Command Protocol for Integrated Circuits

A method of operating an integrated circuit, the method comprising:

• receiving an instruction portion of a command, the instruction portion specifying an operation to be performed;
• determining from the instruction portion whether the command also includes an attributes portion with additional information about the operation to be performed;
• in response to determining that the command includes the attributes portion, enabling circuitry for processing the attributes portion;
• and
• receiving the attributes portion with a delay relative to the instruction portion.

An integrated circuit for receiving commands having an instruction portion for specifying an operation to be performed, at least some types of commands further having an attributes portion supplied after a delay relative to the instruction portion, the attributes portion providing additional information about the operation, the integrated circuit comprising:

• an instruction receiver configured to receive the instruction portion of the command and to determine whether the command also includes the attributes portion;
• an attributes receiver configured to receive the attributes portion of the command after the delay, wherein the instruction receiver is configured to selectively enable the attributes receiver in response to determining that the command includes the attributes portion;
• and
• an internal processing unit configured to perform the operation according to the command.

A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit for receiving commands having an instruction portion for specifying an operation to be performed, at least some types of commands further having an attributes portion supplied after a delay relative to the instruction portion, the attributes portion providing additional information about the operation, the method comprising:

• providing an instruction receiver configured to receive the instruction portion of the command and to determine whether the command also includes the attributes portion;
• providing an attributes receiver configured to receive the attributes portion of the command after the delay, wherein the instruction receiver is configured to selectively enable the attributes receiver in response to determining that the command includes the attributes portion;
• and
• providing an internal processing unit configured to perform the operation according to the command.