Method and system for chip-to-chip communications with wireline control

• US 8,855,093 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2007
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza
• Primary Examiner(s): LI, GUANG W
• Application Number:
  US11/954,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20090157927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,491 Days
• Field of Search: 370/342
• US Class Current: 370/342
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/163 Interprocessor communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for chip-to-chip communications with wireline control may include initializing a microwave communication link between a first chip and a second chip via a wireline communication bus, wherein the initializing comprises adjusting beamforming parameters of a first antenna array communicatively coupled to the first chip, and of a second antenna array communicatively coupled to the second chip. The first chip and the second chip may communicate data via said microwave communication link. The microwave communication link may be routed via one or more relay chips, when the first chip and the second chip cannot directly communicate satisfactorily. Control data may be transferred between the first chip, the second chip, and/or the one or more relay chips, which may comprise one or more antennas. The relay chips may be dedicated relay ICs or multi-purpose transmitter/receivers.

Claims

1. A communication method for wirelessly transmitting data in an inter-chip communication system including a first chip, a second chip and a relay chip, the method comprising:

exchanging control information by the first chip with the second chip by communicating, via a wired connection link, beamforming parameters of a first antenna array and beamforming parameters of a second antenna array, the first chip directly coupled to the second chip by the wired connection link, the first chip including the first antenna array and the second chip including the second antenna array;

adjusting, by the first chip, communication parameters of the first antenna array, in accordance with the exchanged control information for communication with the second antenna array, by adjusting the beamforming parameters of the first antenna array for the wireless communication with the second antenna array;

determining, by the first chip, whether the first antenna array and the second antenna array are in line of sight of one another;

when the first chip determines that the first antenna array and the second antenna array are in line of sight of one another, wirelessly transmitting the data, by the first antenna array directly to the second antenna array; and

when the first chip determines that the first antenna array and the second antenna array are not in line of sight of one another, wirelessly transmitting the data, by the first antenna array to a third antenna array of the relay chip, the relay chip relaying the data to the second chip by transmitting the data by the third antenna array to the second antenna array.

2. The method of according to claim 1, wherein

the first chip is directly coupled to the relay chip via the wired connection link,

the second chip is directly coupled to the relay chip via the wired connection link, and

the exchanging of the control information by the first chip with the second chip includes exchanging the control information, by the first chip with the second chip via the relay chip over the wired connection link.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first chip said second chip receive and transmit in the 60 GHz frequency band.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first antenna array is on an integrated circuit package, or on an integrated circuit of said first chip.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said second antenna array is on an integrated circuit package, or on an integrated circuit of said second chip.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first antenna array and said second antenna array comprise one or more antennas.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the first antenna array of the first chip, respond data from the second antenna array of the second chip or the third antenna array of the relay chip, the response data received in response to the data transmitted by the first antenna array.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the first chip is directly coupled to the relay chip via the wired connection link, and

when the first chip determines that the first antenna array and the second antenna array are not in line of sight of one another, the method further comprises:

exchanging control information by the first chip with the relay chip via the wired connection link.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein when the first chip determines that the first antenna array and the second antenna array are not in line of sight of one another, the method further comprises:

adjusting, by the first chip, communication parameters of the first antenna array, in accordance with the control information exchanged with the relay chip, for communication between the first antenna array and the third antenna array.

10. An inter-chip communication system comprising:

a first chip including a first antenna array;

a second chip including a second antenna array;

a relay chip including a third antenna array; and

a wired connection link that directly couples the first chip to the second chip, wherein the first chip is configured to;

exchange control information with the second chip by communicating, via the wired connection link, beamforming parameters of the first antenna array and beamforming parameters of the second antenna array;

adjust communication parameters of the first antenna array, in accordance with the exchanged control information for communication with the second antenna array, by adjusting the beamforming parameters of the first antenna array for the wireless communication with the second antenna array;

determine whether the first antenna array and the second antenna array are in line of sight of one another;

wirelessly transmit data by the first antenna array directly to the second antenna array when the first chip determines that the first antenna array and the second antenna array are in line of sight of one another; and

wirelessly transmit the data by the first antenna array to the third antenna array when the first chip determines that the first antenna array and the second antenna array are not in line of sight of one another; and

the relay chip is configured to, when the first antenna array and the second antenna array are not in line of sight of one another;

receive, by the third antenna array, the data transmitted from the first antenna array; and

transmit, by the third antenna array, the data to the second antenna array.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein

the first chip is directly coupled to the relay chip via the wired connection link,

the second chip is directly coupled to the relay chip via the wired connection link, and

the first chip is further configured to exchange of the control information with the second chip by exchanging the control information with the second chip via the relay chip over the wired connection link.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein said first chip and said second chip receive and transmit in the 60 GHz frequency band.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein said first antenna array is on an integrated circuit package, or on an integrated circuit of said first chip.

14. The system according to claim 10, wherein said second antenna array is on an integrated circuit package, or on an integrated circuit of said second chip.

15. The system according to claim 10, wherein said first antenna array and said second antenna array comprise one or more antennas.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein the first chip is further configured to

Receive, by the first antenna array of the first chip, response data from the second antenna array of the second chip or the third antenna array of the relay chip, the response data received in response to the data transmitted by the first antenna array.

17. The system according to claim 10, wherein

the first chip is directly coupled to the relay chip via the wired connection link, and

when the first chip determines that the first antenna array and the second antenna array are not in line of sight of one another, the first chip is further configured to exchange control information by the first chip with the relay chip via the wired connection link.

18. The system according to claim 10, wherein when the first chip determines that the first antenna array and the second antenna array are not in line of sight of one another, the first chip is further configured to adjust communication parameters of the first antenna array, in accordance with the control information exchanged with the relay chip, for communication between the first antenna array and the third antenna array.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by an inter-chip communication system including a first chip, a second chip and a relay chip, cause the inter-chip communication system to:

exchange control information by the first chip with the second chip by communicating, via a wired connection link, beamforming parameters of a first antenna array and beamforming parameters of a second antenna array, the first chip directly coupled to the second chip by the wired connection link, the first chip including the first antenna array and the second chip including the second antenna array;

adjust, by the first chip, communication parameters of the first antenna array, in accordance with the exchanged control information for communication with the second antenna array, by adjusting the beamforming parameters of the first antenna array for the wireless communication with the second antenna array;

determine, by the first chip, whether the first antenna array and the second antenna array are in line of sight of one another;

when the first chip determines that the first antenna array and the second antenna array are in line of sight of one another, wirelessly transmit data, by the first antenna array directly to the second antenna array; and

when the first chip determines that the first antenna array and the second antenna array are not in line of sight of one another, wirelessly transmit the data, by the first antenna array to a third antenna array of the relay chip, the relay chip relaying the data to the second chip by transmitting the data by the third antenna array to the second antenna array.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the inter-chip communication system is further caused to:

receive, by the first antenna array of the first chip, response data from the second antenna array of the second chip or the third antenna array of the relay chip, the response data received in response to the data transmitted by the first antenna array.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein

the first chip is directly coupled to the relay chip via the wired connection link, and

when the first chip determines that the first antenna array and the second antenna array are not in line of sight of one another, the inter-chip communication system is further caused to:

exchange control information by the first chip with the relay chip via the wired connection link.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein said first antenna array is on an integrated circuit package, or on an integrated circuit of said first chip.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein said second antenna array is on an integrated circuit package, or on an integrated circuit of said second chip.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein said first antenna array and said second antenna array comprise one or more antennas.