Memory storage access control circuit for coupled mask-programmed microcontrollers
First Claim
1. A memory storage access control circuit for coupled mask-programmed microcontrollers comprisingan external program and data memory storage;
- a common data and address bus directly connected to the external program and data memory storage;
a first microcontroller having a first plurality of bidirectionally operable ports and accessing the external program and data memory storage through the common data and address bus directly connected to the first plurality of bidirectionally operable ports;
a second microcontroller having a second plurality of bidirectionally operable ports connected respectively in parallel to the first bidirectionally operable ports of the first microcontroller by way of a pin-to-pin connection and accessing the external program and memory storage through the common data and address bus, wherein the first microcontroller is operated as a master and wherein the second microcontroller is operated as a slave relative to the first microcontroller;
a communication link furnished between the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller, wherein the communication link between the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller is controlled by software and hardware;
a multiplexer furnishing logical means connected to the external program and data memory storage and to the first microcontroller and to the second microcontroller for multiplexing external memory storage release signals and for multiplexing external address release signals of the first microcontroller and of the second microcontroller by a multiplex signal, delivered by a port used as a slave select port of the first microcontroller, representing the master, and operated as an output wherein the first microcontroller, operating as the master, decides by way of its internal mask program which one of the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller should have access authorization to the external program and data memory storage, and wherein the external memory storage release signals and the external address release signals are fed as a memory storage access signal and an address access signal to the external program and data memory storage, and wherein simultaneously the multiplex signal is used to deliver the memory storage access signal to the second microcontroller, and wherein a mask program of that one of the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller, which has not received an external memory storage access authorization, operates bidirectionally operable ports of the microcontroller without the external memory storage access authorization as high resistency inputs;
a plurality of microcontrollers up to an n-th coupled microcontroller, wherein n represents the total number of microcontrollers and is larger than 2, wherein m port outputs used as slave select port outputs of the first microcontroller operating as a master are used in order to form the multiplex signal and in order to multiplex external memory storage release signals and address release signals of those microprocessors operating as slaves, and in order to feed the external memory storage release signals and the address release signals to the external program and data memory storage as memory storage access signal and as address access signal, wherein n is smaller than 2m, wherein the multiplex signal accesses the logical means, which are provided as n to 1 multiplexer, and wherein the multiplex signal simultaneously commands the selected microcontroller to access the external program and data memory storage through slave select port inputs of the selected microcontroller;
wherein the mask code of each one of the plurality of microcontrollers beginning with the second microcontroller, coupled to the master microcontroller, operates an acknowledgment port connector of each one of the plurality of microcontrollers beginning with the second microcontroller as an input with a pull-up resistor, and wherein the mask code switches the acknowledgment port connector as an output during the external memory storage access in order to deliver a message to a master of an external memory storage access;
wherein the first microcontroller representing the master receives at its acknowledgment port connector a handshaking signal from a microcontroller of the plurality of microcontrollers beginning with the second microcontroller, wherein said handshaking signal is furnished to the master for the external memory storage access, and wherein this handshaking signal confirms the memory storage access and the end of the memory storage access of the slave to the master.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention discloses a memory access control for coupled mask-program over microcontrollers in particular in connection with applications for memory storage programmable control in the low-cost region. The coupling of the microcontroller (MC1) and of the memory access authorization to the external program memory storage and data memory storage (7) is thereby based on a hardware wiring circuit in cooperation with a handshake provided by software. Always only one microcontroller accesses the external program memory storage/data memory storage (7) while the other microcontrollers access their internal program memory storage. The memory storage access is coordinated by the microcontroller (MC1) operating as a master through its output port (Px.y). On the hardware side the memory storage access signal (PSEN) and the address access signal (ALE) are multiplexed for the access-authorized microcontroller. The coupling based on hardware uses thereby the bidirectionally operable input-output ports (P0-P3) and their alternative functions.
51 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A memory storage access control circuit for coupled mask-programmed microcontrollers comprising
an external program and data memory storage; -
a common data and address bus directly connected to the external program and data memory storage; a first microcontroller having a first plurality of bidirectionally operable ports and accessing the external program and data memory storage through the common data and address bus directly connected to the first plurality of bidirectionally operable ports; a second microcontroller having a second plurality of bidirectionally operable ports connected respectively in parallel to the first bidirectionally operable ports of the first microcontroller by way of a pin-to-pin connection and accessing the external program and memory storage through the common data and address bus, wherein the first microcontroller is operated as a master and wherein the second microcontroller is operated as a slave relative to the first microcontroller; a communication link furnished between the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller, wherein the communication link between the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller is controlled by software and hardware; a multiplexer furnishing logical means connected to the external program and data memory storage and to the first microcontroller and to the second microcontroller for multiplexing external memory storage release signals and for multiplexing external address release signals of the first microcontroller and of the second microcontroller by a multiplex signal, delivered by a port used as a slave select port of the first microcontroller, representing the master, and operated as an output wherein the first microcontroller, operating as the master, decides by way of its internal mask program which one of the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller should have access authorization to the external program and data memory storage, and wherein the external memory storage release signals and the external address release signals are fed as a memory storage access signal and an address access signal to the external program and data memory storage, and wherein simultaneously the multiplex signal is used to deliver the memory storage access signal to the second microcontroller, and wherein a mask program of that one of the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller, which has not received an external memory storage access authorization, operates bidirectionally operable ports of the microcontroller without the external memory storage access authorization as high resistency inputs; a plurality of microcontrollers up to an n-th coupled microcontroller, wherein n represents the total number of microcontrollers and is larger than 2, wherein m port outputs used as slave select port outputs of the first microcontroller operating as a master are used in order to form the multiplex signal and in order to multiplex external memory storage release signals and address release signals of those microprocessors operating as slaves, and in order to feed the external memory storage release signals and the address release signals to the external program and data memory storage as memory storage access signal and as address access signal, wherein n is smaller than 2m, wherein the multiplex signal accesses the logical means, which are provided as n to 1 multiplexer, and wherein the multiplex signal simultaneously commands the selected microcontroller to access the external program and data memory storage through slave select port inputs of the selected microcontroller; wherein the mask code of each one of the plurality of microcontrollers beginning with the second microcontroller, coupled to the master microcontroller, operates an acknowledgment port connector of each one of the plurality of microcontrollers beginning with the second microcontroller as an input with a pull-up resistor, and wherein the mask code switches the acknowledgment port connector as an output during the external memory storage access in order to deliver a message to a master of an external memory storage access; wherein the first microcontroller representing the master receives at its acknowledgment port connector a handshaking signal from a microcontroller of the plurality of microcontrollers beginning with the second microcontroller, wherein said handshaking signal is furnished to the master for the external memory storage access, and wherein this handshaking signal confirms the memory storage access and the end of the memory storage access of the slave to the master. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A memory storage access control for coupled mask-programmed microcontrollers comprising
a first microcontroller (MC1) having first bidirectionally operable ports (P0 . . . P3), a first port connector (Px.y) and a first acknowledgment port connector (Pz.w) accessing directly an external program and data memory storage (7) through a common data and address bus (10); -
a second microcontroller (MC2) having second bidirectionally operable ports (P0 . . . P3), a second port connector (Px.y) and a second acknowledgment port connector (Pz.w) accessing directly the external program and data memory storage through the common data and address bus wherein the first microcontroller is operated as a master and wherein the second microcontroller is operated as a slave, and wherein communication between the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller is controlled by software and hardware, wherein the first bidirectionally operable ports (P0 . . . P3), the first port connector (Px.y) and the first acknowledgment port connector (Pz.w) of the first microcontroller (MC1) and the second bidirectionally operable ports (P0 . . . P3), the second port connector (Px.y) and the second acknowledgment port connector (Pz.w) of the second microcontroller (MC2) are connected respectively in parallel by way of a pin-to-pin wiring, wherein the first microcontroller, operating as the master, decides according to an internal mask program, which one of the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller should have access authority to the external program and data memory storage (7), by multiplexing external memory storage release signals (PSEN1, PSEN2) and external address release signals (ALE1, ALE2) of the first microcontroller and of the second microcontroller by way of logical means (3,
4) and by a multiplex signal (5), delivered by the first port connector (Px.y) of the first microcontroller and operated as an output, and wherein the external memory storage release signals (PSEN1, PSEN2) and the external address release signals (ALE1, ALE2), are fed as a memory storage access signal (PSEN) and an address access signal (ALE) to the external program and data memory storage (7), wherein simultaneously the multiplex signal (5) is used to deliver a memory storage access to the second microcontroller, and wherein the internal mask program operates bidirectionally operable ports (P0 . . . P3) of a non-authorized microcontroller as high resistency inputs;coupled microcontrollers (MC1, MC2, MC3 . . . MCn), each having an internal memory program storage, wherein the first port connector (Px.y) and an additional port connector (Px1.y) of the first microcontroller (MC1) operating as the master are used to form the multiplex signal (5, 5a), and to order multiplexing the external memory storage release signals (PSEN1, PSEN2, PSEN3 . . . PSENn) and the address release signals (ALE1, ALE2, ALE3 . . . ALEn) of the first microcontroller and microcontrollers (MC2 . . . MCn) operating as slaves, and to order to feed the external memory storage release signals (PSEN1, PSEN2, PSEN3 . . . PSENn) and the external address release signals (ALE1, ALE2 . . . ALEn) to the external program and data memory storage (7) as the memory storage access signal (PSEN) and as the address access signal (ALE), wherein the multiplex signal (5, 5a) accesses the logical means (6, 6a), which are provided as n to 1 multiplexer, and wherein the multiplex signal (5, 5a) simultaneously is used to command one of the microcontrollers (MC1, MC2, MC3 . . . MCn) to access the external program and data memory storage wherein a command is sent through port connectors (Px.y, Px1.) of one of the microcontrollers (MC1, MC2, MC3 . . . MCn) having access authorization; wherein mask code of each one of the microcontrollers (MC2 . . . MCn) , coupled to the master (MC1), operate acknowledgment port connector (Pz.w) of the microcontrollers (MC2 . . . MCn) as an input with a pull-up resistor, and wherein the mask code switches the acknowledgment port connector (Pz.w) as an output during the external memory storage access in order to provide a message to the first microcontroller (MC1) by requiring an external memory storage access; wherein the master (MC1) receives at the first acknowledgment port connector (Pz.w) the message as a handshaking signal (8) from the microcontrollers (MC2 . . . MCn), furnished to the master (MC1) for the external memory storage access, wherein the handshaking signal confirms the external memory storage access and an end of the external memory storage access. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method for controlling memory storage access with microcontrollers comprising
employing an external program and data memory storage; -
employing a common data and address bus connected to the external program and data memory storage; employing a first microcontroller accessing the external program and data memory storage through the common data and address bus; employing a second microcontroller accessing the external program and data memory storage through the common data and address bus; operating the first microcontroller as a master; operating the second microcontroller as a slave relative to the first microcontroller; furnishing a communication link between the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller; controlling the communication link between the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller by software and hardware; furnishing a first plurality of bidirectionally operable ports at the first microcontroller; furnishing a second plurality of bidirectionally operable ports at the second microcontroller; connecting a plurality of independently operable port connectors to the first plurality of bidirectionally operable ports; connecting the plurality of independently operable port connectors to the second plurality of bidirectionally operable ports, wherein the first plurality of bidirectionally operable ports, the second plurality of bidirectionally operable ports, and the plurality of independently operable port connectors for the first microcontroller and for the second microcontroller are connected respectively in parallel by way of a pin-to-pin wiring; connecting a multiplexer furnishing logical means to the first microcontroller and to the second microcontroller; multiplexing external memory storage release signals and multiplexing external address release signals of the first microcontroller and of the second microcontroller and based on a multiplex signal, delivered by a port used as a slave select port of the first microcontroller and operated as an output; allowing the first microcontroller, operating as master, to decide by way of its internal mask program which one of the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller should have access authorization to the external program and data memory storage; feeding external memory storage release signals and external address release signals as a memory storage access signal and an address access signal to the external program and data memory storage; delivering simultaneously the memory storage access signal to the second microcontroller with the multiplex signal; operating the bidirectionally operable ports of that one of the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller, which has not received an external memory storage access permission, as high resistency inputs according to a mask program; employing a plurality of microcontrollers up to an n-th coupled microcontroller, wherein n is larger than 2, wherein two port outputs used as slave select port outputs of the first microcontroller operating as a master are used in order to form the multiplex signal and in order to multiplex external memory storage release signals and address release signals of those microcontrollers operating as slaves, and in order to feed the external memory storage release signals and the external address release signals to the external program and data memory storage as memory storage access signal and as address access signal, wherein the multiplex signal accesses the logical means, which are provided as n to 1 multiplexer, and wherein the multiplex signal simultaneously commands the microcontroller with the access authorization to access the external program and data memory storage through the slave select port inputs according to the mask code of the selected microcontroller;
delivering a handshaking signal from a microcontroller of the plurality of microcontrollers beginning with the second microcontroller to the first microcontroller representing the master at its acknowledgment port connector, wherein said handshaking signal is furnished to the master after receiving the external memory storage access, and wherein this handshaking signal confirms the memory storage access and the end of the memory storage access of the slave to the master. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification