Rainbow Electronics AT89LP216 User Manual
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AT89LP216 [Preliminary]
13.1.1
Quasi-bidirectional Output
Port pins in quasi-bidirectional output mode function similar to standard 8051 port pins. A Quasi-
bidirectional port can be used both as an input and output without the need to reconfigure the
port. This is possible because when the port outputs a logic high, it is weakly driven, allowing an
external device to pull the pin low. When the pin is driven low, it is driven strongly and able to
sink a large current. There are three pull-up transistors in the quasi-bidirectional output that
serve different purposes.
One of these pull-ups, called the “very weak” pull-up, is turned on whenever the port latch for the
pin contains a logic “1”. This very weak pull-up sources a very small current that will pull the pin
high if it is left floating.
A second pull-up, called the “weak” pull-up, is turned on when the port latch for the pin contains
a logic “1” and the pin itself is also at a logic “1” level. This pull-up provides the primary source
current for a quasi-bidirectional pin that is outputting a “1”. If this pin is pulled low by an external
device, this weak pull-up turns off, and only the very weak pull-up remains on. In order to pull the
pin low under these conditions, the external device has to sink enough current to overpower the
weak pull-up and pull the port pin below its input threshold voltage.
The third pull-up is referred to as the “strong” pull-up. This pull-up is used to speed up low-to-
high transitions on a quasi-bidirectional port pin when the port latch changes from a logic “0” to a
logic “1”. When this occurs, the strong pull-up turns on for two CPU clocks quickly pulling the
port pin high. The quasi-bidirectional port configuration is shown in
. The input cir-
cuitry of P1.3, P3.2 and P3.3 is not disabled during Power-down (see
Figure 13-1. Quasi-bidirectional Output
1 Clock Delay
(D Flip-Flop)
Strong
Very
Weak
Weak
Port
Pin
V
CC
V
CC
V
CC
From Port
Register
Input
Data
PWD