Multiple transmitter system and method

• US 8,848,810 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2008
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Davierwalla, Anosh, Wiley, George, Lee, Chulkyul
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Leon-Viet
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hassan, Sarah
• Application Number:
  US12/042,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20090225873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,400 Days
• Field of Search: 375/260, 375/242, 370/258
• US Class Current: 375/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0272 Arrangements for coupling to multiple lines, e.g. for differential transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/49 using code conversion at the transmitter; using predistortion; using insertion of idle bits for obtaining a desired frequency spectrum; using three or more amplitude levels ; Baseband coding techniques specific to data transmission systems spectral shaping H04L25/03828

Abstract

Systems and methods of data transmission are disclosed. In an embodiment, at least two transmitters are selectively activated and at least one transmitter is deactivated at a serial interface to transmit data via at least two distinct lines.

Claims

1. A system comprising,

a first transmitter coupled to a first transmission line;

a second transmitter coupled to a second transmission line; and

a third transmitter coupled to a third transmission line,

wherein two of the three transmitters are conductive and wherein at least one of the three transmitters is not conductive; and

wherein signaling states of the system are based on polarity of currents flowing through the transmitters, and wherein a clock is embedded by forcing a transition between the signaling states on each cycle of the clock and prohibiting a self-transition between the signaling states.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each transmitter is a tri-state device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein a data encoder is coupled to each transmitter.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission lines have a Y-termination.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission lines have a common-mode termination.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission lines comprise flex cable.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least two of the transmission lines include a twisted pair.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission lines comprise a twisted trio.

9. An electronic device comprising:

a display;

a processing circuit; and

means for serial transmission coupled to the processing circuit and to the display, wherein the means for serial transmission includes at least three receivers configured to receive a signal via at least three wires from at least three transmitters, wherein at least two of the transmitters are active and at least one transmitter is inactive; and

wherein signaling states of the means for serial transmission are based on polarity of currents flowing through the means for serial transmission, and wherein a clock is embedded by forcing a transition between the signaling states on each cycle of the clock and prohibiting a self-transition between the signaling states.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the at least three wires have a Y-termination.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the means for serial transmission includes a serial interface adapted to provide multimedia data to the display.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising:

a microphone;

a speaker;

a wireless transceiver coupled to the processing circuit; and

an antenna coupled to the wireless transceiver.

13. An electronic device comprising:

an image sensing device;

a data processing circuit; and

a serial interface coupled to the data processing circuit and to the image sensing device, wherein the serial interface includes at least two active transmitters and at least one inactive transmitter; and

wherein signaling states of the serial interface are based on polarity of currents flowing through the transmitters, and wherein a clock is embedded by forcing a transition between the signaling states on each cycle of the clock and prohibiting a self-transition between the signaling states.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the image sensing device is remote from the data processing circuit.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the serial interface includes a coaxial cable coupled to at least two of the transmitters.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the serial interface is configured to transmit video data between the image sensing device and the data processing circuit.

17. A method, comprising:

selectively activating at least two transmitters and deactivating at least one transmitter at a serial interface to transmit data via at least two distinct lines; and

encoding a received signal to at least one predefined state of multiple predefined states, each of the predefined states representing a different combination of a first polarity at a first transmitter, a second polarity at a second transmitter, and inactivity at a third transmitter and

embedding a clock by forcing a transition between the predefined states, every cycle of the clock, wherein the multiple predefined states include;

a first state having the first polarity at the first transmitter, the second polarity at the second transmitter, and inactivity at the third transmitter;

a second state having the second polarity at the first transmitter, the first polarity at the second transmitter, and inactivity at the third transmitter;

a third state having inactivity at the first transmitter, the first polarity at the second transmitter, and the second polarity at the third transmitter;

a fourth state having inactivity at the first transmitter, the second polarity at the second transmitter, and the first polarity at the third transmitter;

a fifth state having the first polarity at the first transmitter, inactivity at the second transmitter, and the second polarity at the third transmitter; and

a sixth state having the second polarity at the first transmitter, inactivity at the second transmitter, and the first polarity at the third transmitter.

18. A method, comprising:

selectively activating at least two transmitters and deactivating at least one transmitter at a serial interface to transmit data via at least two distinct lines; and

encoding a received signal to at least one predefined state of multiple predefined states, each of the predefined states representing a different combination of a first polarity at a first transmitter, a second polarity at a second transmitter, and inactivity at a third transmitter and

embedding a clock by forcing a transition between the predefined states, every cycle of the clock, wherein the multiple predefined states further include a state where a fourth transmitter is inactive.

19. A method, comprising:

selectively activating at least two transmitters and deactivating at least one transmitter at a serial interface to transmit data via at least two distinct lines; and

encoding a received signal to at least one predefined state of multiple predefined states, each of the predefined states representing a different combination of a first polarity at a first transmitter, a second polarity at a second transmitter, and inactivity at a third transmitter and

embedding a clock by forcing a transition between the predefined states, every cycle of the clock and by prohibiting a self-transition state.

20. A method, comprising:

receiving a data signal from a set of transmitters including a first transmitter driving a first line, a second transmitter driving a second line, and a third transmitter driving a third line, wherein the data signal comprises a first signal from the first transmitter and a second signal from the second transmitter, and wherein the third transmitter is inactive,

wherein signaling states of the data signal are based on polarity of currents flowing through the transmitters, and wherein a clock is embedded in the data signal by forcing a transition between the signaling states on each cycle of the clock and prohibiting a self-transition between the signaling states.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first signal includes a current having a first polarity and wherein the second signal includes a current having a second polarity.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining a state transition between the data signal and a second data signal; and

decoding a data value based on the state transition.

23. A device comprising:

a first transmitter for coupling to a first transmission line;

a second transmitter for coupling to a second transmission line;

a third transmitter for coupling to a third transmission line; and

an encoder device coupled to the first transmitter, the second transmitter, and the third transmitter, the encoder device adapted to

selectively activate at least two transmitters and deactivate at least one transmitter at a serial interface to transmit data via at least two distinct transmission lines; and

encode a received signal to at least one predefined state of multiple predefined states, each of the predefined states representing a different combination of a first polarity at the first transmitter, a second polarity at the second transmitter, and inactivity at the third transmitter and embedding a clock by forcing a transition between the predefined states, every cycle of the clock, wherein the multiple predefined states include;

a first state having the first polarity at the first transmitter, the second polarity at the second transmitter, and inactivity at the third transmitter;

a second state having the second polarity at the first transmitter, the first polarity at the second transmitter, and inactivity at the third transmitter;

a third state having inactivity at the first transmitter, the first polarity at the second transmitter, and the second polarity at the third transmitter;

a fourth state having inactivity at the first transmitter, the second polarity at the second transmitter, and the first polarity at the third transmitter;

a fifth state having the first polarity at the first transmitter, inactivity at the second transmitter, and the second polarity at the third transmitter; and

a sixth state having the second polarity at the first transmitter, inactivity at the second transmitter, and the first polarity at the third transmitter.

24. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions for an encoder, which when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to:

selectively activate at least two transmitters and deactivate at least one transmitter at a serial interface to transmit data via at least two distinct lines; and

encode a received signal to at least one predefined state of multiple predefined states, each of the predefined states representing a different combination of a first polarity at a first transmitter, a second polarity at a second transmitter, and inactivity at a third transmitter and embedding a clock by forcing a transition between the predefined states, every cycle of the clock, wherein the multiple predefined states include;

a first state having the first polarity at the first transmitter, the second polarity at the second transmitter, and inactivity at the third transmitter;

a second state having the second polarity at the first transmitter, the first polarity at the second transmitter, and inactivity at the third transmitter;

a third state having inactivity at the first transmitter, the first polarity at the second transmitter, and the second polarity at the third transmitter;

a fourth state having inactivity at the first transmitter, the second polarity at the second transmitter, and the first polarity at the third transmitter;

a fifth state having the first polarity at the first transmitter, inactivity at the second transmitter, and the second polarity at the third transmitter; and

a sixth state having the second polarity at the first transmitter, inactivity at the second transmitter, and the first polarity at the third transmitter.

25. A device comprising:

a first transmitter for coupling to a first transmission line;

a second transmitter for coupling to a second transmission line;

a third transmitter for coupling to a third transmission line;

a fourth transmitter for coupling to a fourth transmission line; and

an encoder device coupled to the first transmitter, the second transmitter, and the third transmitter, the encoder device adapted to

selectively activate at least two transmitters and deactivate at least one transmitter at a serial interface to transmit data via at least two distinct transmission lines; and

encode a received signal to at least one predefined state of multiple predefined states, each of the predefined states representing a different combination of a first polarity at the first transmitter, a second polarity at the second transmitter, and inactivity at the third transmitter and embedding a clock by forcing a transition between the predefined states, every cycle of the clock wherein the multiple predefined states further include a state where the fourth transmitter is inactive.

26. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions for an encoder, which when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to:

selectively activate at least two transmitters and deactivate at least one transmitter at a serial interface to transmit data via at least two distinct lines; and

encode a received signal to at least one predefined state of multiple predefined states, each of the predefined states representing a different combination of a first polarity at a first transmitter, a second polarity at a second transmitter, and inactivity at a third transmitter and embedding a clock by forcing a transition between the predefined states, every cycle of the clock wherein the multiple predefined states further include a state where a fourth transmitter is inactive.

27. A device comprising:

a first transmitter for coupling to a first transmission line;

a second transmitter for coupling to a second transmission line;

a third transmitter for coupling to a third transmission line;

an encoder device coupled to the first transmitter, the second transmitter, and the third transmitter, the encoder device adapted to

selectively activate at least two transmitters and deactivate at least one transmitter at a serial interface to transmit data via at least two distinct transmission lines; and

encode a received signal to at least one predefined state of multiple predefined states, each of the predefined states representing a different combination of a first polarity at the first transmitter, a second polarity at the second transmitter, and inactivity at a third transmitter and embedding a clock by forcing a transition between the predefined states, every cycle of the clock and by prohibiting a self-transition state.

28. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions for an encoder, which when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to:

selectively activate at least two transmitters and deactivate at least one transmitter at a serial interface to transmit data via at least two distinct lines; and

encode a received signal to at least one predefined state of multiple predefined states, each of the predefined states representing a different combination of a first polarity at a first transmitter, a second polarity at a second transmitter, and inactivity at a third transmitter and embedding a clock by forcing a transition between the predefined states, every cycle of the clock and by prohibiting a self-transition state.

29. A device comprising:

a first receiver for coupling to a first transmitter driving a first line;

a second receiver for coupling to a second transmitter driving a second line;

a third receiver for coupling to a third transmitter driving a third line; and

a decoder device coupled to the first receiver, the second receiver, and the third receiver, the decoder device adapted to

receive a data signal from the set of transmitters including the first transmitter, the second transmitter, and the third transmitter,

wherein the data signal comprises a first signal from the first transmitter and a second signal from the second transmitter, and wherein the third transmitter is inactive,

wherein signaling states of the data signal are based on polarity of currents flowing through the transmitters, and wherein a clock is embedded in the data signal by forcing a transition between the signaling states on each cycle of the clock and prohibiting a self-transition between the signaling states.

30. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions for a decoder, which when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to:

receive a data signal from a set of transmitters including a first transmitter driving a first line, a second transmitter driving a second line, and a third transmitter driving a third line,

wherein the data signal comprises a first signal from the first transmitter and a second signal from the second transmitter, and wherein the third transmitter is inactive,

wherein signaling states of the data signal are based on polarity of currents flowing through the transmitters, and wherein a clock is embedded in the data signal by forcing a transition between the signaling states on each cycle of the clock and prohibiting a self-transition between the signaling states.