June 13, 2011 -- The integration of analog with digital and the increase number of on-chip features in mixed-signal controllers demand more complex I/O structures. Though they are sometimes some of the most neglected features of a chip, I/O (Input/ Output pins) can represent a great deal of functionality in a SOC (system-on-chip).

The I/O structure in today's SOCs is so feature-rich that a full understanding of their capabilities is important to understanding how to do more effective system design, and achieving greater value from the SOC.

In this two part article, we will discuss the following:

Basic understanding of the structure of an I/O block in any digital device. Different specifications of pin, which need to be understood, while selecting the device for application. Different variants of configurations of I/O block which need to be used for different application requirements. Choosing the particular configuration that will achieve both reduced BoM cost and improved system performance.

By Kannan Sadasivam and Sachin Gupta. (Gupta is a senior applications engineer at Cypress Semiconductor Corp. and Sadasivam is a staff applications engineer with Cypress Semiconductor.)