SD switch box in a cellular handset

• US 20080305833A1
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: David Sun
• Inventors: Sherman, Itay, Bychkov, Eyal, Segalov, Yaron
• Granted Patent: US 7,970,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/02 Details ; arrangements for supplying electrical power along data transmission lines systems for transmitting signals via power distribution lines H04B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A cellular handset, including a cellular base band modem, including a UART interface, and an SD host interface, a NAND flash memory, a NAND controller coupled with the NAND flash memory, a host device including a host controller, wherein the electronic host device supports an SD connection, and a convergence controller coupled with the cellular base band modem, the host device and the NAND controller, including a UART port for transferring data to and from the cellular base band modem via the UART interface, an SD port for transferring data to and from the cellular base band modem via the SD host interface, an SD port for transferring data to and from the NAND flash memory via the NAND controller, an SD port for transferring data to and from the host device via the host controller, a first mailbox into which the base band modem writes messages and from which the host device reads messages, and a second mailbox into which the host device writes messages and from which the cellular base band modem reads messages. A method is also described and claimed.

Claims

1. A cellular handset, comprising:

a cellular base band modem, comprising;

a UART interface; and

an SD host interface;

a NAND flash memory;

a NAND controller coupled with said NAND flash memory;

a host device comprising a host controller, wherein said electronic host device supports an SD connection; and

a convergence controller coupled with said cellular base band modem, said host device and said NAND controller, comprising;

a UART port for transferring data to and from said cellular base band modem via said UART interface;

an SD port for transferring data to and from said cellular base band modem via said SD host interface;

an SD port for transferring data to and from said NAND flash memory via said NAND controller;

an SD port for transferring data to and from said host device via said host controller;

a first mailbox into which said base band modem writes messages and from which said host device reads messages; and

a second mailbox into which said host device writes messages and from which said cellular base band modem reads messages.

2. A cellular handset, comprising:

a cellular base band modem, comprising;

a UART interface; and

an SD host interface;

a NAND flash memory;

a host device comprising a host controller, wherein said electronic host device supports an SD connection; and

a convergence controller coupled with said cellular base band modem, said host device and said NAND controller, comprising;

a UART port for transferring data to and from said cellular base band modem via said UART interface;

an SD port for transferring data to and from said cellular base band modem via said SD host interface;

a NAND controller coupled with said NAND flash memory;

an SD port for transferring data to and from said host device via said host controller;

a first mailbox into which said base band modem writes messages and from which said host device reads messages; and

a second mailbox into which said host device writes messages and from which said cellular base band modem reads messages.

3. A method for booting a cellular base band modem, comprising:

booting a cellular base band modem in a peripheral mode;

reading a boot code image from a NAND flash memory;

loading the boot code image to internal SRAM of the cellular base band modem;

executing the boot code, by the cellular base band modem;

loading a full code image from the NAND flash memory to the internal SRAM of the cellular base band modem; and

accessing, by the cellular base band mode, the NAND flash memory via an SD port as a standard memory card.

4. A method for communicating between a host device and a cellular base band mode, comprising:

requesting, by a cellular base band modem from a host device, access to an SD storage, comprising writing an access request message to a first mailbox;

notifying the host device of the message in the first mailbox, comprising issuing an interrupt request to the host device;

reading, by the host device, the message in the first mailbox;

granting, by the host device, the access request, comprising writing a grant message to a second mailbox, wherein the grant message is the first block of a multi-block write;

notifying the cellular base band modem of the message in the second mailbox, comprising issuing an interrupt request to the cellular modem;

reading, by the cellular base band mode, the message in the second mailbox, comprising recognizing the first block as a grant message;

holding an SD host bus in a busy state, thereby forcing the host device to hold and not access the bus;

accessing, by the cellular base band modem, the SD storage; and

upon completion of said accessing, removing the busy state from the SD host bus.

5. A method for a cellular base band modem to transition in and out of a sleep mode, comprising:

when a cellular base band modem is idle for a long period of time;

backing up state parameters in an internal SRAM;

setting a secondary boot code as the code to be executed upon resumption of power;

setting a timer for resumption of power;

halting internal CPU operation; and

disconnecting power to an external SDRAM; and

when the timer has expired;

reconnecting power to the external SDRAM;

loading the secondary boot code; and

loading a full code image to the external SDRAM.