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Multi-Voltage I/O (MVIO) allows the microcontroller (MCU) to interface with digital inputs or outputs at a different operating voltage than the MCU itself. In other words, it’s a level shifter built into the I/O port. MVIO is designed to operate independent of the core power supply. However, if the core power supply or the MVIO supply loses power, the MVIO pins are tri-stated.
What is MVIO?
MVIO ports are special and fully featured digital* I/O port(s) that operate on a separate voltage domain than the rest of the MCU. This allows the MVIO to perform integrated level-shifting in the MCU, reducing the required Bill of Materials (BOM) and design area. MVIO ports integrate with the MCU to support hardware-based Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM), SPI, I2C and other functions.
*Analog functions are not available on MVIO.
MVIO Operating Conditions
The recommended operating voltages for MVIO are 1.8V to 5.5V. In some cases, a special MVIO port may be provided that operates with enhanced performance. MVIO can operate at a higher or lower voltage level than the rest of the MCU and does not require power sequencing.
Protection Against Power Failure
If either the core or MVIO power supply is below the minimum required thresholds, the MVIO pins are tri-stated. When the power supply exceeds the minimum start-up level, the pins will reset to either the MCU’s I/O configuration (MVIO supply failure) or the Power-on-Reset (PoR) defaults (core supply failure).
Detecting Power Failures
A status bit in the MCU indicates if the MVIO power supply is above the operating point. If the bit is not set, the MVIO port is in tri-state. This bit can also generate an interrupt whenever the MVIO port changes state. The MVIO power supply can also be measured internally with the Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) using a built-in 10x divider.
Try a Live MVIO Demo
Microchip Try is a website for visual learners that provides real-time demos that you can interact with by changing variables and watching how the demo responds.
MVIO on 8-bit Microcontrollers
MVIO allows a bank of I/O to run at a higher or lower voltage than the rest of the microcontroller, while still retaining all of the digital functionality of an ordinary I/O bank.
