SPI interface with automatic slave select generation
AssigneeMicrochip Technology Incorporated
InventorsKevin Kilzer, Shyamsunder Ramanathan, Sai Karthik Rajaraman, Justin Milks
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Abstract
A serial peripheral interface (SPI) module, comprising a transceiver, the transceiver including a clock line, a data line and at least one slave select line. The SPI also comprises an interface circuit configured to operate in an automatic slave select mode, wherein the interface circuit is configured to automatically assert the slave select line at least one clock before a first clock edge is generated.
Claims22
A serial peripheral interface (SPI) module, comprising:
- a transceiver comprising a clock line, a data line and at least one slave select line and being configurable to perform data transmission according to the SPI protocol;
- and
- an interface circuit configured to operate in a first operating mode and in a second operating mode, wherein in the first operating mode, the slave select line must be controlled manually and in the second operating mode upon a request to transfer data to a slave device, the interface circuit is configured to automatically assert the slave select line at least one clock before a first clock edge is generated and maintained asserted for a plurality of clock cycles while data is transferred.
A method of serial protocol interface data transfer according to the SPI protocol, comprising:
- communicating from a master element to a slave element using a clock line, a data line and at least one slave select line;
- and
- programming the master to operate in an automatic slave select mode;
- when operating in the automatic slave select mode, upon a request to transfer data to a slave device including automatically asserting the slave select line at least one clock before a first clock edge is generated and maintained asserted for a plurality of clock cycles while data is transferred.
A microcontroller comprising a serial peripheral interface (SPI) module, wherein the SPI module comprises:
- a transceiver comprising a clock line, a data line and at least one slave select line and being configurable to perform data transmission according to the SPI protocol;
- and
- an interface circuit configured to operate in in an automatic slave select operating mode, in which upon a request to transfer data to a slave device issued by the microcontroller to the SPI module, the interface circuit is configured to automatically assert the slave select line at least one clock before a first clock edge and associated data is generated without requiring additional software to assert the slave select line and maintained asserted for a plurality of clock cycles while data is transferred.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.