Multimedia card interface method, computer program product and apparatus

• US 20060103948A1
• Filed: 10/14/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Memory Technologies LLC (Pendrell Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hyvonen, Jani, Mylly, Kimmo
• Granted Patent: US 7,565,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/689
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4291 using a clocked protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/1051 Data output circuits, e.g. read-out amplifiers, data output buffers, data output registers, data output level conversion circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/1063 Control signal output circuits, e.g. status or busy flags, feedback command signals

Abstract

A method to communicate data from a first unit to a second unit over a bus includes initiating an n-block data transfer, where n>1; for a first n−1 data blocks transferred from the first unit to the second unit, controlling a status signal generated by the second unit to be a buffer busy/ready status signal after each of the n−1 data blocks to inform the first unit of when the first unit may transfer the next data block; and for the n^th data block transferred from the first unit to the second unit, controlling the status signal to be a programming busy/ready status signal after the n^th data block to inform the first unit of a termination of internal programming, if any, by the second unit.

Claims

1. A method to interface a first unit to a second unit over a bus that comprises a signal line, comprising:

driving first information from the first unit to the second unit over the signal line;

driving the signal line from the second unit to cause a change of state;

interpreting the change of state of the signal line at the first unit to have a first meaning and in response driving second information to the signal line from the first unit;

driving the signal line from the second unit to cause a change of state; and

interpreting the change of state of the signal line at the first unit to have a second meaning.

2. A computer program product contained in a computer-readable medium and comprised of program instructions for performing an operation of interfacing a first unit to a second unit over a bus that comprises a signal line, the operations comprising:

driving first information from the first unit to the second unit over the signal line;

driving the signal line from the second unit to cause a change of state;

interpreting the change of state of the signal line at the first unit to have a first meaning and in response driving second information to the signal line from the first unit;

driving the signal line from the second unit to cause a change of state; and

interpreting the change of state of the signal line at the first unit to have a second meaning.

3. Apparatus to interface a first unit to a second unit over a bus that comprises a signal line, comprising a driver at said first unit coupled to said signal line and a receiver at said first unit coupled to the signal line, said driver being operable to drive first information from the first unit to the second unit over the signal line;

said receiver being operable to receive a change of state of the signal line driven from the second unit; and

a controller at said first unit to interpret the change of state of the signal line to have a first meaning after driving the first information and to have a second meaning after driving second information from the first unit to the second unit over the signal line.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3, where said first unit comprises a host and where said second unit comprises a memory card.

5. Apparatus to interface a first unit to a second unit over a bus that comprises a signal line, comprising a driver at said first unit coupled to said signal line and a receiver at said first unit coupled to the signal line, said receiver being operable to receive first information from the second unit over the signal line;

said driver being operable to drive a change of state of the signal line to the second unit; and

a controller at said first unit to cause the change of state of the signal line to have a first meaning after receiving the first information and to have a second meaning after receiving second information from the second unit over the signal line.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5, where said first unit comprises a memory card and where said second unit comprises a host.

7. A method to communicate data from a first unit to a second unit over a bus, comprising:

initiating an n-block data transfer, where n>

1;

for a first n−

1 data blocks transferred from the first unit to the second unit, controlling a status signal generated by the second unit to be a buffer busy/ready status signal after each of the n−

1 data blocks to inform the first unit of when the first unit may transfer the next data block; and

for the n^th data block transferred from the first unit to the second unit, controlling said status signal to be a programming busy/ready status signal after the n^th data block to inform the first unit of a termination of internal programming, if any, by the second unit.

8. A method as in claim 7, where the first unit is comprised of a host, and where the second unit is comprised of a memory module.

9. A method as in claim 7, where the first unit is comprised of a cellular telephone, and where the second unit is comprised of a memory card.

10. A method as in claim 7, where said first unit receives said status signal after each of the n data blocks in an interrupt-driven mode of operation.

11. A computer program product contained in a computer-readable medium and comprised of program instructions for performing an operation of communicating data from a first unit to a second unit over a bus, the operations comprising:

initiating an n-block data transfer, where n>

1;

for a first n−

1 data blocks transferred from the first unit to the second unit, controlling a status signal generated by the second unit to be a buffer busy/ready status signal after each of the n−

1 data blocks to inform the first unit of when the first unit may transfer the next data block; and

for the n^th data block transferred from the first unit to the second unit, controlling said status signal to be a programming busy/ready status signal after the n^th data block to inform the first unit of a termination of internal programming, if any, by the second unit.

12. A computer program product as in claim 11, where the first unit is comprised of a host, and where the second unit is comprised of a memory module.

13. A computer program product as in claim 11, where the first unit is comprised of a cellular telephone, and where the second unit is comprised of a memory card.

14. A computer program product as in claim 11, where said first unit receives said status signal after each of the n data blocks in an interrupt-driven mode of operation.

15. Apparatus to communicate data from a first unit to a second unit over a bus, comprising a controller to initiate an n-block data transfer, where n>

1, where for a first n−

1 data blocks transferred from the first unit to the second unit said second unit controls a status signal to be a buffer busy/ready status signal after each of the n−

1 data blocks to inform the first unit of when the first unit may transfer the next data block; and

for the n^th data block transferred from the first unit to the second unit said second unit controls said status signal to be a programming busy/ready status signal after the n^th data block to inform the first unit of a termination of internal programming, if any, by the second unit.

16. Apparatus as in claim 15, where the first unit is comprised of a host, and where the second unit is comprised of a memory module.

17. Apparatus as in claim 15, where the first unit is comprised of a cellular telephone, and where the second unit is comprised of a memory card.

18. Apparatus as in claim 15, where said first unit receives said status signal after each of the n data blocks in an interrupt-driven mode of operation.

19. A method to communicate data from a first unit to a second unit over a bus, comprising:

initiating an n-block data transfer, where n>

1;

for a first n−

1 data blocks transferred from the first unit to the second unit, controlling a status signal generated by the second unit to be a buffer busy/ready status signal after each of the n−

1 data blocks to inform the first unit of when the first unit may transfer the next data block; and

after the n^th data block transferred from the first unit to the second unit, sending a stop transmission command to the second unit, and controlling said status signal to be a programming busy/ready status signal to inform the first unit of a termination of internal programming, if any, by the second unit.

20. A method as in claim 19, where the first unit is comprised of a host, and where the second unit is comprised of a memory module.

21. A method as in claim 19, where the first unit is comprised of a cellular telephone, and where the second unit is comprised of a memory card.

22. A method as in claim 19, where said first unit receives said status signal after each of the n data blocks in an interrupt-driven mode of operation.

23. A computer program product contained in a computer-readable medium and comprised of program instructions for performing an operation of communicating data from a first unit to a second unit over a bus, the operations comprising:

initiating an n-block data transfer, where n>

1;

for a first n−

1 data blocks transferred from the first unit to the second unit, controlling a status signal generated by the second unit to be a buffer busy/ready status signal after each of the n−

1 data blocks to inform the first unit of when the first unit may transfer the next data block; and

after the n^th data block transferred from the first unit to the second unit, sending a stop transmission command to the second unit, and controlling said status signal to be a programming busy/ready status signal to inform the first unit of a termination of internal programming, if any, by the second unit.

24. A computer program product as in claim 23, where the first unit is comprised of a host, and where the second unit is comprised of a memory module.

25. A computer program product as in claim 23, where the first unit is comprised of a cellular telephone, and where the second unit is comprised of a memory card.

26. A computer program product as in claim 23, where said first unit receives said status signal after each of the n data blocks in an interrupt-driven mode of operation.

27. Apparatus to communicate data from a first unit to a second unit over a bus, comprising a controller to initiate an n-block data transfer, where n>

1, where for a first n−

1 data blocks transferred from the first unit to the second unit said second unit controls a status signal to be a buffer busy/ready status signal after each of the n−

1 data blocks to inform the first unit of when the first unit may transfer the next data block; and

after the n^th data block transferred from the first unit to the second unit, sending a stop transmission command to the second unit, and controlling said status signal to be a programming busy/ready status signal to inform the first unit of a termination of internal programming, if any, by the second unit.

28. Apparatus as in claim 27, where the first unit is comprised of a host, and where the second unit is comprised of a memory module.

29. Apparatus as in claim 27, where the first unit is comprised of a cellular telephone, and where the second unit is comprised of a memory card.

30. Apparatus as in claim 27, where said first unit receives said status signal after each of the n data blocks in an interrupt-driven mode of operation.

31. A memory card comprising a bus interface for coupling to a host through a bus that comprises a data signal line, comprising a driver at said memory card coupled to said data signal line and a receiver at said memory card coupled to the data signal line, said receiver being operable to receive first information from the host over the data signal line;

said driver being operable to drive a change of state of the data signal line to the host;

further comprising a controller coupled to said driver and to said receiver and operable to cause the change of state of the data signal line to have a first meaning after receiving the first information and to have a second meaning after receiving second information from the host over the data signal line.

32. A memory card as in claim 31, where said bus is further comprised of a command signal line, and where the controller is responsive to at least one command received through the command signal line from the host for causing the change of state of the data signal line to have the first meaning after receiving the first information and to have the second meaning after receiving second information from the host over the data signal line.

33. A memory card as in claim 31, where said controller is responsive to programming received from the host for determining the meaning of the change of state of the data signal line to have one of the first meaning after receiving the first information and to have the second meaning after receiving the second information from the host over the data signal line, or to have the first meaning after receiving the first information and to also have the first meaning after receiving the second information from the host over the data signal line.