Patent ID: 6285237
Filing Date: 2001-09-04
Classification: H01L,H03K

Abstract:
An integrated circuit die having a plurality of terminals for communicating with circuitry external to the die, each of the terminals of the plurality of terminals being electrically loaded with at least one of a plurality of load circuits in the die, and at least one of the terminals of the plurality of terminals being electrically loaded with more of the at least one of said plurality of load circuits than the rest of the terminals of the plurality of terminals, an apparatus for limiting or eliminating signal skew in signals propagating through the at least one terminal loaded with more of the at least one of said plurality of load circuits, the apparatus comprising a plurality of programmable circuits, each of the plurality of programmable circuits coupled between the at least one terminal loaded with more of the at least one of said plurality of load circuits and a corresponding one of the at least one of said plurality of load circuits loading said the at least one terminal, the plurality of programmable circuits being configurable to isolate said terminal from at least some of the at least one of said plurality of load circuits loading said the at least one terminal to reduce the electrical load in said the at least one terminal to be substantially the same as the electrical load in the remaining terminals of the plurality of terminals.