Patent ID: 7215150

Claim:
A method for adjusting input/output (I/O) characteristics of an I/O pad circuit having an I/O pad, comprising: selecting one of a plurality of different I/O supply voltages to power the I/O pad circuit, wherein the different I/O supply voltages comprise two or more of a nominal 1.8 volts, a nominal 2.5 volts, a nominal 3.3 volts, or a nominal 5.0 volts, further wherein the nominal 1.8 volts comprises a range of 1.62–1.98 volts, the nominal 2.5 volts comprises a range of 2.30–2.70 volts, the nominal 3.3 volts comprises a range of 3.0–3.6 volts, and the nominal 5.0 volts comprises a range of 4.5–5.5 volts; detecting an I/O supply voltage being supplied to the I/O pad circuit by detecting whether a value of the I/O supply voltage is greater than or less than a known reference voltage; and enabling or disabling portions of the I/O pad circuit in response to the detected I/O supply voltage, wherein enabling or disabling portions of the I/O pad circuit adjusts the I/O characteristics of the I/O pad circuit as a function of the detected I/O supply voltage.