Communication system and method for operating a communication system

• US 8,036,613 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2007
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Winteler, Till, Schneckenburger, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao; Minh D
• Application Number:
  US11/745,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20080281994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,618 Days
• Field of Search: 455/208, 455/146, 455/147, 455/86, 455/85, 455/141, 455/151.3, 455/209, 455/258, 455/259, 455/265, 455/318, 370/395.62, 370/304, 375/307, 375/359
• US Class Current: 455/208
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4295 using an embedded synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Communication system including a host and a device. The host has an oscillator and the device has a USB-function core. The oscillator in the host is coupled to the USB-function core in the device.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a host comprising an oscillator; and

a device comprising a USB-function core,

wherein the oscillator in the host is coupled directly to the USB-function core in the device such that the device can use the oscillator of the host and not require its own oscillator or clock recovery unit.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein

the host comprises a USB-communication unit which is coupled to the oscillator,

the device comprises a USB-transceiver, and

the host USB-communication unit is connected to the device USB-transceiver by a set of contacts.

3. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the set of contacts conforms to the ISO-7816-3 standard.

4. The communication system of claim 3, wherein the oscillator is coupled using the clock pad of the ISO-7816-3 contacts.

5. The communication system of claim 3, wherein the device comprises an ISO-7816-communication unit connected to the set of contacts.

6. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the device comprises a clock recovery unit which is connected to the USB-transceiver.

7. The communication system of claim 6, wherein the device comprises a clock selection unit which is connected to the oscillator, to the clock recovery unit and to the USB-function core.

8. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the host comprises an ISO-7816-communication unit connected to the set of contacts.

9. The communication system of claim 8, wherein the oscillator provides a USB-clock signal and an ISO-7816-clock signal.

10. The communication system of claim 9, wherein the host comprises a USB-communication unit which is coupled to the oscillator, and a control unit configured to operate the USB-communication unit, the host ISO-7816-communication unit and the oscillator.

11. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the device further comprises a CPU oscillator and a CPU which are configured to manipulate data received from the USB-transceiver.

12. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the host is a mobile phone.

13. The communication system of claim 12, wherein the device is one of a Subscriber Identity Module card, a Universal Integrated Circuit Card and a Removable User Identity Module.

14. The communication system of claim 13, wherein the frequency of the USB-clock signal provided by the oscillator is 12 MHz.

15. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the coupling of the oscillator to the USB-function core is wireless.

16. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a buffer configured to store decoded data from the USB-function core.

17. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises:

a CPU; and

a bus interface configured to transmit instructions from the CPU to the USB-function core.

18. A method for operating a communication system according to claim 1, comprising:

the host applying signals necessary for USB-device detection to contacts connecting the host and device;

the host waiting for the device to attach as a USB-device; and

the oscillator applying a USB-clock signal if the device is attached as a USB-device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

applying the signals necessary for USB-device detection to a set of contacts connecting the host and the device, and

applying the USB-clock signal at the clock pad if the device is attached as a USB-device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein if the device does not attach as a USB-device, further comprising the control unit applying signals necessary for an ISO-7618-startup sequence to the set of contacts.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein if the device does not receive a USB-clock signal at the clock pad, further comprising the clock recovery unit generating a USB-clock signal for the USB-function core.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising the host switching the oscillator off if the device is in a suspend mode.

23. A communication system, comprising:

a device comprising a USB-function core;

a host comprising;

a USB communication unit; and

an oscillator coupled directly to the USB-function core in the device and configured to provide both the USB-function core and the USB communication unit with a USB clock signal such that the device does not require its own oscillator or clock recovery unit.

24. A communication system, comprising:

a device comprising a USB-function core;

a host comprising an oscillator,

wherein the oscillator in the host is coupled directly to the USB-function core in the device, and both the device and the host use the oscillator for USB-data communication such that the device does not require its own oscillator or clock recovery unit.