Extremely high frequency systems and methods of operating the same
First Claim
1. A contactless communications receiver unit (CCRU) for use in establishing a contactless communications link with a first contactless communications transmitter unit and for use in communicating with at least a second contactless communications transmitter unit via at least one wired path, wherein the CCRU and the second contactless communications transmitter unit are associated with a first device and wherein the first contactless communications transmitter unit is associated with a second device, the CCRU comprising:
- a plurality of pins, wherein at least a first pin is used to communicate with the second contactless communications transmitter unit via a wired path within the first device;
a transducer for receiving extremely high frequency (EHF) contactless signals from the first contactless communications transmitter unit located in the second device; and
circuitry operative to;
execute a CCRU state machine that tracks a state of the CCRU during the establishment of the contactless communications link, wherein the state machine transitions through a plurality of states in response to signals received by the transducer; and
selectively drive a signal on the at least one pin used to communicate with the second contactless communications transmitter unit in response to a state transition, wherein the CCRU is part of a wake up loop comprising the CCRU, the first and second contactless transmitter communication units; and
a second contactless communications receiver unit, which is associated with the second device, and wherein the CCRU uses the wake up loop to advance state change transitions.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments discussed herein refer to systems, methods, and circuits for establishing EHF contactless communications links. The EHF contactless communication link may serve as an alternative to conventional board-to-board and device-to-device connectors. The link may be a low-latency protocol-transparent communication link capable of supporting a range of data rates. The link may be established through a close proximity coupling between devices, each including at least one EHF communication unit. Each EHF unit involved in establishing an EHF communication link may progress through a series of steps before data can be transferred between the devices. These steps may be controlled by one or more state machines that are being implemented in each EHF communication unit.
16 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A contactless communications receiver unit (CCRU) for use in establishing a contactless communications link with a first contactless communications transmitter unit and for use in communicating with at least a second contactless communications transmitter unit via at least one wired path, wherein the CCRU and the second contactless communications transmitter unit are associated with a first device and wherein the first contactless communications transmitter unit is associated with a second device, the CCRU comprising:
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a plurality of pins, wherein at least a first pin is used to communicate with the second contactless communications transmitter unit via a wired path within the first device; a transducer for receiving extremely high frequency (EHF) contactless signals from the first contactless communications transmitter unit located in the second device; and circuitry operative to; execute a CCRU state machine that tracks a state of the CCRU during the establishment of the contactless communications link, wherein the state machine transitions through a plurality of states in response to signals received by the transducer; and selectively drive a signal on the at least one pin used to communicate with the second contactless communications transmitter unit in response to a state transition, wherein the CCRU is part of a wake up loop comprising the CCRU, the first and second contactless transmitter communication units; and
a second contactless communications receiver unit, which is associated with the second device, and wherein the CCRU uses the wake up loop to advance state change transitions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A contactless communications transmitter unit (CCTU) for use in establishing a contactless communications link with a first contactless communications receiver unit and for use in communicating with a second contactless communications receiver unit via at least one wired path, wherein the CCTU and the second contactless communications receiver unit are associated with a first device and wherein the first contactless communications receiver unit is associated with a second device, the CCTU comprising:
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a plurality of pins, wherein at least one pin is used to communicate with the second contactless communications receiver unit via a wired path within the first device; a transducer for transmitting extremely high frequency (EHF) contactless signals to the first contactless communications receiver unit; circuitry operative to; execute a CCTU state machine that tracks a state of the CCTU during the establishment of the contactless communications link, wherein the state machine transitions through a plurality of states in response to signals received by the at least one pin; and selectively transmit EHF signals, using the transducer, in response to a state transition, wherein the CCTU is part of a wake up loop comprising at least the first and second receiver units, the CCTU, and a second transmitter unit, which is associated with the second device, and wherein the CCTU state machine uses the wake up loop to advance state change transitions. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for establishing an EHF communications link among at least four EHF communications units, comprising:
executing a state machine that tracks a state of a first EHF communication unit of the at least four EHF communications units to establish the EHF communications link, the state machine operative to transition through a plurality of states responsive to signals provided by an upstream EHF′
communication unit, wherein executing the state machine comprises;determining whether to transition to a selected one of the plurality of states in response to a signal received by the upstream EHF communication unit; transitioning to the selected state when it is determined to transition to the selected state; and communicating a signal to a downstream EHF communication unit in response to the state transition, wherein the upstream and downstream EHF communication units are included in the at least four EHF communications units, and wherein the first EFH communication unit, the upstream communications unit, the downstream communication unit, and a fourth EHF communications unit are included as part of a wake up loop that is used by the state machine to transition through the plurality of states. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
Specification