EXTREMELY HIGH FREQUENCY SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF OPERATING THE SAME

• US 20140273856A1
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Waveconnex Inc.
• Inventors: Kyles, Ian A., Kveton, Ken, Bourdess, Mike, Wolcott, John, Novak, Steve, Isaac, Roger D., McCormack, Gary D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,888,507 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49171 Fan-out arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3128 the substrate having spherical bumps for external connection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]

Abstract

Embodiments discussed herein refer to systems, methods, and circuits for establishing EHF contactless communications links. The EHF contactless communication link may serve as an alternative to conventional board-to-board and device-to-device connectors. The link may be a low-latency protocol-transparent communication link capable of supporting a range of data rates. The link may be established through a close proximity coupling between devices, each including at least one EHF communication unit. Each EHF unit involved in establishing an EHF communication link may progress through a series of steps before data can be transferred between the devices. These steps may be controlled by one or more state machines that are being implemented in each EHF communication unit.

Claims

1. A contactless communications receiver unit (CCRU) for use in establishing a contactless communications link with a first contactless communications transmitter unit and for use in communicating with at least a second contactless communications transmitter unit via at least one wired path, the contactless communication receiver unit comprising:

a plurality of pins, wherein at least a first pin is used to communicate with the second transmitter unit via a wired path;

a transducer for receiving extremely high frequency (EHF) contactless signals from the first transmitter unit; and

circuitry operative to;

execute a CCRU state machine that tracks a state of the CCRU during the establishment of the contactless communications link, wherein the state machine transitions through a plurality of states in response to signals received by the transducer; and

selectively drive a signal on the at least one pin used to communicate with the second transmitter unit in response to a state transition.

2. The contactless communications receiver unit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of states comprises a link training state, a capabilities state, and a data transport state.

3. The contactless communications receiver unit of claim 2, wherein the state machine transitions to the link training state when the transducer receives a beacon signal.

4. The contactless communications receiver unit of claim 2, wherein the state machine transitions to the capabilities state after the contactless communications link between the first CCRU and the first contactless communications transmitter unit is trained.

5. The contactless communications receiver unit of claim 2, wherein the state machine transitions to the data transport state after a capabilities message is received from the first contactless communications transmitter unit and validated by the CCRU.

6. The contactless communications receiver unit of claim 5, wherein the plurality of states comprise a holdoff state, wherein the state machine transitions from the capabilities message state to the holdoff state before transitioning to data transport state.

7. The contactless communication receiver of claim 2, wherein the plurality of states comprise a data transport idle state, wherein the state machine transitions from the data transport state to the data transport idle state to save power.

8. The contactless communications receiver unit of claim 2, wherein the plurality of states comprise at least one initialization state, and wherein the circuitry is operative to drive a signal on a second pin that is used to communicate with the second transmitter unit in response to state transition from the at least one initialization state to the link training state.

9. The contactless communications receiver unit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pins comprise at least one transport mode selection pin, wherein the contactless communications link transports data according to a transport mode set by the at least one transport mode selection pin.

10. The contactless communications receiver unit of claim 2, wherein the data transport mode is a standards based transport mode.

11. A contactless communications transmitter unit (CCTU) for use in establishing a contactless communications link with a first contactless communications receiver unit and for use in communicating with a second contactless communications receiver unit via at least one wired path, the contactless communication transmitter unit comprising:

a plurality of pins, wherein at least one pin is used to communicate with the second receiver unit via a wired path;

a transducer for transmitting extremely high frequency (EHF) contactless signals to the first receiver unit;

circuitry operative to;

execute a CCTU state machine that tracks a state of the CCTU during the establishment of the contactless communications link, wherein the state machine transitions through a plurality of states in response to signals received by the at least one pin; and

selectively transmit EHF signals, using the transducer, in response to a state transition.

12. The contactless communication transmitter unit of claim 11, wherein the at least one pin is used to communicate with the second receiver unit via the wired path is an inter chip communications pin.

13. The contactless communication transmitter unit of claim 12, wherein the inter chip communications pin receives a signal that causes the state machine to transition to a new state.

14. The contactless communications transmitter unit of claim 11, wherein the selectively transmitted EHF signal determines a future state of the state machine.

15. The contactless communications transmitter unit of claim 11, wherein a signal received by the at least one pin is derived from a state change transition in the CCTU state machine.

16. The contactless communications transmitter unit of claim 11, wherein the CCTU is part of a wake up loop comprising at least the first and second receiver units, the CCTU, and a second transmitter unit, the second transmitter operatively coupled to the first and second receiver units.

17. The contactless communications transmitter unit of claim 16, wherein the CCTU state machine uses the wake up loop to advance state change transitions.

18. The contactless communication transmitter unit of claim 11, wherein the plurality of states comprises at least one initialization state, wherein one of the plurality of pins is a beacon enable pin, and wherein when the beacon enable pin is driven HIGH, the state machine transitions to the at least one initialization state.

19. The contactless communication transmitter unit of claim 18, wherein when the beacon enable pin is driven LOW, the state machine transitions to an OFF state.

20. The contactless communication transmitter unit of claim 18, wherein the at least one initialization state comprises a beaconing state that causes the circuitry to emit a beaconing EHF signal via the transducer.

21. The contactless communication transmitter unit of claim 11, wherein the plurality of states comprises a link training state, a capabilities state, and a data transport state.

22. The contactless communications transmitter unit of claim 21, wherein the data transport mode is a standards based transport mode.

23. A method for establishing an EHF communications link, comprising:

executing a state machine that tracks a state of a first EHF communication unit to establish the EHF communications link, the state machine operative to transition through a plurality of states responsive to signals provided by an upstream EHF communication unit, wherein executing the state machine comprises;

determining whether to transition to a selected one of the plurality of states in response to a signal received by the upstream EHF communication unit;

transitioning to the selected state when it is determined to transition to the selected state; and

communicating a signal to a downstream EHF communication unit in response to the state transition.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first, upstream, and downstream communication units are included as part of a wake up loop.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising using the wake up loop to transition through the plurality of states.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the signal communicated to the downstream EHF communication unit determines a future state of the state machine.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein executing the state machine comprises transitioning to a beacon/listen state when it is determined not to transition to the selected state.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein executing the state machine comprises transitioning to a serial interface control mode.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the selected state comprises a link training state.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising transmitting link training data to the downstream communication unit.

31. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

receiving link training data from the upstream communication unit; and

calibrating the first communication unit based on the received link training data.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein the selected state comprises a capabilities message state.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising transmitting capabilities message data to the downstream communication unit.

34. The method of claim 32 further comprising:

receiving capabilities message data from the upstream communication unit; and

validating the received capabilities message data.

35. The method of claim 23, wherein the selected state comprises a data transport state.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the data transport mode is a standards based transport mode.

37. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

determining a data transport mode for use with the communications link;

contactlessly transporting data according to the data transport mode using an established communications link.

38. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

periodically activating circuitry to perform one of a beaconing operation and a listening operation.