Group slave identifier time-multiplexed acknowledgment for system power management interface

An apparatus for data communication comprising:

• an interface circuit adapted to couple the apparatus to a serial bus;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• receive a multicast write command from the serial bus, wherein the multicast write command is received in a first datagram and configured in accordance with a System Power Management Interface (SPMI) protocol;
• write a data byte received in a first data frame of the first datagram to a register address identified by the first datagram;
• and
• provide device-specific feedback regarding the first datagram in a multibit slot within a second data frame,
• wherein the multibit slot is one of a plurality of sequential multibit slots defined for the second data frame, and wherein each multibit slot in the plurality of sequential multibit slots provides device-specific feedback from one receiving device addressed by the multicast write command.

A method of data communication at a device coupled to a serial bus, comprising:

• transmitting a multicast write command over the serial bus in a first datagram that is configured in accordance with a System Power Management Interface (SPMI) protocol;
• transmitting a data byte in a first data frame of the first datagram;
• providing a bus park sequence on the serial bus after transmitting the first data frame;
• and
• receiving feedback regarding the first datagram in a second data frame, wherein each of a plurality of sequential multibit slots within the second data frame includes device-specific feedback provided by one receiving device addressed by the multicast write command.

An apparatus for data communication comprising:

• an interface circuit adapted to couple the apparatus to a serial bus;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• transmit a multicast write command over the serial bus in a first datagram that is configured in accordance with a System Power Management Interface (SPMI) protocol;
• transmit a data byte in a first data frame of the first datagram;
• provide a bus park sequence on the serial bus after transmitting the first data frame;
• and
• receive feedback regarding the first datagram in a second data frame,
• wherein each of a plurality of sequential multibit slots within the second data frame includes device-specific feedback provided by one receiving device addressed by the multicast write command.