Multi-chip addressing for the I2C bus
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsAnders Andersson, Daniel Van Berkom
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is a system for assigning unique addresses to multiple devices attached to an I2C bus. When multiple devices share the same I2C address, the master device is unable to communicate with each device individually. Therefore, a circuit enable input is created to individually activate each device. Once a device is activated, the master device may communicate to the device a unique I2C bus address, after which the activated device only responds to the new address. Each device initially sharing the same address is activated individually until all devices have been assigned a unique address.
Claims13
A method for assigning addresses to a plurality of devices connected to a system management bus, the method comprising:
- enabling a first device of the plurality of devices;
- a controller communicating, using a generic address, a first address to the first device;
- indicating that first address is received by the first of the plurality of devices;
- enabling a second device of the plurality of devices;
- and
- the controller communicating, using the generic address, a second address to the second device;
- wherein said first address is different form said second address.
A system for assigning addresses on a bus having a data line, the system comprising:
- a plurality of devices connected to the data line of the bus having an enable input and an enable next output, the plurality of devices having an initial generic address, wherein the plurality of devices are connected so the enable next output of a first of the plurality of devices is coupled to enable input of a second of the plurality of devices;
- and
- a start signal coupled to the enable input of the first of the plurality of devices, wherein the first of the plurality of devices communicates with the data line on the bus to receive, over the initial generic address, a first address from a controller, when the start input is high;
- wherein the enable next output of the first of the plurality of devices is set high after the first address is received.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.