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US 6,662,238 B1Granted
Integrated modem and line-isolation circuitry with command mode and data mode control and associated method
AssigneeSilicon Laboratories Inc.
InventorsTimothy J. Dupuis, Mitchell Reid
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved modem architecture and associated method are disclosed that integrate modem functionality and line-side isolation functionality while also providing a modem interface that allows command and data mode control.
Claims18
An integrated modem and line-isolation circuit with modem command mode and data mode control, comprising:
- system-side line-isolation circuitry capable of being coupled to an isolation barrier;
- digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry integrated with the system-side line-isolation circuitry, the DSP circuitry having a modem processor for modem data and a digital processor for system-side circuitry;
- and
- an asynchronous serial communication interface coupled to the DSP circuitry and configured to be coupled to an external system-side device, the asynchronous serial communication interface including a serial input pin configured to receive an M-bit word, wherein M-minus-N bits of the M-bit word are data bits and N-bits of the M-bit word are control bits, the control bits identifying whether the modem processor should process the M-minus-N bits of the M-bit word in command mode or in data mode.
1 more element
A method for controlling whether modem circuitry within an integrated modem and line-isolation circuit operates in command mode or data mode, comprising:
- providing an asynchronous serial communication interface coupled to modem circuitry within an integrated modem and line-isolation circuit, the asynchronous serial interface including a serial input pin and being configured to be coupled to an external system-side device;
- receiving an M-bit word through the serial input pin;
- utilizing N-bits of the M-bit word as control bits;
- and
- determining whether the modem circuitry processes M-minus-N bits of the M-bit word in command mode or data mode based upon the state of the N control bits.
2 more elements
A method for providing modem command mode and data mode control for a modem and line-isolation integrated circuit, comprising:
- providing a system-side line-isolation integrated circuit including digital-signal-processing (DSP) circuitry having a modem processor for modem data and a digital processor for system-side circuitry;
- providing an asynchronous serial communication interface within the system-side line-isolation integrated circuit configured to be coupled to an external system-side device, the asynchronous serial communication interface including a serial input pin for the system-side line-isolation integrated circuit;
- receiving an M-bit word through the serial input pin;
- utilizing N-bits of the M-bit word as control bits;
- and
- determining whether the modem processor processes M-minus-N bits of the M-bit word in command mode or data mode based upon the state of the N control bits.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.