MAXII LED Driver AN286

The answer from Altera support makes me a little bit confused.

Does anybody understand the answer of Q2? If I have a look in the pin out file of EPM2210 I count 20 regions...

Volker

Following the anser of the support:

[Q1]: Is a group identical to the number of GNDIO/VCCio pins?

[A1]: A group means a set of I/O pins between any two VCCIO pads or any two GNDIO pads.

As an example is quoted in the handbook, the EPM240 device has six GNDIO pads, which provide six I/O regions that can sink up to 130mΑ. If you need to sink 15mA for the outputs, you can have eight outputs per region. With the six regions of I/O between GNDIO pads, there are 48 possible outputs, each sinking 15mA.

For more information about GNDIO grouping, refer to the MAX II Device Pin-Out Files, and the MAX 7000B Device Pin-Out Files. These files are on the Pin-Outs page of the Literature section of the Altera website.

[Q2]: Is it theoretical possible to sink 16x 130mA using a MAXII EPM2210 (16 VCCIO/ 16 GNDIO pins)?

[A2]: No, the maximum sink current per group is 130mA, as stated in AN 286 application note, Table 3: Maximum Source Current for Each VCCIO Group and Maximum Sink Current for Each GNDIO Group in MAX and MAX II Devices.

16 x 130mA = 2080mA is already exceed the 130mA maximum rating, which may have adverse affects on the device.