Timing vector program mechanism

• US 7,555,669 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2004
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhuang, Yuan, Wong, Yuqian C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perveen; Rehana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang; Eric
• Application Number:
  US10/932,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20060020840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 713/600
• US Class Current: 713/600
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 15/006 for operating at a number of different times cigar or cigarette receptacles or boxes with means for limiting the frequency of smoking A24F15/005
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4825 Interrupt from clock, e.g. time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/10 Arrangements for initial synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Timing vectors are used to pass execution of time-dependent operations from firmware/software to a hardware component (e.g., a state machine). These vectors may be stored as a vector table in a data memory that is accessible by both the firmware/software and the hardware component. Based on the processing being performed in the system, the firmware/software will determine that one or more operations are to be performed at a certain time. The firmware/software stores a reference to that time and the operation(s) in a vector. The hardware component monitors time in the system and the vectors to determine whether the current time matches the time associated with a given vector. When there is a match, the hardware component causes the operation(s) associated with the vector to be performed. The system also may perform different operations at a given time depending on the operating condition (e.g., state) of the system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

firmware configured to generate timing vectors, each timing vector including a time reference when an operation associated with the timing vector is to be executed;

a processor configured to execute the firmware;

a state machine configured to determine a current time of the system, wherein the state machine is configured to determine a matching time vector of a timing vector based on a comparison of the time reference of the timing vector to the current time; and

operation execution hardware configured to execute the operation associated with the matching timing vector.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the timing vectors include an operating condition that must exist for the operation associated with the timing vector to be executed.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the state machine is configured to determine a current condition of the system and compare the current condition to the operating condition to determine the matching timing vector.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the state machine is configured to determine that the operation condition exists.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the operating condition is associated with the time reference.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the state machine is configured to make the comparison independently of the processor.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the operation execution hardware is configured to execute the operation independently of the processor.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the state machine is configured to continually compare the current time to the time reference of the timing vectors.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the state machine is configures to determine the operation to be executed based on a current condition of the system.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a vector table configured to store the timing vectors.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the time reference is associated with a real-time clock.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the time reference is associated with a sequence of execution.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the time reference is associated with a Bluetooth slot.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the time reference is associated with a frequency data hopping period.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the current condition of the system comprises at least one of a coexistence, connect status, or quality of service.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the system comprises a Bluetooth Tranceiver.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the operation comprises setting a frequency of a tranceiver.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the operation comprises a time-dependent operations.

19. A method of controlling execution of a plurality of operations in a system, the method comprising:

defining a time reference associated with each one if the operations to be performed;

defining, with a CPU, a timing vector corresponding to each time reference and the operation associated with the time reference;

determining, with a state machine, a current time of the system;

comparing, with the state machine, the current time to the time reference associated with each timing vector to identify matching timing vectors; and

when a matching timing vector is identified, executing the operation associated With the matching timing vector.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein defining the time reference Comprises determining a real clock time of the system.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein defining the time reference Comprises determining an order of a sequence of processing of the system.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein defining the time reference comprises determining a bit count associated with date.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein executing the operation associated with The matching timing vector comprises executing the operation only if a predetermined state of the system exists.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein comparing the current time to the time reference associated with each timing vector comprises comparing, by the state machine, a current condition of the system to the state to determine the matching timing vector.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein determining, with a state machine, a current time of the system comprises determining the current condition by the state machine.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein comparing the current time to the time reference associated with each timing vector comprises determining that the system is not receiving a signal during the state of the system.

27. the method of claim 23 wherein comparing the current time to the time reference associated with each timing vector comprises determining that the system is not transmitting a signal during the state of the system.

28. The method of claim 19 wherein executing the operation associated with the matching timing vector comprises determining that the system is not receiving or transmitting a signal.

29. The method of claim 19 wherein executing the operation associated with the matching timing vector comprises executing the operation associated with the matching timing vector by the state machine.

30. A tranceiver configures to receive and transmit wireless signals, the tranceiver comprising:

a register comfigured to store the timing vectors, each timing vector including a time reference and one or more operations to be performed when the time reference equals a system time of the tranceiver;

firmware configured to generate the timing vectors, each timing vector including a time reference for when an operation associated with the timing vector is to be executed;

a processor configured to execute the firmware;

a timing circuitry configured to generate timing information of the tranceiver, including the system time;

a state machine configures to compare the system time to the time reference from each of the one or more timing vectors to determine a matching timing vector and perform the one or more operations of the matching timing vector, wherein the one or more operations of the matching vector cannot be performed during a receipt or Transmission of the one or more wireless signals.

31. The tranceiver of claim 30 configured to receive and transmit one or more Bluetooth signals.

32. The tranceiver of claim 30 configures receive and transmit the one or more wireless signals while implementing a frequency hopping algorithm.

33. The tranceiver of claim 30 comprising a receiver and a transmitter.

34. The tranceiver of claim 30 wherein the processor is configured to define each timing vector.

35. The tranceiver of claim 30 wherein the state machine is configured to compare the system time to the time reference independently of the processor.

36. The tranceiver of claim 30 wherein an RF section of the tranceiver is configured to perform the one or more operations of the matching timing vector.

37. The tranceiver of claim 30 wherein the timing circuitry is configured to determine a bit count associated with frames of data transmit or received by the tranceiver.