Selective broadcasting of data in series connected devices
First Claim
1. A method for selecting a subset of devices of a plurality of devices serial-connected to a memory controller to execute a command, comprising:
- encoding identification (ID) numbers of each of the subset of devices for providing code information by performing mathematical operations to logically combine the ID numbers of the subset of devices to generate a mask;
providing a command packet including an op code and the code information to each of the plurality of devices;
decoding the code information received by each of the plurality of devices by, at each device, performing a mathematical operation on the mask and an ID number stored in the device, to determine if the mask encodes the ID number stored in the device; and
executing the op code if the ID number stored in the device is encoded in the received code information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for the selective broadcasting of commands to a subset of a plurality of devices connected in series to a memory controller, where each of the plurality of devices has a unique identification number (ID). The memory controller designates the subset of devices to execute the command, excluding the non-selected devices from executing the command. The memory controller encodes the ID numbers of the designated devices into a single coded address, and sends the command along with the coded address in a packet to the series connected devices. Each device receives the packet in a serial bitstream and decodes the coded address using its ID number in order to determine whether it is selected or not. If the device is selected, the command is executed. Otherwise, the packet is forwarded without executing the command.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for selecting a subset of devices of a plurality of devices serial-connected to a memory controller to execute a command, comprising:
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encoding identification (ID) numbers of each of the subset of devices for providing code information by performing mathematical operations to logically combine the ID numbers of the subset of devices to generate a mask; providing a command packet including an op code and the code information to each of the plurality of devices; decoding the code information received by each of the plurality of devices by, at each device, performing a mathematical operation on the mask and an ID number stored in the device, to determine if the mask encodes the ID number stored in the device; and executing the op code if the ID number stored in the device is encoded in the received code information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A memory device having a device identification (ID) number for receiving a command packet comprising:
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a data flow-through path for receiving the command packet at an input port and for passing the command packet to an output port, the command packet including an op code and code information corresponding to a subset of device ID numbers selected for executing the op code, the code information being generated by performing mathematical operations to logically combine the subset of device ID numbers to generate a mask; a command interpreter selectively enabled for decoding the op code; and an ID processor for receiving the code information and decoding the code information, by performing a mathematical operation on the mask and an ID number stored in the memory device, to determine if the mask encodes the ID number stored in the memory device for enabling the command interpreter if the device ID number is encoded in the code information. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A memory system comprising:
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a memory controller for issuing a command packet including an op code and code information corresponding to a subset of device identification (ID) numbers selected for executing the op code, the code information being generated by performing mathematical operations to logically combine the subset of device ID numbers to generate a mask; and a plurality of serial-connected memory devices in a ring topology with the memory controller, each of the plurality of memory devices having a unique device ID number and receiving the command packet, decoding the code information by performing a mathematical operation on the mask and the unique device ID number, to determine if the mask encodes the unique device ID number and executing the op code if the unique device ID number is encoded in the code information. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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Specification