Bi-directional serial interface for communication control
AssigneeAtmel Corporation
InventorsDavid Dressen, Gregory Guez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bi-directional serial interface for serial communication having a control line to facilitate the transmission of data to and from a microcontroller and a serial interface module. The control line can be used by both the microcontroller and the serial interface module to send controlling signals such as start signals, receipt acknowledge signals, error signals, and stop signals. By having a dedicated control line that can be used by both the sending device and the receiving device, the present invention allows the initiation of a communication session by either the microcontroller or the serial interface.
Claims22
A serial interface for a microcontroller comprising:
- a single serial data line coupling said serial interface to said microcontroller, said serial data line configured to carry data to and from said serial interface;
- and
- a single control signal line coupling said serial interface to said microcontroller, said control signal line configured to carry at least one control signal to and from said serial interface, either one of said microcontroller and said serial interface is capable of initiating a communication session by sending a start signal on said control signal line.
A method for facilitating a single wire bi-directional serial data communication in a serial interface for a microcontroller comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a single control line and a single serial data line between said serial interface and said microcontroller for the transmission and reception of a control signal and a data signal respectively;
- b) initiating a transmission by sending a start signal on said control line;
- c) transmitting a first data byte upon reception of a first acknowledge signal from a receiver;
- and
- d) transmitting a second data byte upon reception of a second acknowledge signal from said receiver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.