COMMUNICATION BETWEEN VOLTAGE DOMAINS
First Claim
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1. An integrated circuit comprising:
- first processing circuitry located within a first voltage domain and configured to operate at a first voltage;
second processing circuitry located within a second voltage domain and configured to operate at a second voltage, said second voltage being different from said first voltage; and
communication circuitry coupled to said first processing circuitry and to said second processing circuitry and configured to communicate one or more multi-bit signals between said first first processing circuitry and said second processing circuitry;
whereinsaid communication circuitry includes;
first parallel-to-serial conversion circuitry configured to convert said one or more multi-bit signals between a parallel form processed by said first processing circuitry and a serial form for passing between said first voltage domain and said second voltage domain;
level shifting circuitry configured to change a voltage level of said one or more multi-bit signal in said serial form between said first voltage and said second voltage; and
second parallel-to-serial conversion circuitry configured to convert said one or more multi-bit signals between a parallel form processed by said second processing circuitry and said serial form for passing between said first voltage domain and said second voltage domain.
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Abstract
An integrated circuit 6 including a first voltage domain 4 incorporates real time clock circuitry 12 that communicates via communication circuitry 18 with processing circuitry 16 contained within a second voltage domain. The communication circuitry 18 includes first parallel-to-serial conversion circuitry 24 located within the first voltage domain 4, level shifting circuitry 32 for passing serial signals between the voltage domains and second parallel-to-serial circuitry 26 located in the second voltage domain.
18 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An integrated circuit comprising:
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first processing circuitry located within a first voltage domain and configured to operate at a first voltage; second processing circuitry located within a second voltage domain and configured to operate at a second voltage, said second voltage being different from said first voltage; and communication circuitry coupled to said first processing circuitry and to said second processing circuitry and configured to communicate one or more multi-bit signals between said first first processing circuitry and said second processing circuitry;
whereinsaid communication circuitry includes; first parallel-to-serial conversion circuitry configured to convert said one or more multi-bit signals between a parallel form processed by said first processing circuitry and a serial form for passing between said first voltage domain and said second voltage domain; level shifting circuitry configured to change a voltage level of said one or more multi-bit signal in said serial form between said first voltage and said second voltage; and second parallel-to-serial conversion circuitry configured to convert said one or more multi-bit signals between a parallel form processed by said second processing circuitry and said serial form for passing between said first voltage domain and said second voltage domain. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An integrated circuit comprising:
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first processing means for performing first processing and located within a first voltage domain and configured to operate at a first voltage; second processing means for performing second processing and located within a second voltage domain and configured to operate at a second voltage, said second voltage being different from said first voltage; and communication means for communicating one or more multi-bit signals between said first first processing circuitry and said second processing circuitry;
whereinsaid communication means includes; first parallel-to-serial conversion means for converting said one or more multi-bit signals between a parallel form processed by said first processing circuitry and a serial form for passing between said first voltage domain and said second voltage domain; level shifting means for changing a voltage level of said one or more multi-bit signal in said serial form between said first voltage and said second voltage; and second parallel-to-serial conversion means for converting said one or more multi-bit signals between a parallel form processed by said second processing circuitry and a serial form for passing between said first voltage domain and said second voltage domain.
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17. A method of operating an integrated circuit comprising the steps of:
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performing first processing with first processing circuitry located within a first voltage domain and configured to operate at a first voltage; performing second processing with second processing circuitry located within a second voltage domain and configured to operate at a second voltage, said second voltage being different from said first voltage; and communicating one or more multi-bit signals between said first first processing circuitry and said second processing circuitry;
whereinsaid step of communicating includes; converting said one or more multi-bit signals between a parallel form processed by said first processing circuitry and a serial form for passing between said first voltage domain and said second voltage domain; changing a voltage level of said one or more multi-bit signal in said serial form between said first voltage and said second voltage; and converting said one or more multi-bit signals between a parallel form processed by said second processing circuitry and a serial form for passing between said first voltage domain and said second voltage domain.
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Specification