Synchronous serial data communication bus

• US 20040059965A1
• Filed: 08/06/2002
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Network Equipment Technologies Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wesolowski, Jan S., Marshall, Kenneth R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,328,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4291 using a clocked protocol

Abstract

A synchronous serial bus features a variable data size format and an in-line addressing and data architecture. Flexible addressing allows for a variety of slave devices and configurations. Frequent parity checking during a transaction allows for faster error recovery. Repeater devices connect multiple slaves to the master using only point-to-point physical connections, thus providing multidrop architecture while at the same time ensuring excellent signal integrity and allowing a very high speed operation.

Claims

1. A serial data communication method comprising:

transmitting from a sending device a data stream on a first communication line comprising;

address information representative of a receiving device;

first error checking information suitable for detecting the occurrence of an error in the address information;

a data portion to be received by the receiving device; and

second error checking information suitable for detecting the occurrence of an error in the data portion;

monitoring a second communication line to detect the occurrence of an error detected signal during the step of transmitting the data stream; and

ceasing transmitting the data stream if the error detected signal is detected.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the address information further comprises a first address portion and a second address portion, and third error checking information disposed in the data stream between the first address portion and the second address portion, the third error checking information suitable to detect the occurrence of an error in the first address portion, the first error checking information suitable to detect the occurrence of an error in the second address portion.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the data portion is a single N-bit datum, the data stream further comprising size information indicative of the value N.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending device is in point-to-point communication with the receiving device or with an repeater device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving device is in point-to-point communication with the sending device or with a repeater device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising at the receiving device:

receiving the address information and the first error checking information;

determining if there is an error in the address information based on the address information and the first error checking information and if there is an error then transmitting the error detected signal on the second communication line;

receiving the data portion and the second error checking information;

determining if there is an error in the data portion based on the data portion and the second error checking information and if there is an error then transmitting the error detected signal on the second communication line.

7. A serial data communication method comprising:

transmitting a first address portion on a first data path;

transmitting first error checking information on the first data path suitable for detecting an error in the first address portion;

transmitting a second address portion on the first data path;

transmitting second error checking information on the first data path suitable for detecting an error in the second address portion;

detecting an error indication signal on a second data path during the steps of transmitting; and

in response to detecting an error indicating signal, ceasing further steps of transmitting.

8. The method of claim 7 further including transmitting a data portion subsequent to transmitting the second error checking information, and transmitting third error checking information subsequent to transmitting the data portion.

9. A serial data communication system comprising:

a master device having a master bus interface that is configured for connection to a data bus, the data bus having a first data communication path and a second data communication path;

the master bus interface operable to transmit a data stream on the first data communication path comprising;

address information representative of a receiving device;

first error checking information suitable for detecting the occurrence of an error in the address information;

a data portion to be received by the receiving device; and

second error checking information suitable for detecting the occurrence of an error in the data portion,

the master bus interface further operable to monitor the second data communication path for an error indication during transmission of the data stream,

the master bus interface operable to cease transmission of the data stream in response to detecting an error indication.

10. The serial communication system of claim 9 wherein the address information further comprises a first address portion and a second address portion, and third error checking information occurring in the data stream between the first address portion and the second address portion, the third error checking information suitable to detect the occurrence of an error in the first address portion, the first error checking information suitable to detect the occurrence of an error in the second address portion.

11. The serial communication system of claim 9 further comprising a slave device having a slave bus interface and a first data bus coupled between the master bus interface and the slave bus interface, the slave bus interface operable to determine an error condition based on the address information and the first error checking information, or based on the data portion and the second error checking information, the slave bus interface operable to transmit the error indication in response to detecting an error condition.

12. The serial communication system of claim 9 further comprising:

a repeater device having at least a first repeater bus interface and a second repeater bus interface;

a first data bus connected between the master bus interface and the first repeater bus interface;

at least one slave device having a slave bus interface; and

a second data bus connected between the second repeater bus interface and the slave bus interface,

the repeater device operable to transmit information received at its first repeater bus interface to its second repeater bus interface and vice-versa to provide data communication between the master device and the at least one slave device.

13. The serial communication system of claim 12 wherein the repeater device includes a third repeater bus interface, the system further including a second slave device having a second slave bus interface, and a third bus coupled between the third repeater bus interface of the repeater device and the second slave bus interface, wherein the repeater device is further operable to transmit the information received at its first repeater bus interface to its third repeater bus interface and vice-versa.

14. The serial communication system of claim 12 wherein the first repeater bus interface is a slave bus interface so that the master device appears to be connected to a slave device and the second repeater bus interface is a master bus interface so that the slave device appears to be connected to a master device.

15. The serial communication system of claim 9 wherein the address information is representative of more than one receiving device.

16. A serial data communication system comprising:

a master device having a bus interface;

a plurality of slave devices, each having a bus interface;

a repeater device having a plurality of bus interfaces; and

a plurality of serial data buses, each serial data bus coupled between a bus interface of the repeater device and the bus interface of either the master device or of one of the slave devices,

the repeater device operable to transmit information received from the master device to each of the slave devices,

the repeater device further operable to transmit information received from the slave devices to the master device.

17. The serial data communication system of claim 16 wherein the bus interface of the master device is operable to transmit a data stream on its serial data bus comprising:

address information representative of at least one of the slave devices;

first error checking information suitable for detecting the occurrence of an error in the address information;

a data portion; and

second error checking information suitable for detecting the occurrence of an error in the data portion,

the bus interface of the master device further operable to monitor its serial data bus for an error indication during transmission of the data stream,

the bus interface of the master device further operable to cease transmission of the data stream in response to detecting an error indication.

18. The serial data communication system of claim 16 wherein the address information further comprises a first address portion and a second address portion, and third error checking information disposed in the data stream between the first address portion and the second address portion, the third error checking information suitable to detect the occurrence of an error in the first address portion, the first error checking information suitable to detect the occurrence of an error in the second address portion.

19. The serial data communication system of claim 16 wherein the address information is representative of more than one of the slave devices.

20. A serial data communication system comprising:

a master device;

at least one slave device; and

means for providing a point-to-point connection between the master device and the at least one slave device,

the master device comprising means for transmitting a data stream to the at least on slave device, the data stream comprising;

address data representative of the at least on slave device;

first error checking information;

a data portion; and

second error checking information,

the at least one slave device comprising means for determining an error based on the address data and the first error checking information or on the data portion and second error checking information.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the means for providing a point-to-point connection includes a first bus interface in the master device, a second bus interface in the at least one slave device, and a serial data bus coupled between the first bus interface and the second bus interface.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the means for providing a point-to-point connection includes a repeater device having a point-to-point connection with the master device,and a point-to-point connection with the at least one slave device, the repeater device operable to transmit information received from the master device to the at least one slave device.

23. The system of claim 22 further including a second slave device, the second slave device having a point-to-point connection with the repeater device.