Internal serial interface

• US 10,248,612 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2016
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Ross, James Henry, Banowetz, Matthew Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Tseng, Cheng-Yuan
• Application Number:
  US15/280,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20170091143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4286 using a handshaking protocol, e.g. RS232C link
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4291 using a clocked protocol
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A simplified serial interface for a communications device. The serial interface includes an RF front end and a transmit block and at least one receive block located on different dies. The receive block is activated by a clock generator that is separate than the system clock. The at least one receive block can inhibit transmission of an enable signal to the receive block and inhibit operation of an oscillator of the interface.

Claims

1. A communications interface device comprising:

a radio frequency front end configured to receive input data signals and a first clock signal;

a serial interface configured to receive data signals from the radio frequency front end and that includes a transmit block that provides data and enable signals to at least one receive block, the receive block being associated with a component other than the radio frequency front end; and

a clock generator configured to be enabled by the radio frequency front end to provide a second clock signal when data is to be transmitted via the interface so that the transmit block of the serial interface receives the second clock signal, the clock generator being activated by the radio frequency front end when data received by the radio frequency front end indicates that the data being provided to the at least one receive block has changed, the clock generator configured to provide a clock signal and a transmit signal to the transmit block of the interface when enabled by the radio frequency front end, and the clock generator and the transmit block being disabled when the data has been transmitted.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one receive block includes a plurality of receive blocks configured to receive data signals, enable signals and clock signals from the at least one transmit block.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the plurality of receive blocks receive a common enable signal.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the plurality of receive blocks are individually enabled by the transmit block.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising a downstream device configured to receive the data from the at least one receive block.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the downstream device includes an antenna switch module or a band switch.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein the radio frequency front end and the transmit block are formed on a first die, and the at least one receive block and downstream device are formed on a second die.

8. The device of claim 5 wherein the downstream device includes a detector configured to determine when the receive block and downstream device are capable of receiving data and the downstream device communicates with the receive block to inhibit enablement of the receive block until the receive block and downstream device are capable of receiving data.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the downstream device includes a power on reset detector, and the enable line of the receive block has a switch enabled pull down resistor configured to inhibit transmission of the enable signal.

10. A communications device comprising:

a radio frequency front end configured to receive input data signals and a first clock signal;

a serial interface configured to receive data signals from the radio frequency front end and that includes a transmit block configured to provide data and enable signals to at least one receive block, the at least one receive block being associated with a downstream device other than the radio frequency front end, the downstream device configured to receive the data from the at least one receive block, the downstream device including a power on reset detector configured to determine when the at least one receive block and downstream device are capable of receiving data, the downstream device configured to communicate with the at least one receive block to inhibit enablement of the receive block until the receive block and downstream device are capable of receiving data, and the power on reset detector configured to control the enable signal via a switch to inhibit the transmission of the enable signal.

11. The device of claim 10 further comprising a clock generator configured to be enabled by the radio frequency front end to provide a second clock signal to the transmit block of the serial interface when data is to be transmitted via the interface.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the clock generator provides a clock signal and a transmit signal to the transmit block of the interface when enabled by the radio frequency front end.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the clock generator and the transmit block are disabled when the data has been transmitted.

14. The device of claim 10 wherein the at least one receive block includes a plurality of receive blocks configured to receive data signals, enable signals and clock signals from the at least one transmit block.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the plurality of receive blocks receive a common enable signal.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein the plurality of receive blocks are individually enabled by the transmit block.

17. The device of claim 10 wherein the downstream device includes an antenna switch module or a band switch.

18. The device of claim 10 wherein the radio frequency front end and the transmit block are formed on a first die, and the at least one receive block and downstream device are formed on a second die.

19. The device of claim 10 wherein the switch comprises at least a pull down resistor.