Programmable bit ordering for serial port
AssigneeLSI Logic Corporation
InventorsSteven A. Schauer, David L. Schell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An order in which bits for serial data are transmitted or received by a first device, integrated circuit (IC) or logic, is programmable to be either from most significant bit (MSB) to least significant bit (LSB) or from LSB to MSB. Therefore, when the first device is used with a second device, integrated circuit (IC) or logic, which can handle the serial data in only one order, the first device is programmed, or configured, to handle the serial data in the same order as the second device.
Claims18
A method for handling serial data between first and second circuits comprising:
- providing the first circuit programmable to handle the serial data in a first operational mode and in a second operational mode, in the first operational mode the serial data is transferred between the first and second circuits in a first order and in the second operational mode the serial data is transferred between the first and second circuits in a second order;
- providing the second circuit connected to the first circuit and capable of handling the serial data in a predetermined operational mode, the predetermined operational mode being one of the first and second operational modes;
- determining the predetermined operational mode in which the second circuit handles the serial data;
- and
- programming the first circuit to handle the serial data in the predetermined operational mode.
A serial port for connecting to and transferring information between a first circuit and a second circuit and that handles the information as serial data when transferred to and from the first circuit and as parallel data when transferred to and from the second circuit, and the first circuit is capable of handling the serial data only in a predetermined operational mode, comprising:
- first logic connected to the second circuit to receive the parallel data therefrom, the first logic converts the parallel data into the serial data for transfer of the serial data to the first circuit in a first operational mode in which the serial data is transferred in a first order;
- second logic connected to the second circuit to receive the parallel data therefrom, the second logic converts the parallel data into the serial data for transfer of the serial data to the first circuit in a second operational mode in which the serial data is transferred in a second order, the predetermined operational mode being one of the first and second operational modes;
- and
- selection logic connected to the first and second logic for selecting between the first logic and the second logic for transferring the serial data to the first circuit in the predetermined operational mode.
A device within which information is handled as parallel data and as serial data comprising:
- a plurality of first circuits, each handling the serial data only in a predetermined operational mode;
- a plurality of second circuits, each handling at least a portion of the parallel data;
- and
- a plurality of serial ports, each connecting to and transferring the information between one of the first circuits and one of the second circuits and handling the information as the serial data when transferred to and from the first circuit and as the parallel data when transferred to and from the second circuit, each serial port comprising:
- first logic connected to the one second circuit to receive the parallel data therefrom, the first logic converts the parallel data into the serial data for transfer of the serial data to the one first circuit in a first operational mode in which the serial data is transferred in a first order;
- second logic connected to the one second circuit to receive the parallel data therefrom, the second logic converts the parallel data into the serial data for transfer of the serial data to the one first circuit in a second operational mode in which the serial data is transferred in a second order, the predetermined operational mode of the one first circuit connected to the serial port being one of the first and second operational modes;
- and
- selection logic connected to the first and second logic for selecting between the first logic and the second logic for transferring the serial data to the one first circuit in the predetermined operational mode of the one first circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.