Extremely high frequency systems and methods of operating the same

• US 10,085,301 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2017
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Keyssa, Inc.
• Inventors: Kyles, Ian A., Kveton, Kenneth R., Bourdess, Michael A., Wolcott, John, Novak, Steve, Isaac, Roger D., McCormack, Gary D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jia, Xin
• Application Number:
  US15/852,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20180139800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 277 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49171 Fan-out arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3128 the substrate having spherical bumps for external connection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]

Abstract

Embodiments discussed herein refer to systems, methods, and circuits for establishing EHF contactless communications links. The EHF contactless communication link may serve as an alternative to conventional board-to-board and device-to-device connectors. The link may be a low-latency protocol-transparent communication link capable of supporting a range of data rates. The link may be established through a close proximity coupling between devices, each including at least one EHF communication unit. Each EHF unit involved in establishing an EHF communication link may progress through a series of steps before data can be transferred between the devices. These steps may be controlled by one or more state machines that are being implemented in each EHF communication unit.

Claims

1. A method for using a first extremely high frequency (EHF) communication unit, the method including:

entering the first EHF communication unit into a power savings state of operation after an extremely high frequency (EHF) communications link has been established with a second EHF communication unit, wherein when the first EHF communication unit is operating in the power saving mode, the method further including;

power cycling EHF transceiver circuitry ON and OFF;

monitoring whether any EHF signals are being received via the EHF transceiver circuitry when the EHF transceiver circuitry is ON; and

determining if received EHF signals are indicative of one of a first pulse and a second pulse,

wherein in determining that the received EHF signals are indicative of the first pulse, transitioning the first EHF communication unit to a first state; and

wherein in determining that the received EHF signals are indicative of the second pulse, instructing the first EHF communication unit to continue operating in the power savings state of operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first state is a data transport state.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the instructing the first EHF communication unit to continue operating in the power savings state of operation comprises:

resetting a time out timer; and

power cycling the EHF transceiver OFF.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein when no EHF signals are received when the EHF transceiver is ON, the method further including:

determining whether a time out timer has expired.

5. The method of claim 4, further including:

in response to determining that the time out timer has expired, transitioning the EHF communication unit to a second state.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second state is a beacon/listen state.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pulse comprises a burst of logical 1s and 0s that exceeds a first burst length.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second pulse comprises a burst of logical 1'"'"'s that falls within a fixed range burst length.

9. A first apparatus including:

an extremely high frequency (EHF) transceiver; and

control circuitry coupled to the EHF transceiver, the control circuitry operative to;

control establishment of an EHF communications link with a second apparatus by executing a state machine that tracks a state of the first apparatus by transitioning through a plurality of states in response to satisfaction of any one of a plurality of conditions;

establish the EHF communication link with the apparatus to selectively enable one of transmission and reception of data;

after the EHF communication link with the apparatus is established, monitor an absence of data being communicated over the EHF communication link; and

enter into a power savings state in response to the monitored absence of data being communicated over the EHF communication link until the state machine transitions to a new state.

10. The first apparatus of claim 9, wherein when in the power savings state, the control circuitry is further operative to:

power cycle the EHF transceiver ON and OFF;

monitor whether any EHF signals are being received via the EHF transceiver when the EHF transceiver circuitry is ON; and

determine if received EHF signals are indicative of one of a first pulse and a second pulse,

wherein in determining that the received EHF signals are indicative of the first pulse, transition the EHF communication unit to a first state; and

wherein in determining that the received EHF signals are indicative of the second pulse, instruct the EHF transceiver to continue operating in the power savings state of operation.

11. The first apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first state is a data transport state.

12. The first apparatus of claim 10, wherein in response to determining that the received EHF signals are indicative of the second pulse the control circuitry is operative to:

reset a time out timer in response; and

power cycle the EHF transceiver OFF.

13. The first apparatus of claim 10, wherein when no EHF signals are received when the EHF transceiver is ON, the control circuitry is operative to:

determine whether a time out timer has expired; and

transition the apparatus to a second state in response to the determination that the time out timer has expired.

14. The first apparatus of claim 13, wherein the second state is a beacon/listen state.

15. The first apparatus of claim 9, wherein when in the power savings state, the control circuitry is further operative to:

activate a timer, wherein the timer is operative to provide a pulse once a period to periodically wake up the EHF transceiver;

wake up the EHF transceiver in response to the pulse provided by the timer;

transmit, from the EHF transceiver, a keep alive signal; and

shut down the EHF transceiver.

16. The first apparatus of claim 15, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

monitor whether any data is received on an input buffer of the EHF transceiver; and

transition to a data transport state in response to a determination that data has been monitored as received on the input buffer.

17. The first apparatus of claim 15, wherein when in the power savings state, the control circuitry is further operative to:

monitor at least one control pin to determine whether to execute a state change transition; and

transition to a beacon/listen state in response to a determination to execute a state change determination.

18. The first apparatus of claim 15, wherein the keep alive pulse is operative to prevent the other apparatus from transitioning away from its power savings state, wherein the second apparatus receives the keep alive pulse via its EHF transceiver.