Up to 32 pins in UCD3138x can be configured in the Global I/O register to serve as a general purpose input or output pins (GPIO). This includes all digital input or output pins except for the RESET pin.

The pins that cannot be configured as GPIO pins are the supply pins, ground pins, ADC-12 analog input pins, EADC analog input pins and the RESET pin. Additional digital pins not listed in this register can be configured through their local configuration registers.

There are two ways to configure and use the digital pins as GPIO pins:

1. Through the centralized Global I/O control registers.
2. Through the distributed control registers in the specific peripheral that shares it pins with the standard GPIO functionality.

The Global I/O registers offer full control of:

1. Configuring each pin as a GPIO.
2. Setting each pin as input or output.
3. Reading the pin’s logic state, if it is configured as an input pin.
4. Setting the logic state of the pin, if it is configured as an output pin.
5. Connecting pin/pins to high rail through internal push/pull drivers or external pull up resistors.

The Global I/O registers include Global I/O EN register, Global I/O OE Register, Global I/O Open Drain Control Register, Global I/O Value Register and Global I/O Read Register.

The following is showing the format of Global I/O EN Register (GLBIOEN) as an example:

Bits 29-0: GLOBAL_IO_EN – This register enables the global control of digital I/O pins
0 = Control of IO is done by the functional block assigned to the IO (Default)
1 = Control of IO is done by Global IO registers. Note that the effect of the GLBIO register is tied to the pin. If you change the pin function using the IOMUX register the GLBIO setting does not move with the function but stays with the pin.