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US 10,241,953 B2Granted
Dynamic data-link selection over common physical interface
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorsLalan Jee Mishra, Richard Dominic Wietfeldt, James Lionel Panian
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hybrid virtual general purpose input/output (VGI) architecture is provided including a pair of devices coupled through a high-speed cable. The architecture enables a device to communicate sideband signals through the high-speed cable using two pins coupled to respective interconnects of a bus. In an aspect, the architecture may implement link selection without protocol consolidation where the device may configure the two pins for I2C (or I3C) signaling or VGI signaling. In another aspect, the architecture may implement link bridging with protocol consolidation where the device may transmit (or receive) I2C (or I3C) signals through the high-speed cable using a VGI communication protocol.
Claims39
An apparatus, comprising:
- a communication interface circuit;
- and
- a processing circuit configured to via the communication interface circuit:
- detect at least one of first data to be transmitted to a first device using a serial bus communication protocol or second data to be transmitted to a second device using a virtual general purpose input/output communication protocol;
- determine whether to transmit the first data or the second data;
- configure first and second physical interconnect lines coupled to the apparatus for either the serial bus communication protocol or the virtual general purpose input/output communication protocol based on the determination, wherein the first and second physical interconnect lines are respectively configured as a data line and a clock line for the serial bus communication protocol, and wherein the first and second physical interconnect lines are respectively configured as a signal transmission line and a signal reception line for the virtual general purpose input/output communication protocol;
- and
- transmit, through the first physical interconnect line, the first data to the first device using the serial bus communication protocol or the second data to the second device using the virtual general purpose input/output communication protocol.
5 more elements
A method for an integrated circuit, comprising:
- detecting at least one of first data to be transmitted to a first device using a serial bus communication protocol or second data to be transmitted to a second device using a virtual general purpose input/output communication protocol;
- determining whether to transmit the first data or the second data;
- configuring first and second physical interconnect lines coupled to the integrated circuit for either the serial bus communication protocol or the virtual general purpose input/output communication protocol based on the determination, wherein the first and second physical interconnect lines are respectively configured as a data line and a clock line for the serial bus communication protocol, and wherein the first and second physical interconnect lines are respectively configured as a signal transmission line and a signal reception line for the virtual general purpose input/output communication protocol;
- and
- transmitting, through the first physical interconnect line, the first data to the first device using the serial bus communication protocol or the second data to the second device using the virtual general purpose input/output communication protocol.
2 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a communication interface circuit;
- and
- a processing circuit configured to via the communication interface circuit:
- obtain first data configured for transmission to a first device using a serial bus communication protocol;
- store the first data in a first message register associated with the serial bus communication protocol, wherein the first message register is mapped to a second message register at a second device, the second message register associated with the serial bus communication protocol;
- and
- transmit the first data to the second message register at the second device through a physical interconnect line using a virtual general purpose input/output communication protocol.
4 more elements
A method for an integrated circuit, comprising:
- obtaining first data configured for transmission to a first device using a serial bus communication protocol;
- storing the first data in a first message register associated with the serial bus communication protocol, wherein the first message register is mapped to a second message register at a second device, the second message register associated with the serial bus communication protocol;
- and
- transmitting the first data to the second message register at the second device through a physical interconnect line using a virtual general purpose input/output communication protocol.
1 more element
An apparatus, comprising:
- a communication interface circuit;
- and
- a processing circuit configured to via the communication interface circuit:
- obtain first data configured for transmission to a second device using a virtual general purpose input/output communication protocol, wherein the apparatus is coupled to the second device through a cable;
- store the first data in a first message tunneling register at the apparatus;
- and
- transmit the first data to a second message tunneling register at the second device using the virtual general purpose input/output communication protocol, wherein the first data is forwarded by one or more intermediate devices situated in the cable until the first data is received at the second message tunneling register.
4 more elements
A method for an integrated circuit, comprising:
- obtaining first data configured for transmission to a second device using a virtual general purpose input/output communication protocol, wherein the integrated circuit is coupled to the second device through a cable;
- storing the first data in a first message tunneling register at the integrated circuit;
- and
- transmitting the first data to a second message tunneling register at the second device using the virtual general purpose input/output communication protocol, wherein the first data is forwarded by one or more intermediate devices situated in the cable until the first data is received at the second message tunneling register.
1 more element
A cable for enabling communication between a host device and a peripheral device, comprising:
- a first device installed in the cable and situated at a first end of the cable, the first device including a first virtual general purpose input/output interface and a second virtual general purpose input/output interface, the first virtual general purpose input/output interface coupled to the host device through a first physical interconnect line;
- a second device installed in the cable and situated at a second end of the cable, the second device including a third virtual general purpose input/output interface and a fourth virtual general purpose input/output interface, the fourth virtual general purpose input/output interface coupled to the peripheral device through a second physical interconnect line, wherein the first and second devices are configured to communicate along a length of the cable via the second and third virtual general purpose input/output interfaces using a virtual general purpose input/output communication protocol;
- and
- a third device installed in the cable and coupled to the first device, the third device configured to communicate with the first device using a serial bus communication protocol,
- wherein the first virtual general purpose input/output interface is configured to transmit, to the host device through the first physical interconnect line, data from the third device using either the serial bus communication protocol or using the virtual general purpose input/output communication protocol.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.