Transfer of master duties to a slave on a communication bus

A slave integrated circuit (IC) comprising:

• a bus interface configured to be coupled to a SOUNDWIRE bus;
• a transceiver coupled to the bus interface;
• and
• a control system operatively coupled to the transceiver and configured to:
• receive an instruction from a master IC through the SOUNDWIRE bus to prepare to assume sub-master control of the SOUNDWIRE bus;
• and
• assume the sub-master control of the SOUNDWIRE bus.

A method comprising:

• commencing operation with a plurality of devices coupled to a communication bus, wherein a first device of the plurality of devices operates as a master device and other devices of the plurality of devices operate as slave devices;
• instructing, through the communication bus, one of the slave devices to prepare to assume sub-master control of the communication bus;
• and
• passing master duties from the master device to the one of the slave devices.

A SOUNDWIRE system comprising:

• a SOUNDWIRE bus;
• a master integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
• a master bus interface configured to be coupled to the SOUNDWIRE bus;
• a master transceiver coupled to the master bus interface;
• and
• a master control system operatively coupled to the master transceiver;
• and
• a slave IC comprising:
• a slave bus interface configured to be coupled to the SOUNDWIRE bus;
• a slave transceiver coupled to the slave bus interface;
• and
• a slave control system operatively coupled to the slave transceiver;
• wherein the master control system is configured to:
• instruct the slave control system to prepare to assume sub-master control of the SOUNDWIRE bus;
• and
• pass master duties to the slave IC.