Flexible, space-efficient I/O circuitry for integrated circuits

摘要

Flexible, space-efficient I/O architectures for integrated circuits simplify circuit design and shorten design times. In one aspect, cells for power supply pads are eliminated, in part by locating ESD protection circuitry for these pads underneath the pads themselves, leaving only signal I/O buffers. Pads coupled to the signal I/O buffers may be defined as either signal I/O pads or power supply pads in accordance with customization circuitry. Customization circuitry also provides for flexible bank architectures, where signal I/O buffers within a bank share power supply requirements that may be different from power supply requirements of signal I/O buffers of another bank. The number of banks and the number of signal I/O buffers belonging to each bank is flexibly defined. Customization circuitry also provides for flexible pad options, whereby the IC pads may be configured for different packaging technology, for example, for wire bonding for flip-chip bonding, or for other types of bonding.

主权项

1. An integrated circuit comprising an I/O portion, the I/O portion comprising:
a plurality of I/O buffers occupying a plurality of adjacent I/O slots located at a specified I/O slot pitch relative to one another; and metal layer customization circuitry configured in accordance with one of a plurality of different configurations for defining a plurality of I/O pads coupled to the plurality of I/O buffers and for customizing the plurality of I/O pads in accordance with one of a plurality of pad options including at least a wire bond pad option and a flip chip pad option, such that placement and physical layout of the plurality of I/O buffers is the same regardless of a chosen pad option.