Multi-master extended 12C protocol
AssigneeLSI Logic Corporation
InventorMatthew Trembley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An extended protocol provides a serial bus with the capability of effective communications for a multimaster bus. A bus device may enter a master mode and transmit information identifying a designated recipient device on the bus. Either the master mode device or the designated recipient device may send information that identifies the master mode bus device. The master mode device may read from the designated recipient device or may write to the designated recipient device. The designated recipient device may provide an acknowledgement, data, a command, or status information may be sent back. The status information may include version information regarding the hardware, software, and/or firmware of the designated recipient device.
Claims29
A method for communicating across a serial data bus including two or more devices capable of being switched to a master mode coupled to the serial data bus, comprising the steps of:
- sending a designated recipient device address from one of the two or more devices capable of being switched to a master mode onto the bus;
- and
- sending identification information for the one of the two or more devices capable of being switched to a master mode.
A serial bus system, comprising:
- a serial bus;
- a plurality of devices connected to the serial bus, each of the plurality of devices having a slave mode and at least two of the plurality of devices having a master mode, wherein communication between a master mode device and a slave mode device includes identifying the master mode device.
A bus system through which a plurality of devices are connected, comprising:
- a serial data bus;
- and
- a plurality of devices connected to the serial data bus, each of the plurality of devices having a slave mode and at least two of the plurality of devices having a master mode, in which one of the plurality of devices is in master mode and initiates communications with another one of the plurality of devices being a designated recipient device, the designated recipient device providing version information to the one of the plurality of devices in master mode via the serial data bus.
A method for communicating across a serial data bus through which two or more devices capable of being switched to a master mode are coupled to the serial data bus, comprising the steps of:
- a) sending identifying information from one of the two or more devices capable of being switched to a master mode onto the bus to a designated recipient device;
- and
- b) sending version information from the designated recipient device onto the bus to the one of the two or more devices capable of being switched to a master mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.