Single wire bus interface for multidrop applications
First Claim
1. A method for controlling communication over a single wire bus interface for a multidrop circuit, the multidrop circuit including a master device and a first slave device coupled together via the single wire bus, the first slave device being assigned a first window of response, the method comprising the steps of:
- initiating a timing sequence by transmitting a start command on the single wire bus interface;
during the first window of response, communicating data associated with the first slave device; and
providing a conversion function circuitry that includes a plurality of flip-flop devices, the flip-flop devices arranged to delay a response signal until the first window of response.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention enables data communications between multiple devices over a single wire bus. This single-wire interface can be used for sensors, amplifiers, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), or any other circuit which would normally have an electrical output. Advantages of the present invention include a reduction in device pin count, conservation of the limited number of I/O pins on the control device, and reduced board layout complexity. Speaking generally, each slave device coupled to the single wire bus interface is assigned a different response time window. This enables multiple slave devices to respond to an initial trigger signal generated by the master device without overlapping responses being generated on the single wire bus interface. A suitable slave electrical device includes application circuitry providing state information for the electrical device, an input/output pin suitable for making an electrical coupling external to the electrical device, and a single wire bus interface coupled to the input/output pin and the application circuitry. The single wire bus interface has conversion function circuitry defining a specific response time window for the electronic device. Further, the single wire bus interface is responsive to a start signal received on the input/output pin to generate a response signal within the specific response time window, the response signal indicative of the state information for the electrical device.
70 Citations
33 Claims
-
1. A method for controlling communication over a single wire bus interface for a multidrop circuit, the multidrop circuit including a master device and a first slave device coupled together via the single wire bus, the first slave device being assigned a first window of response, the method comprising the steps of:
-
initiating a timing sequence by transmitting a start command on the single wire bus interface;
during the first window of response, communicating data associated with the first slave device; and
providing a conversion function circuitry that includes a plurality of flip-flop devices, the flip-flop devices arranged to delay a response signal until the first window of response. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A single wire communications protocol enabling a master device to control communications for a multidrop circuit over a single wire bus interface, the multidrop circuit suitable arranged to couple the master device and a plurality of slave devices via the single wire bus interface, each slave device being assigned a unique window of response, the protocol comprising instructions for:
-
initiating a timing sequence by transmitting a start command on the single wire bus interface;
processing data received during each window of response including interpreting data received during each unique window of response as corresponding to the particular slave device assigned to that unique window of response; and
delaying each window of response with conversion function circuitry which includes a plurality of flip-flop devices arranged to delay a response signal for each slave device until each slave devices unique window of response. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
-
-
17. An electrical device suitable for use as a slave device in a multidrop application, the multidrop application arranged for data communications between a master device and multiple slave devices over a single wire bus, each electrical device being assigned a different response time window, the electrical device comprising:
-
application circuitry providing state information for the electrical device;
an input/output pin suitable for making an electrical coupling external to the electrical device; and
a single wire bus interface coupled to the input/output pin and the application circuitry, the single wire bus interface having conversion function circuitry defining a specific response time window for the electronic device, the single wire bus responsive to a start signal received on the input/output pin to generate a response signal within the specific response time window, the response signal indicative of the state information for the electrical device;
wherein the conversion function circuitry includes a plurality of flip-flop devices, the flip-flop devices arranged to delay the response signal until the specific response time window.- View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A multidrop circuit comprising:
-
a single wire bus;
a master device coupled to the single wire bus;
a first slave device coupled to the single wire bus and assigned a specific response time window, the first slave device including;
application circuitry providing state information for the slave device; and
a single wire bus interface coupled to the single wire bus and the application circuitry, the single wire bus interface having conversion function circuitry defining the specific response time window for the electronic device, the single wire bus interface responsive to a start signal transmitted on the single wire bus to generate a response signal within the specific response time window, the response signal indicative of the state information for the slave device;
wherein the conversion function circuitry includes a plurality of flip-flop devices, the flip-flop devices arranged to delay the response signal until the specific response time window.- View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
Specification