Single-wire transmission interface and method of transmission through single-wire

• US 20100054313A1
• Filed: 07/21/2009
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chu, Kwan-Jen, Huang, Tsung-Wei, Chen, Jien-Sheng, Yu, Pao-Hsun
• Granted Patent: US 8,762,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4291 using a clocked protocol

Abstract

The present invention discloses a single-wire transmission interface, and a method of transmission through single-wire. The method comprises: providing a single-wire signal through a single-wire; and transmitting information only in a transmission period defined by a fixed first time period starting from one of a rising or a falling edge of the single-wire signal.

Claims

1. A single-wire transmission interface comprising:

a decoder receiving a single-wire signal from a single-wire and generating decoded information corresponding to the single-wire signal; and

a counter determining a transmission period by counting a fixed first time period according to one of a rising and a falling edge of the single wire signal;

wherein the decoder operates to generate decoded information only in the transmission period.

2. The single-wire transmission interface of claim 1, wherein the counter counts the fixed first time period according to the falling edge of the single-wire signal.

3. The single-wire transmission interface of claim 1, wherein the decoder generates decoded binary information in the transmission period.

4. The single-wire transmission interface of claim 1, wherein the decoder generates decoded information according to an occurrence of a level in the single-wire signal in the transmission period.

5. The single-wire transmission interface of claim 1, wherein the counter counts a fixed second time period according to the other one of the rising and the falling edge of the single wire signal.

6. The single-wire transmission interface of claim 5, wherein if the single-wire signal does not change its level in the second time period, the decoded information generated in the next transmission period after the end of the second time period is an address.

7. The single-wire transmission interface of claim 5, wherein the decoder is coupled to a register;

wherein the decoder latches the decoded information in an output wire to the register, and if the single-wire signal does not change its level in the second time period, the single-wire transmission interface generates an enable signal to enable the resister when or after the second time period ends.

8. The single-wire transmission interface of claim 1, wherein the decoder is a serial-in-parallel-out device which outputs the information generated in multiple transmission periods in one parallel output.

9. The single-wire transmission interface of claim 1, wherein an information series generated by the decoder in multiple transmission periods includes an address and a data.

10. The single-wire transmission interface of claim 9, wherein the address and the data are determined by occurrences of a level in the single-wire signal in corresponding transmission periods, respectively.

11. The single-wire transmission interface of claim 9, wherein the address is determined by an occurrence of a level in the single-wire signal in one of the transmission periods, and the data is determined by decoded binary information generated in other multiple ones of the transmission periods.

12. The single-wire transmission interface of claim 9, wherein the address is determined by decoded binary information generated in multiple ones of the transmission periods, and the data is determined by decoded binary information generated in other multiple ones of the transmission periods.

13. The single-wire transmission interface of claim 1, wherein the decoder is coupled to a register, and wherein the decoder transmits data to a different address in the register in a sequential order in each of multiple transmission periods.

14. A method of transmission through single-wire, comprising:

providing a single-wire signal through a single wire; and

transmitting information only in a transmission period defined by a fixed first time period starting from or after one of a rising and a falling edge of the single-wire signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of transmitting information includes:

indicating binary information by a level of the single-wire signal.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of transmitting information includes:

indicating information by an occurrence of a level in the single-wire signal.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

transmitting information to a circuit receiving the single-wire signal, wherein the information is transmitted to a different address of the circuit in a sequential order in each of multiple transmission periods.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting an information series in multiple transmission periods, wherein the information series includes an address and a data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the address and the data are indicated by occurrences of a level in the single-wire signal in multiple transmission periods, alternatively.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the address is indicated by an occurrence of a level in the single-wire signal in one of the transmission periods, and the data is indicated by binary information transmitted in other multiple ones of the transmission periods.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the address is indicated by binary information transmitted in multiple ones of transmission periods, and the data is indicated by binary information transmitted in other multiple ones of the transmission period.

22. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

maintaining a level of the single-wire signal in a fixed second time period starting from or after the other one of the rising and the falling edge of the single-wire signal to indicate that the information transmitted in the next transmission period is an address.

23. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

maintaining a level of the single-wire signal in a fixed second time period starting from or after the other one of the rising and the falling edge of the single-wire signal, such that a circuit receiving the single-wire signal generates an enable signal accordingly.