Serial data interface system and method using a selectively accessed tone pattern generator

• US 8,024,501 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2009
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: van Engelen, Josephus A. E. P., Sosnoski, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEYTON, TAMMARA R
• Application Number:
  US12/348,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20090119426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 710/52, 710/71, 710/105, 710/106, 710/305, 710/315, 370/276, 370/525, 713/302, 713/305, 713/310
• US Class Current: 710/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1438 Negotiation of transmission parameters prior to communication modified according to link quality H04L1/0001

Abstract

A system and method performs speed and connection handshaking between Beta signal ports and/or Bilingual ports in a serial data interface system. A tone pattern generator (e.g., a flip-flop) can be used to generate a tone pattern signal representing approximately 49 MHz to approximately 62 MHz. A selecting system (e.g., a multiplexer, a digital multiplexer, or the like) selectively transmits either the tone pattern signal or a data input signal. These signals include a driver control signal. A serializer serializes either the tone pattern signal or the data input signal. A clock device (e.g., a clock divider) drives the tone pattern generator and the serializer. A driver receives and differentially transmits, along a twister-wire pair, either the serialized tone pattern signal or the serialized data input signal.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a tone pattern generator configured to generate a tone pattern signal customized for connectivity determination in accordance with a communications standard, wherein the tone pattern signal is generated to be within a predetermined frequency range supported by the communications standard for connectivity determination; and

a selecting system configured to selectively transmit the tone pattern signal or a data signal.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a serializing device, located downstream of the selecting system, operable to serialize either the tone pattern signal or the data signal.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a driver, located downstream of the serializing device, operable to transmit the tone pattern signal or the data signal.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the serializing device is operable to go into standby mode when the tone pattern signal is transmitted.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the serializing device is operable to conserve power when the tone pattern signal is transmitted.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the tone pattern generator comprises an oscillator or a flip-flop.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications standard is the 2002 IEEE 1394 standard.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the tone pattern signal is customized to determine connectivity and signal speed for a port.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the selecting system is configured to selectively transmit the tone pattern signal or a data signal based on a received signal from a PHY digital core.

10. The system of claim 3, wherein the driver is operable to transmit the tone pattern signal or the data signal based on a driver control portion of the tone pattern signal or a driver control portion of the data signal.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the tone pattern signal comprises a continuous sequence of HIGH and LOW signals at a predetermined rate, such that the tone pattern signal represents a signal between approximately 49 MHz and approximately 62 MHz.

11. A system compromising:

a tone pattern generating device configured to generate a tone pattern signal customized for connectivity determination in accordance with a communications standard, wherein the tone pattern signal is generated to be within a predetermined frequency range supported by the communications standard for connectivity determination;

a first driver configured to;

receive the tone pattern signal and a tone-on signal, and

transmit the tone pattern signal based on an activation of the first driver; and

a second driver configured to;

receive a data signal and a diver control signal, and

transmit the data signal based on an activation of the second driver.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first driver and the second driver are configured to be activated using a signal that changes a mode of the first driver or the second driver.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first driver is configured to be activated using the tone-on signal.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the second driver is configured to be activated using the driver control signal.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the mode is changed from an inactive mode to a normal mode.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the inactive mode is a high-impedance mode.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising a serializer configured to serialize the data signal prior to transmission of the data signal by the second driver, wherein the serializer is configured to be placed in a standby mode if the first driver is active.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the tone pattern signal comprises a continuous sequence of HIGH and LOW signals at a predetermined rate, such that the tone pattern signal represents a signal between approximately 49 MHz and approximately 62 MHz.