hardwired analog function circuit includes at least one of a digital-to-analog converter, an analog-to-digital converter, an analog pulse width modulator, a MOSFET controller, a voltage reference circuit, a low-dropout regulator, an analog multiplexer, and an RF transceiver; and
the at least one hardwired digital function circuit includes at least one of a state machine, analog sequencer, microprocessor, digital signal processor, and interface circuit.
11. The integrated circuit of claim 8 further including:
at least one operational amplifier in the at least one analog function circuit;
a programmable coupling circuit to selectively couple at least one of the inputs to the programmable logic block;
wherein the programmable coupling circuit interrupts power to the at least one operational amplifier when the coupling circuit is programmed to couple the at least one of the inputs to the programmable logic block.
12. The integrated circuit of claim 8 further including a clock system including a clock generator having multiple clock sources.
13. The integrated circuit of claim 12 wherein the multiple clock sources include a crystal oscillator and at least one RC oscillator.
14. The integrated circuit of claim 8 wherein the clock system includes at least one phase locked loop.
15. The integrated circuit of claim 8 wherein the at least one analog function circuit includes an analog-voltage pre-scaler circuit and the programmable coupling circuit includes a multiplexer having a first input coupled to the at least one of the inputs, a second input coupled to the at least one of the inputs through the analog-voltage pre-scaler circuit, and at least one programmable select input.
16. The integrated circuit of claim 8 wherein the coupling circuit includes at least one first MOS transistor coupled between a power rail and a power input on the at least one operational amplifier, and at least one second MOS transistor coupled between a power rail and a digital buffer coupled between the at least one of the inputs and the programmable logic block, the at least one first and second MOS transistors controlled by a decoder.
17. The integrated circuit of claim 16 wherein the decoder is driven by data on the at least one programmable select input of the multiplexer.
18. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein the coupling circuitry has a maximum digital bandwidth of less than about 10 MHz.