Interface protocol and API for a wireless transceiver

• US 8,060,681 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Russo, David W., Smith, Gregory Ray, Pakendorf, Uwe, Gumlich, Denny
• Primary Examiner(s): MISIURA, BRIAN THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US12/163,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20090137318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 463/39, 463/40, 710/306
• US Class Current: 710/306
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/209 characterized by low level software layer, relating to hardware management, e.g. Operating System, Application Programming Interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4291 using a clocked protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication

Abstract

A wireless protocol may be implemented in a smart transceiver device that contains the physical (PHY) and media access control (MAC) layers of the wireless protocol stack. In various embodiments, a serial peripheral interface (SPI) based design may be used. Disclosed is an embodiment of a protocol which may be used to provide control and data transfer to and from the smart transceiver. In particular, an exemplary format of the protocol, the commands, and responses is disclosed. In a further embodiment, an application programming interface (API) is disclosed. The API may provide hardware independent services that can be used to establish, maintain, and transport data to and from the system and the smart transceiver device. In particular, an exemplary and non-limiting set of services, function calls, configuration methods, events, and parameters is disclosed.

Claims

1. A gaming system or peripheral comprising a wireless protocol processor comprising circuitry configured to provide a full duplex command and data messaging protocol over a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) link, said circuitry configured to form data packets comprising a header and a variable length payload, the header comprising a command field and a length field, the length field representative of a size of said variable length payload, said length field dependent upon contents of said command field, and said command field indicating a first set of commands configured to operate with a plurality of software applications executing in the gaming system or peripheral and a second set of commands configured to operate only with a specific software application executing in the gaming system or peripheral;

wherein the first and second set of commands are each associated with a functional mode determined by a product type.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein transactions over said SPI link are initiated by a master device that transmits said data packets to a slave device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said circuitry is further configured to receive a response from said slave device, said response comprising at least one of a result of a request from the master, compliance to said command, and an indication of the occurrence of an event from a previous request.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said circuitry is further configured to select said functional mode during an initialization period.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said first set of commands comprises at least one of:

No command or response is being sent, Mode Control, Voice Sync Setup Request, Set Voice Coding Type, Link Status Request, EEPROM Read Request, EEPROM Write Request, Startup Configuration Message, Transceiver Startup Message Request, Wireless Frame Sync Setup, Test Transport Request, Request Wireless Slot Debug Messages, GPIO Setup, GPIO Read/Write Message, Master EEPROM Read Response, and Master EEPROM Write Response.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said first set of commands comprises at least one of:

Message Fail, Mode Control Response, Buffer Warning, Buffer Warning cleared, Voice Sync Setup Response, Voice Sync Message, Voice Coding Type Response, Link Status, EEPROM Read Response, EEPROM Write Response, Startup Configuration Response, Smart transceiver Startup Message, Wireless Frame Sync Setup Response, Wireless Frame Sync, Test.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising circuitry configured to provide access to the wireless protocol processor via an SPI driver, said circuitry configured to provide access to the wireless protocol processor further comprising a data service to transmit and receive fixed size data packets via said wireless link, a voice service to transmit and receive voice packets via said wireless link, a layer management service to configure parameters of other services, a GPIO service to perform bit oriented input/output on spare pins of the wireless protocol processor, and a production test service to provide access to a production test interface of said wireless protocol processor.

8. A method of providing a full duplex command and data messaging protocol over a Serial Peripheral Interface link, comprising:

forming at least one data packet comprising a header and a variable length payload, the header comprising a command field and a length field, the length field representative of a size of said variable length payload, wherein said length field is dependent upon contents of said command field and said command field indicates a first set of commands configured to operate with a plurality of software applications executing in the gaming system or peripheral and a second set of commands configured to operate only with a specific software application executing in the gaming system or peripheral;

initiating a transaction by transmitting said at least one data packet to a slave device;

transmitting a response to said at least one data packet.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein transactions are initiated by a master device that transmits said data packets.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said response comprises at least one of a result of a request from the master, compliance to said command, and an indication of the occurrence of an event from a previous request.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising selecting a functional mode and providing a set of commands as a function of said functional mode.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said functionality is selected during an initialization period, said functionality determined by a product type.

13. The method according to claim 8 wherein said first set of commands comprises at least one of:

No command or response is being sent, Mode Control, Voice Sync Setup Request, Set Voice Coding Type, Link Status Request, EEPROM Read Request, EEPROM Write Request, Startup Configuration Message, Transceiver Startup Message Request, Wireless Frame Sync Setup, Test Transport Request, Request Wireless Slot Debug Messages, GPIO Setup, GPIO Read/Write Message, Master EEPROM Read Response, and Master EEPROM Write Response.

14. The method according to claim 8 wherein said first set of commands comprises at least one of:

Message Fail, Mode Control Response, Buffer Warning, Buffer Warning cleared, Voice Sync Setup Response, Voice Sync Message, Voice Coding Type Response, Link Status, EEPROM Read Response, EEPROM Write Response, Startup Configuration Response, Smart transceiver Startup Message, Wireless Frame Sync Setup Response, Wireless Frame Sync, Test Transport Response, GPIO Setup Response/status, and GPIO status/Response Message.

15. The method according to claim 8, wherein said application comprises at least one of a video game controller application, a voice application, and a video game console application.