APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING DEVICE IDENTIFIERS FOR SERIALLY INTERCONNECTED DEVICES

• US 20070233917A1
• Filed: 05/18/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management)
• Original Assignee: Mosaid Technologies Incorporated (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Inventors: Kim, Jin-Ki, Oh, HakJune, Pyeon, Hong
• Granted Patent: US 8,335,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4291 using a clocked protocol

Abstract

A method or apparatus operates a multitude of devices in a serial interconnection configuration to establish a device identifier (ID) for each device. An input signal is transmitted through a serial interconnection to a first device using inputs that are also used by the first device to input other information thereto (e.g., data, commands, control signals). A generating circuit generates a device ID in response to the input signal. A transfer circuit then transfers an output signal associated with the device ID to a second device through a serial output of the first device. The serial output is also used by the first device to output other information (e.g., signals, data) to another device in the serial interconnection configuration.

Claims

1. An apparatus for establishing a device identifier (ID) for a device configured in a serial interconnection configuration having a plurality of devices, the apparatus comprising:

an ID producer for producing a device ID in response to an input signal received at a serial input of the device, and outputting an output signal associated with a produced device ID through a serial output of the device synchronously with clock.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input signal received at the device includes a value associated with the device ID of the device, and the produced device ID associated with the output signal includes a value associated with the device ID of another device in the serial interconnection configuration.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input signal received at the device includes a value associated with the device ID of a previous device in the serial interconnection configuration, and the produced device ID associated with the output signal includes a value associated with the device ID of the device of the serial interconnection configuration.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of devices is connected with a serial link.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of devices comprises a memory device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ID producer comprises:

an ID calculator for determining an N-bit ID and producing a calculated value based on the N-bit ID and a predetermined number, N being an integer that is one or greater than one; and

an ID provider for providing the device ID in accordance with the calculated value.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the calculated value is a calculation result of the N-bit ID and an integer.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the ID provider includes a shift circuit for shifting out the N-bit ID synchronously with clock.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the N-bit ID is associated with the input signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising an ID generation controller for controlling the production of the N-bit ID in response to commands in the input signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device receives command or data signals at the serial input and transmits the command or data signals at the serial output.

12. A device configured in a serial interconnection configuration of a plurality of devices, the device comprising:

a device identifier (ID) establisher for establishing a device ID for the device,

wherein the device ID establisher includes an ID generator for;

generating a device ID in response to an input signal received at a serial input of the device; and

outputting an output signal associated with a generated device ID through a serial output of the device synchronously with clock.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of devices comprises a memory device.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the memory device is a random access memory or a Flash memory.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the input signal received at the device includes a value associated with the device ID of the device, and the produced device ID associated with the output signal includes a value associated with the device ID of another device in the serial interconnection configuration.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the input signal received at the device includes a value associated with the device ID of a previous device in the serial interconnection configuration, and the produced device ID associated with the output signal includes a value associated with the device ID of the device of the serial interconnection configuration.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of devices are connected with a serial link.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the ID generator comprises:

an ID producer for producing an N-bit ID, N being an integer that is one or greater than one;

a calculator for producing a calculated value based on the N-bit ID and a predetermined number; and

an ID provider for providing the device ID in accordance with the calculated value.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the calculated value is a calculation result of the N-bit ID and an integer.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the ID provider includes a shift circuit for shifting out the N-bit ID synchronously with clock.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the N-bit ID is associated with the input signal.

22. The device of claim 18, further comprising an ID generation controller for controlling the production of the N-bit ID in response to commands in the input signal.

23. The device of claim 12, wherein the device receives command or data signals at the serial input and transmits the command or data signals at the serial output.

24. A serial interconnection configuration of a plurality of devices, each of the devices comprising:

a serial input and serial output for, respectively, receiving an input signal and transferring an output signal;

a clock input for receiving a clock signal; and

a device identifier (ID) establisher for establishing a device ID for the device, the device ID establisher having an ID generator for generating a device ID in response to the input signal received at the serial input of the device, the output signal being associated with a generated device ID through the serial output of the device synchronously with clock.

25. The serial interconnection configuration of claim 24, wherein the plurality of devices is connected with a serial link.

26. The serial interconnection configuration of claim 24, wherein each of the plurality of devices comprises a memory device.

27. The serial interconnection configuration of claim 24, wherein the memory device is a random access memory or a Flash memory.

28. The serial interconnection configuration of claim 24, wherein the input signal received at the device includes a value associated with the device ID of the device, and the produced device ID associated with the output signal includes a value associated with the device ID of another device in the serial interconnection configuration.

29. The serial interconnection configuration of claim 24, wherein the input signal received at the device includes a value associated with the device ID of a previous device in the serial interconnection configuration, and the produced device ID associated with the output signal includes a value associated with the device ID of the device of the serial interconnection configuration.

30. The serial interconnection configuration of claim 24, wherein the ID generator comprises:

an ID producer for producing an N-bit ID, N being an integer that is one or greater than one;

a calculator for producing a calculated value based on the N-bit ID and a predetermined number; and

an ID provider for providing the device ID in accordance with the calculated value.

31. The serial interconnection configuration of claim 30, wherein the calculated value is a calculation result of the N-bit ID and an integer.

32. The serial interconnection configuration of claim 30, wherein the ID provider includes a shift circuit for shifting out the N-bit ID synchronously with clock.

33. The serial interconnection configuration of claim 30, wherein the N-bit ID is associated with the input signal.

34. The serial interconnection configuration of claim 30, further comprising an ID generation controller for controlling the production of the N-bit ID in response to commands in the input signal.

35. The serial interconnection configuration of claim 26, wherein the device receives command or data signals at the serial input and transmits the command or data signals at the serial output.

36. A method for establishing a device identifier (ID) for a device configured in a serial interconnection configuration having a plurality of devices, the method comprising:

generating a device ID in response to a serial input signal; and

outputting a signal associated with the device ID through a serial output of the device,

wherein the generating and transferring is synchronous with clock.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising resetting the device ID of the devices to a predetermined value prior to the step of generating the ID.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of resetting the device ID is performed in a parallel manner to all devices.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of generating the ID is in response to an ID generation command contained in the serial input signal.

40. The method of claim 36 wherein the step of generating the device ID comprises:

producing an N-bit ID, N being an integer that is one or greater than one;

calculating a value based on the N-bit word and a predetermined number; and

providing the device ID in accordance with the calculated value.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the calculated value is a calculation result of the N-bit ID and an integer.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the step of providing the device ID includes shifting out the N-bit ID synchronously with the clock.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the N-bit ID is associated with the input signal.

44. The method of claim 40, further comprising controlling the production of the N-bit ID in response to commands in the input signal.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein the step of calculating comprises adding the value of the integer to the value of the N-bit ID.

46. The method of claim 40, wherein the step of calculating comprises subtracting the value of the integer from the N-bit ID.