US 2018/0121384 A1 · Serial-Bus Interface for Mutli-Die Module

Abstract

Circuits and methods for efficient interconnect layout of multiple circuit elements, including integrated circuits (ICs), within a circuit module, while enabling only a single control/status (C/S) connection per module. In a first embodiment, the C/S interfaces of multiple ICs are configured in parallel within a multi-IC module, and coupled through a single module serial bus to a system C/S serial bus. In a second embodiment, the C/S interface of a primary IC is coupled through a single module serial bus to a system C/S serial bus, while a secondary IC is internally serially coupled to a “pass through” interface of the primary IC. In a third embodiment, a dynamic address translation circuit translates device and register address information provided by a master device into corresponding internal addresses, and re-directs command messages from a system C/S serial bus to internal slave devices.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A circuit module for housing a plurality of integrated circuits (ICs) while presenting a single unique address to a system control/status serial bus, including:

(a) an internal module serial bus configured to be coupled to the system control/status serial bus;
(b) a primary IC having at least one addressable control register and an associated control/status interface coupled to the internal module serial bus, and a pass-through interface coupled to the associated control/status interface of the primary IC;
and
(c) a first secondary IC having at least one addressable control register and an associated control/status interface coupled to the pass-through interface of the primary IC;
wherein the primary IC and the secondary IC respond to control commands received through the internal module serial bus from the system control/status serial bus that correspond to a unique addressable control register within such primary IC or secondary IC, and wherein only the primary IC responds to status requests received through the internal module serial bus from the system control/status serial bus.

2 more elements

A method for connecting a circuit module in a housing for a plurality of integrated circuits (ICs) while presenting a single unique address to a system control/status serial bus, including:

(a) providing an internal module serial bus configured to be coupled to the system control/status serial bus;
(b) coupling a primary IC having at least one addressable control register and an associated control/status interface to the internal module serial bus, the primary IC having a pass-through interface coupled to the associated control/status interface of the primary IC;
(c) coupling a first secondary IC having at least one addressable control register and an associated control/status interface to the pass-through interface of the primary IC;
(d) within the primary IC and the secondary IC, responding to control commands received through the internal module serial bus from the system control/status serial bus that correspond to a unique addressable control register within such primary IC or secondary IC;
and
(e) within only the primary IC, responding to status requests received through the internal module serial bus from the system control/status serial bus.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Serial-Bus Interface for Mutli-Die Module

Life of this patent

Serial-Bus Interface for Mutli-Die Module

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24