Dynamically adjustable multi-line bus shared by multi-protocol devices
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorsRadu Pitigoi-Aron, Richard Dominic Wietfeldt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device is provided that has a bus including a first line and a second line. A first set of devices are coupled to the bus and, in a first mode of operation, configured to use the first line for data transmissions and use the second line for a first clock signal. One or more additional lines are connected between two or more of the devices in the first set of devices for transmitting signaling between the two or more devices. A second set of devices are configured to use the bus and at least one of the additional lines for data transmissions in a second mode of operation, where in the second mode of operation symbols are encoded across the first line, the second line, and the at least one of the additional lines.
Claims30
An apparatus, comprising:
- a multi-wire bus including at least a first wire and a second wire;
- a first set of devices coupled to the multi-wire bus and, in a first mode of operation, configured to use the first wire for data transmissions and use the second wire for transmitting a transmission clock in a first clock signal;
- at least one additional wire connecting two or more devices in the first set of devices;
- and
- a second set of devices, within the first set of devices, further configured in a second mode of operation to use the first wire and the second wire for transmitting data in accordance with the transmission clock while data is transmitted on the at least one additional wire in accordance with the transmission clock.
A method, comprising:
- operating a first set of devices according to a first mode of operation configured to use a first wire of a multi-wire bus for data transmissions and use a second wire of the multi-wire bus for transmitting a transmission clock in a first clock signal;
- determining availability of one or more additional wires connecting two or more devices in the first set of devices;
- and
- operating a second set of devices within the first set of devices according to a second mode of operation where the second set of devices is configured to use the first wire and the second wire for transmitting data in accordance with the transmission clock while data is transmitted on at least one additional wire in accordance with the transmission clock.
A method performed by a first device coupled to a two-wire serial bus, comprising:
- establishing a connection on the two-wire serial bus with a second device coupled to the two-wire serial bus using a base protocol associated with the two-wire serial bus;
- determining availability of at least one additional wire that is configurable for data communications between the first device and the second device;
- and
- responsive to a command transmitted on the two-wire serial bus, communicating with the second device using both wires of the two-wire serial bus and the at least one additional wire, wherein data is transmitted on the at least one additional wire in accordance with a transmission clock that controls transmissions on both wires of the two-wire serial bus while communicating with the second device.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a two-wire serial bus;
- a first device that includes a communication interface adapted to couple the first device to the two-wire serial bus and configured to communicate using a base protocol associated with the two-wire serial bus;
- a second device coupled to the two-wire serial bus and configured to communicate using the base protocol;
- and
- a processing circuit coupled to the communication interface, the processing circuit configured to:
- determine availability of at least one additional wire that is configurable for data communications between the first device and the second device;
- and
- communicate with the second device using both wires of the two-wire serial bus and the at least one additional wire responsive to a command transmitted on the two-wire serial bus, wherein data is transmitted on the at least one additional wire in accordance with a transmission clock that controls transmissions on both wires of the two-wire serial bus while communicating with the second device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.