Method and apparatus for communicating information using different signaling types

A system for communicating information over a multi-line bus, the system comprising:

• a transmitting unit connected to the multi-line bus, the transmitting unit including a transmitter to transmit data signals over the multi-line bus using differential signaling and control signals over the multi-line bus using single-ended signaling;
• and
• a receiving unit connected to the multi-line bus, the receiving unit including a receiver to receive data signals in a differential signaling format via the multi-line bus and control signals in a single-ended signaling format via the multi-line bus;
• wherein the transmitter receives data values to transmit the data signals, control values to transmit control signals, and a select signal;
• wherein the select signal instructs the transmitter to select from one of the data values and control values;
• and
• wherein the data signals are transmitted by driving different voltages on the at least two signal lines, and the control signals are transmitted by driving approximately equal voltages on the at least two signal lines.

A system for communicating different types of information over a bus, the system comprising:

• a transmitting unit that includes an output driver;
• the output driver connected to the bus, the output driver to transmit signals of a first type and signals of a second type over the bus;
• and
• a receiving unit that includes an information recovery logic;
• the information recovery logic connected to the bus, the information recovery logic to receive the signals of the first type and the signals of the second type via the bus, the information recovery logic to interpret the signals of the first type as signals having a first information type and the signals of the second type as signals having a second information type;
• wherein the output driver receives first information to transmit the first type of signals, second information to transmit the second type of signals, and a select instruction;
• wherein the select instruction instructs the output driver to select from one of the first information and the second information;
• and
• wherein the signal of the first type includes different voltages on at least two signal lines in the bus, and the signal of the second type includes approximately equal voltages on the at least two signal lines in the bus.

A system to communicate over at least two lines, the system comprising:

• a first line;
• a second line;
• a transmitting unit electrically coupled to the first line and to the second line, the transmitting unit to produce at least one signal of a first information type by driving the first line and the second line to differing voltages, the transmitting unit to produce at least one signal of a second information type by driving both the first line and the second line to approximately equal voltages;
• and
• a receiving unit electrically coupled to the first line and to the second line, the receiving unit to decode the differing voltages on the first line and the second line as at least one signal of the first information type, the receiving unit to decode the approximately equal voltages on the first line and the second line as at least one signal of the second information type;
• wherein the transmitting unit receives first information to produce at least one signal of a first information type, second information to produce at least one signal of a second information time, and a select instruction;
• and
• wherein the select instruction instructs the transmitting unit to select from one of the first information and the second information.

A system to communicate data information and control information using a bus, the system comprising:

• a transmitter coupled to the bus, the transmitter having at least one data input and at least one control input, the transmitter to provide to the bus data information from the at least one data input and control information from the at least one control input;
• and
• a receiver coupled to the bus, the receiver having at least one data output and at least one control output, the receiver to extract from the bus data information for the at least one data output and control information for the at least one control output in response to signaling type;
• wherein the data information is communicated over the bus using signals of a first type, and the control information is communicated over the bus using signals of a second type;
• wherein a transmitter receives first information from the at least one data input, second information from the at least one control input, and a select instruction;
• wherein the select instruction instructs the transmitter to select from one of the first information from the at least one data input and the second information from the at least one control input;
• and
• wherein the signals of the first type comprise differing voltages on the bus, and the signals of the second type comprise approximately equal voltages on the bus.

A memory system to communicate information over a multi-line bus, the memory system comprising:

• a plurality of memory storage cells;
• a receiving unit, the receiving unit to interpret signaling of a first type as information of a first type;
• and
• a transmitting unit in communication with the receiving unit via the multi-line bus, the transmitting unit to transmit the information of the first type using the signaling of the first type, the transmitting unit to transmit information of a second type using signaling of a second type;
• wherein the receiving unit to interpret the signaling of the second type as the information of the second type;
• wherein the transmitting unit receives first information to transmit information of the first type, second information to transmit information of the second type, and a select instruction,
• wherein the select instruction instructs the transmitting unit to select from one of the first information and the second information;
• and
• wherein the signaling of the first type comprises two voltages that differ from each other, and the signaling of the second type comprises two voltages that are approximately equal.

A method for communicating information over a multi-line bus, the method comprising:

• sending, from a transmitting unit over the multi-line bus, information of a first type using signaling of a first type;
• interpreting, at a receiving unit, the signaling of the first type as the information of the first type;
• sending, from the transmitting unit over the multi-line bus, information of a second type using signaling of a second type;
• instructing the transmitting unit to select from one of the information of the first type and the information of the second type;
• and
• interpreting, at the receiving unit, the signaling of the second type as the information of the second type;
• wherein the sending information of a first type using signaling of a first type comprises driving different voltages on different lines of the multi-line bus;
• and wherein sending information of a second type using signaling of a second type comprises driving approximately equal voltages on the different lines of the multi-line bus.

A method for communicating information over a bus having two or more lines, the method comprising:

• sending a first information type at a first speed over the bus;
• receiving the first information type at the first speed via the bus;
• sending a second information type at a second speed over the bus;
• selecting from one of first information used in sending the first information type and second information used in sending the second information type;
• and
• receiving the second information type at the second speed via the bus;
• wherein the first speed is greater than the second speed;
• wherein the sending the first information type comprises driving different voltages on different lines of the bus;
• and
• wherein sending second information comprises driving approximately equal voltages on the different lines of the bus.

A system to communicate information over a multi-line bus, the system comprising:

• a transmitting unit, the transmitting unit to transmit a first information type over the multi-line bus at a first speed, and the transmitting unit to transmit a second information type over the multi-line bus at a second speed;
• and
• a receiving unit in communication with the transmitting unit via the multi-line bus, the receiving unit to receive the first information type via the multi-line bus at the first speed, and the receiving unit to receive the second information type via the multi-line bus at the second speed;
• wherein the transmitting unit receives first information to transmit information of the first information type, second information to transmit information of the second information type, and a select instruction;
• wherein the select instruction instructs the transmitting unit to select from one of the first information and the second information;
• wherein the first information type includes two voltages that differ from each other, and the second information type includes two voltages that are approximately equal;
• and
• wherein the first speed is greater than the second speed.

An arrangement to communicate information of different types, the arrangement comprising:

• means for propagating signals;
• means for transmitting information of a first type using differential signals and information of a second type using single-ended signals over the means for propagating signals;
• means for selecting from one of the first information used to transmit information of a first type and the information used to transmit information of a second type;
• means for receiving the differential signals via the means for propagating signals and for forwarding the information of the first type;
• and
• means for receiving the single-ended signals via the means for propagating signals and for forwarding the information of the second type;
• wherein the differential signals are represented by two voltages that differ from each other, and the single-ended signals are represented by two voltages that are approximately equal.

An arrangement for communicating using different signaling types, the arrangement comprising:

• means for propagating at least two sub-signals;
• means for transmitting connected to the means for propagating, the means for transmitting including means for driving sub-signals;
• the means for driving sub-signals to receive information of a first type and to drive different voltages onto the means for propagating to represent the information of the first type, the means for driving sub-signals to receive information of a second type and to drive approximately equal voltages onto the means for propagating to represent the information of the second type;
• means for receiving connected to the means for propagating, the means for receiving including means for recovering information;
• the means for recovering information to receive the voltages from the means for propagating, the means for recovering information to decode the different voltages into the information of the first type and to decode the approximately equal voltages into the information of the second type;
• and
• means for selecting from one of the information of a first type and the information of a second type.

An integrated circuit to transmit different types of information using a multi-line bus, the integrated circuit comprising:

• at least an output interface, the at least an output interface to interface with a multi-line bus;
• and
• a transmitter coupled to the at least an output interface, the transmitter having at least one first information type input and at least one second information type input, the transmitter to provide to the at least an output interface information of a first type from the at least one first information type input and information of a second type from the at least one second information type input;
• wherein the information of the first type is provided to the at least an output interface using a first signaling format, and the information of the second type is provided to the at least an output interface using a second signaling format;
• wherein the transmitter receives the at least one first information type input, the at least one second information type input, and a select instruction;
• wherein the select instruction instructs the transmitter to select from one of the at least one first information type input and the at least one second information type input;
• and
• wherein the first signaling format includes two voltages that differ from each other, and the second signaling format includes two voltages that are approximately equal.

A memory system, comprising:

• a plurality of memory storage cells;
• a bus having two or more lines;
• a transmitter coupled to the bus, the transmitter to produce a data signal by driving two different voltages on the bus, the transmitter to produce a control signal by driving two approximately equal voltages on the bus;
• and
• a receiver coupled to the bus, the receiver to decode the two different voltages on the bus as the data signal, the receiver to decode the two approximately equal voltages on the bus as the control signal;
• wherein the transmitter receives first information used to produce a data signal, second information to produce a control signal and a select instruction;
• and
• wherein the select instruction instructs the transmitter to select from one of the first information and the second information.

A method for communicating using differential and single-ended signaling, comprising:

• encoding information of a first type into differential signaling;
• transmitting the differential signaling over a multi-line bus;
• receiving the differential signaling via the multi-line bus;
• decoding the differential signaling to recover the information of the first type;
• encoding information of a second type into single-ended signaling;
• transmitting the single-ended signaling over the multi-line bus;
• receiving the single-ended signaling via the multi-line bus;
• decoding the single-ended signaling to recover the information of the second type;
• and
• selecting from one of information of the first type and information of the second type;
• wherein the differential signaling includes two voltages that differ from each other, and single-ended signaling includes two voltages that are approximately equal.