The present invention relates generally to functional pathway configurations at the interfaces between integrated circuits (ICs) and the circuit assemblies with which the ICs communicate. More particularly, the present invention relates generally to the functional pathway configuration at the interface between a semiconductor device (e.g., computer chips like microcontrollers, microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmable gate arrays (PGA) and other devices and/or combinations thereof) and the circuitry of a system including the chip. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a 14-pin microcontroller functional pathway configuration for the interface between the microcontroller and a system in which the microcontroller is embedded to support infrared communications.