APPARATUS AND CONTROL INTERFACE THEREFOR

• US 20090274207A1
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: North Star Innovations Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Schwartz, Daniel, Kelleher, Paul, O'Keeffe, Conor
• Granted Patent: US 8,982,899 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/238
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4291 using a clocked protocol

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a number of sub-systems and a control interface operably coupled to sub-systems for routeing data therebetween. A strobe generation function is operably coupled to the control interface and configured to generate a plurality of different strobe signals to differentiate between different intended receiving devices. Thus, different strobe signals may be multiplexed onto a single control interface link, based on a pulse width or voltage magnitude characteristics of the respective strobe signals. A strobe decoder function is operably coupled to the control interface and configured to decode a plurality of different strobe signals to differentiate between triggering sub-systems on receiving devices.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a number of sub-systems and a control interface operably coupled between a number of sub-systems for routeing data therebetween, and a strobe generation function operably coupled to the control interface, wherein the apparatus is characterised in that the strobe generation function is configured to generate a plurality of different strobe signals to differentiate between different intended receiving devices based on differing voltage magnitude characteristics of multiple strobes and/or differing pulse width of multiple strobes or differing codes employed by multiple strobes.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterised in that the plurality of different strobe signals are multiplexed on to a single signal on the control interface.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterised in that the plurality of different strobe signals are generated to trigger different events on different sub-systems.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 further characterised in that the a strobe signals is multiplexed on to a single signal on the control interface based on a magnitude of the strobe signal falling within a predefined window tolerance.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, further characterised in that the strobe generator function multiplexes strobe signals and forwards multiplexed strobe signals across the control interface to a strobe decoding system.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterised in that the strobe generator function comprises a plurality of timers operably coupled to the strobe generator function and configured to trigger the strobe generator function to generate a multiplexed strobe signal comprising a strobe signal associated with at least one of the plurality of timers.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 further characterised in that the plurality of timers are able to generate triggers independently.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 further characterised in that the plurality of timers are able to generate triggers at the same time.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterised in that the control interface operably couples a baseband sub-system to a radio frequency sub-system.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterised in that the apparatus is a wireless communication device and the differing strobe signals on the multiplexed strobe signal identify different transceivers in the wireless communication device.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 further characterised in that the wireless communication device supports multimode operation of third generation and one or more variants of second-generation mobile telecommunication.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10 further characterised in that the apparatus comprises number of sub-systems, in turn comprising a radio frequency integrated circuit and/or a baseband integrated circuit.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 further characterised in that the strobe decoding system (245) comprises a plurality of state machines to receive.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12 characterised in that the strobe generation function is capable of generating variable codes transmitted to a single state-machine whereby a multiplicity of codes can determine a number of different state transitions.

15. An integrated circuit for use in a wireless communication device for routeing data to a number of sub-systems via a control interface;

the integrated circuit comprising;

a strobe generation function operably coupled to the control interface, wherein the integrated circuit is characterised in that the strobe generation function is configured to generate or decode a plurality of different strobe signals to differentiate between different intended receiving devices based on differing voltage magnitude characteristics of multiple strobes and/or differing pulse width of multiple strobes or differing codes employed by multiple strobes.

16. An integrated circuit according to claim 15 further characterised in that the integrated circuit comprises a multiplexing function that multiplexes a plurality of different strobe signals on to a single signal on the control interface.

17. An integrated circuit according to claim 15 further characterised in that the strobe decoder function is configured to decode a plurality of different strobe signals to trigger different events on different sub-systems.

18. An integrated circuit according to claim 15 further characterised in that a strobe signal is multiplexed on to a single signal on the control interface based on a magnitude of the strobe signal falling within a predefined window tolerance.

19. An integrated circuit according to claim 15 further characterised in that the strobe generator function (225, 325) is operably coupled to a plurality of timers (215, 220) that are configured to trigger the strobe generator function (225, 325) to generate a multiplexed strobe signal (227) comprising a strobe signal associated with at least one of the plurality of timers (215, 220).

20. An integrated circuit according to claim 18 further characterised in that the plurality of timers are able to generate one or more triggers independently.

21. An integrated circuit according to claim 18 further characterised in that the plurality of timers are able to generate one or more triggers at the same time.