Multi-bit digital input using a single pin
AssigneeLinear Technology Corporation
InventorsDavid M Dwelley, Robert L Reay
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Electronic devices, and methods, for transmitting, transferring and/or conveying a multi-bit digital signal as a voltage signal via a single pin. Devices and methods according to the invention substantially reduce the pin count of a device because inputting of a multi-bit digital signal preferably does not use more than one input pin. In addition, the speed of transmission is improved because the multi-bit digital signal is transmitted as a voltage signal substantially at one time as opposed to serially.
Claims7
A method of configuring an electronic device to receive communication signals from a serial bus, the configuring using a multi-bit digital signal, the multi-bit digital signal being encoded as a voltage signal, the method comprising:
- receiving the voltage signal at a single input pin of the electronic device;
- after the voltage signal is received at the single input pin, converting the voltage signal into the multi-bit digital signal;
- receiving communication signals, via a serial bus, from a device other than the electronic device;
- converting the received communication signals into a second multi-bit digital signal;
- and
- comparing the multi-bit digital signal with the second multi-bit digital signal, and when the multi-bit digital signal and the second multi-bit digital signal are the same, performing an action with the multi-bit digital signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.