N-phase polarity data transfer
First Claim
1. A data transfer method performed at a controller device coupled to a plurality of connectors, comprising:
- encoding at the controller device a plurality of data signals in a first sequence of symbols and a plurality of control signals used to control a memory device in a second sequence of symbols, the first sequence of symbols and the second sequence of symbols configured to be transmitted on the plurality of connectors when transmitting data to the memory device, wherein each symbol of the first sequence and the second sequence of symbols is transmitted using a combination of a phase state of a first pair of connectors of the plurality of connectors, a polarity of a second pair of connectors of the plurality of connectors, and a selection of at least one undriven connector of the plurality of connectors;
transmitting by the controller device the first sequence of symbols on a first set of connectors allocated from the plurality of connectors and the second sequence of symbols on a second set of connectors allocated from the plurality of connectors, wherein said transmission of said each symbol of the first sequence and the second sequence of symbols causes a change of state for at least one of the plurality of connectors;
decoding at the controller device the plurality of data signals from a third sequence of symbols received from the first set of connectors, after a fourth sequence of symbols encoding the plurality of control signals and the fourth sequence of symbols is transmitted on the second set of connectors;
determining whether the plurality of connectors is configured for multi-phase polarity encoding, wherein the first, the second, the third and the fourth sequences of symbols are transmitted if it is determined that the plurality of connectors is configured for the multi-phase polarity encoding; and
transmitting the plurality of the data signals and the plurality of the control signals as differential signals on the plurality of connectors if it is determined that the plurality of connectors is not configured for the multi-phase polarity encoding.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
System, methods and apparatus are described that facilitate transmission of data, particularly between two devices within an electronic apparatus. Data is selectively transmitted as N-phase polarity encoded symbols or as packets on differentially driven connectors. A data transfer method comprises encoding data and control signals in a sequence of symbols to be transmitted on a plurality of connectors, and transmitting the sequence of symbols on the plurality of connectors. Each symbol may be transmitted using a combination of a phase state of a first pair of connectors, a polarity of a second pair of connectors, and a selection of at least one undriven connector. Transmission of each symbol in the sequence of symbols may cause a change of state for at least one of the plurality of connectors.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A data transfer method performed at a controller device coupled to a plurality of connectors, comprising:
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encoding at the controller device a plurality of data signals in a first sequence of symbols and a plurality of control signals used to control a memory device in a second sequence of symbols, the first sequence of symbols and the second sequence of symbols configured to be transmitted on the plurality of connectors when transmitting data to the memory device, wherein each symbol of the first sequence and the second sequence of symbols is transmitted using a combination of a phase state of a first pair of connectors of the plurality of connectors, a polarity of a second pair of connectors of the plurality of connectors, and a selection of at least one undriven connector of the plurality of connectors; transmitting by the controller device the first sequence of symbols on a first set of connectors allocated from the plurality of connectors and the second sequence of symbols on a second set of connectors allocated from the plurality of connectors, wherein said transmission of said each symbol of the first sequence and the second sequence of symbols causes a change of state for at least one of the plurality of connectors; decoding at the controller device the plurality of data signals from a third sequence of symbols received from the first set of connectors, after a fourth sequence of symbols encoding the plurality of control signals and the fourth sequence of symbols is transmitted on the second set of connectors; determining whether the plurality of connectors is configured for multi-phase polarity encoding, wherein the first, the second, the third and the fourth sequences of symbols are transmitted if it is determined that the plurality of connectors is configured for the multi-phase polarity encoding; and transmitting the plurality of the data signals and the plurality of the control signals as differential signals on the plurality of connectors if it is determined that the plurality of connectors is not configured for the multi-phase polarity encoding. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus, comprising:
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means for encoding at a controller device a plurality of data signals in a first sequence of symbols and a plurality of control signals used to control a memory device in a second sequence of symbols, the first sequence of symbols and the second sequence of symbols configured to be transmitted on a plurality of connectors, wherein each symbol of the first sequence and the second sequence of symbols is transmitted using a combination of a phase state of a first pair of connectors of the plurality of connectors, a polarity of a second pair of connectors of the plurality of connectors, and a selection of at least one undriven connector of the plurality of connectors; means for transmitting by the controller device the first sequence of symbols on a first set of connectors allocated from the plurality of connectors and the second sequence of symbols on a second set of connectors allocated from the plurality of connectors, wherein said transmission of said each symbol of the first sequence and the second sequence of symbols causes a change of state for at least one of the plurality of connectors; means for decoding at the controller device the plurality of data signals from a third sequence of symbols received from the first set of connectors, after a fourth sequence of symbols encoding the plurality of control signals is transmitted on the second set of connectors; and means for determining whether the plurality of connectors is configured for multi-phase polarity encoding, wherein the means for transmitting comprises a switch that selects the first, the second, the third and the fourth sequence of symbols for transmission if it is determined that the plurality of connectors is configured for the multi-phase polarity encoding, and that transmits differentially-driven versions of the plurality of the data signals and the plurality of the control signals to the plurality of connectors if it is determined that the plurality of connectors is not configured for the multi-phase polarity encoding. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus, comprising:
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a processing system configured to; encode at a controller device a plurality of data signals in a first sequence of symbols and a plurality of control signals used to control a memory device in a second sequence of symbols, the first sequence of symbols and the second sequence of symbols configured to be transmitted on a plurality of connectors when transmitting data to the memory device, wherein each symbol of the first sequence and the second sequence of symbols is transmitted using a combination of a phase state of a first pair of connectors of the plurality of connectors, a polarity of a second pair of connectors of the plurality of connectors, and a selection of at least one undriven connector of the plurality of connectors; transmit the first sequence of symbols on a first set of connectors allocated from the plurality of connectors and the second sequence of symbols on a second set of connectors allocated from the plurality of connectors, wherein said transmission of said each symbol of the first sequence and the second sequence of symbols causes a change of state for at least one of the plurality of connectors; and decode the plurality of data signals from a third sequence of symbols received from the first set of connectors, after a fourth sequence of symbols encoding the plurality of control signals is transmitted on the second set of connectors; determine whether the plurality of connectors is configured for multi-phase polarity encoding, wherein the first, the second, the third and the fourth sequence of symbols are transmitted if it is determined that the plurality of connectors is configured for the multi-phase polarity encoding; and transmit the plurality of data signals and the plurality of control signals as differential signals on the plurality of connectors if it is determined that the plurality of connectors is not configured for the multi-phase polarity encoding. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having one or more instructions which, when executed by at least one processing circuit, cause the at least one processing circuit to:
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encode at a controller device a plurality of data signals in a first sequence of symbols and a plurality of control signals used to control a memory device in a second sequence of symbols, the first sequence of symbols and the second sequence of symbols configured to be transmitted on a plurality of connectors when transmitting data to the memory device, wherein each symbol of the first sequence and the second sequence of symbols is transmitted using a combination of a phase state of a first pair of connectors of the plurality of connectors, a polarity of a second pair of connectors of the plurality of connectors, and a selection of at least one undriven connector of the plurality of connectors; transmit the first sequence of symbols on a first set of connectors allocated from the plurality of connectors and the second sequence of symbols on a second set of connectors allocated from the plurality of connectors, wherein said transmission of each symbol of the first sequence and the second sequence of symbols causes a change of state for at least one of the plurality of connectors; decode the plurality of data signals from a third sequence of symbols received from the first set of connectors, after a fourth sequence of symbols encoding the plurality of control signals is transmitted on the second set of connectors; and determine whether the plurality of connectors is configured for multi-phase polarity encoding, wherein the first, the second, the third and the fourth sequences of symbols are transmitted if it is determined that the plurality of connectors is configured for the multi-phase polarity encoding; and transmit the plurality of the data signals and the plurality of the control signals as differential signals on the plurality of connectors if it is determined that the plurality of connectors is not configured for the multi-phase polarity encoding. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification