Mechanism for combining signals to provide consistent output behavior

Abstract

The present invention provides a mechanism for combining programming signals to provide an output signal, the properties of which depend only on selected properties of the programming signals. An embodiment of the invention includes first and second edge-to-pulse converters. The first edge-to-pulse converter generates an intermediate signal having a width determined by received initiation and termination signals. The second edge-to-pulse converter generates an output signal, responsive to the intermediate signal and the termination signal. The output signal has a width determined by a first edge of the initiation signal and a first edge of the termination signal.

We claim:  
     
         1 - 26 . Cancelled.  
     
     
         27 . A method comprising: 
 initiating an intermediate signal in response to detection of an initiating signal;    terminating the intermediate signal in response to detection of a terminating signal;    initiating an output signal in response to detection of the intermediate signal; and    terminating the output signal in response to detection of the terminating signal, wherein the output signal includes a pulse having a pulse width determined by a first edge of the intermediate signal and a first edge of the terminating signal.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein initiating the intermediate signal comprises initiating the intermediate signal in response to a leading edge of the initiating signal.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein terminating the intermediate signal comprises terminating the intermediate signal in response to a leading edge of the terminating signal.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising generating the terminating signal a selected interval following the initiating signal, the selected interval corresponding to a desired width of the output signal.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the intermediate signal and the output signal are initiated via a first edge-to-pulse converter and a second edge-to-pulse converter respectively.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the intermediate signal is generated from an output of the first edge-to-pulse converter which is coupled to an input of the second edge-to-pulse converter.