Method and apparatus for detecting memory device interface

Abstract

Apparatus and method for providing a multiplexed bus supporting the coupling of either one of a device having a first bus type interface and a device having a second bus type interface where the multiplexed bus is made up, at least in part, of a plurality of common signal lines that may be coupled to either type of device, and that may be used to carry out transfers with protocols and timings for either bus.

Description

technical field [0001] Embodiments of the present invention involve multiplexing most of the two bus interface functions onto the same pins of the IC, thereby avoiding the need to allocate a larger number of pins that would otherwise be required to support the two buses using completely separate sets of pins. pins to incorporate support for two different bus interfaces into the IC. Background technique [0002] Computer systems continue to become more compact while also becoming more capable, and this is driven at least in part by the components of the computer systems continuing to perform an ever-increasing variety of functions. In particular, integrated circuits (ICs) for computer systems continue to be designed to incorporate an increasing number of features and options to offer manufacturers of the computer systems in which these ICs are used. [0003] A recurring problem for manufacturers of ICs and computer system circuit boards to which the ICs are attached is provi...

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Problems solved by technology

Additionally, these more expensive IC packages typically feature these greater numbers of pins in increasingly dense concentrations for compactness as well as keeping internal conductor lengths short, requiring conductive traces and pads on the circuit board ( or other conductive solder locations) are placed more and more densely, increasing board cost

Since adding more pins to an IC package adds cost and complexity, it is desirable to find a way to limit the number of pins required for a given IC

[0004] A common way to limit the number of pins is to make a trade-off between functionality and pin count, which often results in limiting the functions that a given IC can perform, and possibly putting some of the functions into different ICs, which may increase the given The number of ICs in an electronic device

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