Communication between voltage domains
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An integrated circuit comprising:
- first processing circuitry located within a first voltage domain and configured to operate at a first voltage;
second processing circuitry located within a second voltage domain and configured to operate at a second voltage, said second voltage being different from said first voltage; and
communication circuitry coupled to said first processing circuitry and to said second processing circuitry and configured to communicate one or more multi-bit signals between said first processing circuitry and said second processing circuitry;
whereinsaid communication circuitry includes;
first parallel-to-serial conversion circuitry configured to convert said one or more multi-bit signals between a parallel form processed by said first processing circuitry and a serial form for passing from said first voltage domain to said second voltage domain;
level shifting circuitry configured to change a voltage level of said one or more multi-bit signals in said serial form between said first voltage and said second voltage; and
second parallel-to-serial conversion circuitry configured to convert said one or more multi-bit signals between a parallel form processed by said second processing circuitry and said serial form for passing from said second voltage domain to said first voltage domain,wherein at least one of said first parallel-to-serial conversion circuitry and said second parallel-to-serial conversion circuitry is configured to convert said multi-bit signal between a first encoding used by said first processing circuitry to represent a value and a second encoding used by said second processing circuitry to represent said value.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated circuit including a first voltage domain incorporates real time clock circuitry that communicates via communication circuitry with processing circuitry contained within a second voltage domain. The communication circuitry includes first parallel-to-serial conversion circuitry located within the first voltage domain, level shifting circuitry for passing serial signals between the voltage domains and second parallel-to-serial circuitry located in the second voltage domain.
24 Citations
16 Claims
-
1. An integrated circuit comprising:
-
first processing circuitry located within a first voltage domain and configured to operate at a first voltage; second processing circuitry located within a second voltage domain and configured to operate at a second voltage, said second voltage being different from said first voltage; and communication circuitry coupled to said first processing circuitry and to said second processing circuitry and configured to communicate one or more multi-bit signals between said first processing circuitry and said second processing circuitry;
whereinsaid communication circuitry includes; first parallel-to-serial conversion circuitry configured to convert said one or more multi-bit signals between a parallel form processed by said first processing circuitry and a serial form for passing from said first voltage domain to said second voltage domain; level shifting circuitry configured to change a voltage level of said one or more multi-bit signals in said serial form between said first voltage and said second voltage; and second parallel-to-serial conversion circuitry configured to convert said one or more multi-bit signals between a parallel form processed by said second processing circuitry and said serial form for passing from said second voltage domain to said first voltage domain, wherein at least one of said first parallel-to-serial conversion circuitry and said second parallel-to-serial conversion circuitry is configured to convert said multi-bit signal between a first encoding used by said first processing circuitry to represent a value and a second encoding used by said second processing circuitry to represent said value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An integrated circuit comprising:
-
first processing means for performing first processing and located within a first voltage domain and configured to operate at a first voltage; second processing means for performing second processing and located within a second voltage domain and configured to operate at a second voltage, said second voltage being different from said first voltage; and communication means for communicating one or more multi-bit signals between said first processing means and said second processing means;
whereinsaid communication means includes; first parallel-to-serial conversion means for converting said one or more multi-bit signals between a parallel form processed by said first processing means and a serial form for passing from said first voltage domain to said second voltage domain; level shifting means for changing a voltage level of said one or more multi-bit signals in said serial form between said first voltage and said second voltage; and second parallel-to-serial conversion means for converting said one or more multi-bit signals between a parallel form processed by said second processing means and a serial form for passing from said second voltage domain to said first voltage domain; wherein at least one of said first parallel-to-serial conversion means and said second parallel-to-serial conversion means is configured to convert said multi-bit signal between a first encoding used by said first processing means to represent a value and a second encoding used by said second processing means to represent said value.
-
-
16. A method of operating an integrated circuit comprising the steps of:
-
performing first processing with first processing circuitry located within a first voltage domain and configured to operate at a first voltage; performing second processing with second processing circuitry located within a second voltage domain and configured to operate at a second voltage, said second voltage being different from said first voltage; and communicating one or more multi-bit signals between said first processing circuitry and said second processing circuitry;
whereinsaid step of communicating includes; converting said one or more multi-bit signals between a parallel form processed by said first processing circuitry and a serial form for passing from said first voltage domain to said second voltage domain; changing a voltage level of said one or more multi-bit signals in said serial form between said first voltage and said second voltage; converting said one or more multi-bit signals between a parallel form processed by said second processing circuitry and a serial form for passing from said second voltage domain to said first voltage domain; and converting said multi-bit signal between a first encoding used by said first processing circuitry to represent a value and a second encoding used by said second processing circuitry to represent said value.
-
Specification