Integrated circuits with reduced switching noise

Claim 2

The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said means for regulating comprises: a resistor element connected between said one of said sources and said output predriver circuit.

Claim 4

The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein said means for regulating comprises: a voltage divider connected in series between said sources for producing a voltage divider output signal having a potential intermediate the potentials of said sources, and means for applying said voltage divider output signal to said one of said supply terminals.

Claim 5

The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said voltage divider includes a resistor element.

Claim 6

The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein said resistor element is temperature sensitive.

Claim 7

The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said resistor element is connected in said voltage divider so that said voltage divider output signal potential is brought closer to the potential of the one of said sources with which said one of said supply terminals is associated when the temperature of said integrated circuit rises.

Claim 8

The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said voltage divider includes an element which is sensitive to the potential difference between said sources.

Claim 9

The apparatus defined in claim 8 wherein said element which is sensitive to the potential difference between said sources is connected in the voltage divider so that said voltage divider output signal potential is brought closer to the potential of the one of said sources with which said one of said supply terminals is associated when the potential difference between said sources decreases.

Claim 10

The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said voltage divider includes an element which is sensitive to the drive capability of the integrated circuit.

Claim 11

The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein said element which is sensitive to the drive capability of the integrated circuit is connected in the voltage divider so that said voltage divider output signal potential is brought closer to the potential of the one of said sources with which said one of said supply terminals is associated when the drive capability of said integrated circuit decreases.

Claim 12

The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said integrated circuit is a CMOS integrated circuit, wherein said output driver circuit includes a first transistor device for selectively connecting said output pad to said source of relatively high potential and a second transistor device for selectively connecting said output pad to said source of relatively low potential, and wherein said first transistor device is an N-channel MOS transistor.

Claim 13

In an integrated circuit having a source of relatively high potential, a source of relatively low potential, an output pad, an output driver circuit for selectively connecting said output pad to either of said sources, and an output predriver circuit for producing an output signal for controlling said output driver circuit, said output signal having a characteristic which determines the rate at which said output driver circuit switches between connecting said output pad to one of said sources and connecting said output pad to the other of said sources, the improvement comprising: means responsive to the temperature of said integrated circuit for regulating said output predriver circuit so that when the temperature of the integrated circuit decreases, said output signal reduces the rate at which said output driver circuit switches.

Claim 14

The apparatus defined in claim 13 wherein said means for regulating comprises: a temperature sensitive resistor element.

Claim 15

The apparatus defined in claim 13 wherein said output predriver circuit is connected in series between first and second potential supply terminals, the potentials of said first and second supply terminals relative to the potentials of said sources of relatively high and low potential, respectively, determining the rate at which said output signal causes said output driver circuit to switch, and wherein said means for regulating is connected in series between at least one of said sources and the associated one of said first and second supply terminals so that the potential of said one of said supply terminals is controlled by said means for regulating as a function of the potential of said one of said sources.

Claim 16

The apparatus defined in claim 15 wherein said means for regulating comprises: a voltage divider connected in series between said sources for producing a voltage divider output signal having a potential intermediate the potentials of said sources, and means for applying said voltage divider output signal to said one of said supply terminals.

Claim 17

The apparatus defined in claim 16 wherein said voltage divider includes a temperature sensitive resistor element.

Claim 18

The apparatus defined in claim 17 wherein said resistor element is connected in said voltage divider so that said voltage divider output signal potential is brought closer to the potential of the one of said sources with which said one of said supply terminals is associated when the temperature of said integrated circuit rises.

Claim 19

The apparatus defined in claim 16 wherein said voltage divider includes an element which is sensitive to the potential difference between said sources.

Claim 20

The apparatus defined in claim 19 wherein said element which is sensitive to the potential difference between said sources is connected in the voltage divider so that said voltage divider output signal potential is brought closer to the potential of the one of said sources with which said one of said supply terminals is associated when the potential difference between said sources decreases.

Claim 21

The apparatus defined in claim 16 wherein said voltage divider includes an element which is sensitive to the drive capability of the integrated circuit.

Claim 22

The apparatus defined in claim 21 wherein said element which is sensitive to the drive capability of the integrated circuit is connected in the voltage divider so that said voltage divider output signal potential is brought closer to the potential of the one of said sources with which said one of said supply terminals is associated when the drive capability of said integrated circuit decreases.

Claim 23

The apparatus defined in claim 13 wherein said integrated circuit is a CMOS integrated circuit, wherein said output driver circuit includes a first transistor device for selectively connecting said output pad to said source of relatively high potential and a second transistor device for selectively connecting said output pad to said source of relatively low potential, and wherein said first transistor device is an N-channel MOS transistor.

Claim 24

In an integrated circuit having a source of relatively high potential, a source of relatively low potential, an output pad, an output driver circuit for selectively connecting said output pad to either of said sources, and an output predriver circuit for producing an output signal for controlling said output driver circuit, said output signal having a characteristic which determines the rate at which said output driver circuit switches between connecting said output pad to one of said sources and connecting said output pad to the other of said sources, the improvement comprising: means responsive to the potential difference between said sources for regulating said output predriver circuit so that when the potential between said sources increases, said output signal reduces the rate at which said output driver circuit switches.

Claim 25

The apparatus defined in claim 24 wherein said output predriver circuit is connected in series between first and second potential supply terminals, the potentials of said first and second supply terminals relative to the potentials of said sources of relatively high and low potential, respectively, determining the rate at which said output signal causes said output driver circuit to switch, and wherein said means for regulating is connected in series between at least one of said sources and the associated one of said first and second supply terminals so that the potential of said one of said supply terminals is controlled by said means for regulating as a function of the potential of said one of said sources.

Claim 26

The apparatus defined in claim 25 wherein said means for regulating comprises: a voltage divider connected in series between said sources for producing a voltage divider output signal having a potential intermediate the potentials of said sources, and means for applying said voltage divider output signal to said one of said supply terminals.

Claim 27

The apparatus defined in claim 26 wherein said voltage divider includes an element which is sensitive to the potential difference between said sources.

Claim 28

The apparatus defined in claim 27 wherein said element which is sensitive to the potential difference between said sources is connected in the voltage divider so that said voltage divider output signal potential is brought closer to the potential of the one of said sources with which said one of said supply terminals is associated when the potential difference between said sources decreases.

Claim 29

The apparatus defined in claim 26 wherein said voltage divider includes an element which is sensitive to the drive capability of the integrated circuit.

Claim 30

The apparatus defined in claim 29 wherein said element which is sensitive to the drive capability of the integrated circuit is connected in the voltage divider so that said voltage divider output signal potential is brought closer to the potential of the one of said sources with which said one of said supply terminals is associated when the drive capability of said integrated circuit decreases.

Claim 31

The apparatus defined in claim 24 wherein said integrated circuit is a CMOS integrated circuit, wherein said output driver circuit includes a first transistor device for selectively connecting said output pad to said source of relatively high potential and a second transistor device for selectively connecting said output pad to said source of relatively low potential, and wherein said first transistor device is an N-channel MOS transistor.

Claim 32

In an integrated circuit having a source of relatively high potential, a source of relatively low potential, an output pad, an output driver circuit for selectively connecting said output pad to either of said sources, and an output predriver circuit for producing an output signal for controlling said output driver circuit, said output signal having a characteristic which determines the rate at which said output driver circuit switches between connecting said output pad to one of said sources and connecting said output pad to the other of said sources, the improvement comprising: means responsive to the drive capability of the integrated circuit for regulating said output predriver circuit so that said output signal reduces the rate at which said output driver circuit switches when said drive capability is relatively high, and so that said output signal increases the rate at which said output driver circuit switches when said drive capability is relatively low.

Claim 33

The apparatus defined in claim 32 wherein said output predriver circuit is connected in series between first and second potential supply terminals, the potentials of said first and second supply terminals relative to the potentials of said sources of relatively high and low potential, respectively, determining the rate at which said output signal causes said output driver circuit to switch, and wherein said means for regulating is connected in series between at least one of said sources and the associated one of said first and second supply terminals so that the potential of said one of said supply terminals is controlled by said means for regulating as a function of the potential of said one of said sources.

Claim 34

The apparatus defined in claim 33 wherein said means for regulating comprises: a voltage divider connected in series between said sources for producing a voltage divider output signal having a potential intermediate the potential of said sources, and means for applying said voltage divider output signal to said one of said supply terminals.

Claim 35

The apparatus defined in claim 34 wherein said voltage divider includes an element which is sensitive to the drive capability of the integrated circuit.

Claim 36

The apparatus defined in claim 35 wherein said element which is sensitive to the drive capability of the integrated circuit is connected in the voltage divider so that said voltage divider output signal potential is brought closer to the potential of the one of said sources with which said one of said supply terminals is associated when the drive capability of said integrated circuit decreases.

Claim 37

The apparatus defined in claim 32 wherein said integrated circuit is a CMOS integrated circuit, wherein said output driver circuit includes a first transistor device for selectively connecting said output pad to said source of relatively high potential and a second transistor device for selectively connecting said output pad to said source of relatively low potential, and wherein said first transistor device is an N-channel MOS transistor.

Claim 38

A CMOS integrated circuit having a source of relatively high potential, a source of relatively low potential, an output pad, a first transistor device for selectively connecting said output pad to said source of relatively high potential, and a second transistor device for selectively connecting said output pad to said source of relatively low potential, characterized in that said first transistor device is an N-channel MOS transistor.