Patent ID: 6081913
Filing Date: 2000-06-27
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
A method for controlling a gating circuit of an electronic system to prevent damage to a circuit device having a mutual exclusivity requirement that is coupled to first and second output terminals of the gating circuit, the gating circuit having a first input terminal and a second input terminal and being selectively controllable to transmit predetermined mutually exclusive signals on the first and second output terminals in response to a control signal having a first logic level, and selectively controllable to pass first and second signals from the first and second input terminals to the first and second output terminals when the control signal has a second logic level, the method comprising:maintaining the control signal at the first logic level during a first mode, thereby causing the gating circuit to prevent passage of the first and second signals from the first and second input terminals to the first and second output terminals;altering the control signal to the second logic level at the beginning of a second mode following the first mode, thereby causing the gating circuit to pass first and second test signals from the first and second input terminals to the first and second output terminals; andafter a predetermined time period following the beginning of the second mode, transitioning the control signal back to the first logic level, wherein the predetermined time period has a duration selected to prevent damage to the circuit device caused by first and second response signals applied to the first and second input terminals during operation of the electronic system in the second mode.