N-phase polarity data transfer

• US 9,711,041 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wiley, George Alan, Raskin, Glenn D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Benlagsir, Amine
• Application Number:
  US13/797,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20130241759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• Field of Search: 375288
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/16 in which transmission is by pulses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0272 Arrangements for coupling to multiple lines, e.g. for differential transmission

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.

Claims

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.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a clock associated with the plurality of control signals and data signals of the memory device is encoded in a transmission timing of at least one of the first, the second, the third and the fourth sequences of symbols.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the polarity of the second pair of connectors is characterized as a voltage differential provided between the second pair of connectors.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the polarity of the second pair of connectors is characterized as a direction of current flow through the second pair of connectors.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein for each set of the first set and the second set of connectors a signal that has a phase that rotates in one of two directions is transmitted in different phases on each connector of said each set of the first set and the second set of connectors and wherein information is encoded in a change of rotation of the phase between sequential time intervals.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

decoding the plurality of control signals from symbols received from the second set of connectors.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second set of connectors comprises at least some bidirectional connectors.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each set of the first set and the second set of connectors allocated from the plurality of connectors separately encodes different portions of the plurality of data signals and the plurality of control signals.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first, the second, the third and the fourth sequences of symbols encoding the plurality of data signals and the plurality of control signals are transmitted on four or more connectors of the plurality of connectors.

10. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

transmitting a synchronization word after said transmitting the first sequence of symbols and the second sequence of symbols and before the third sequence of symbols is received.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

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.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a clock associated with the plurality of control and data signals of the memory device is encoded in a transmission timing of at least one of the first, the second, the third and the fourth sequences of symbols.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the polarity of the second pair of connectors is characterized as a voltage differential provided between the second pair of connectors.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the polarity of the second pair of connectors is characterized as a direction of current flow through the second pair of connectors.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein for each set of the first set and the second set of connectors a signal that has a phase that rotates in one of two directions is transmitted in different phases on each connector of said each set of the first set and the second set of connectors, and wherein information is encoded in a change of rotation of the phase between sequential time intervals.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

means for decoding the plurality of control signals from symbols received from the second set of connectors.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second set of connectors comprises at least some bidirectional connectors.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each set of connectors allocated from the plurality of connectors separately encodes different portions of the plurality of data signals and the plurality of control signals.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first, the second, the third and the fourth sequences of symbols encoding the plurality of data signals and the plurality of control signals are transmitted on four or more connectors of the plurality of connectors.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, and further comprising:

means for transmitting a synchronization word after said transmitting the first sequence of symbols and the second sequence of symbols and before the third sequence of symbols is received.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

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.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein a clock associated with the plurality of control and data signals of the memory device is encoded in a transmission timing of the first, the second, the third and the fourth sequences of symbols.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the polarity of the second pair of connectors is characterized as a voltage differential provided between the second pair of connectors.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the polarity of the second pair of connectors is characterized as a direction of current flow through the second pair of connectors.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein for each set of the first and the second set of connectors a signal that has a phase that rotates in one of two directions is transmitted in different phases on each connector of said each set of the first and the second set of connectors, and wherein information is encoded in a change of rotation of the phase between sequential time intervals.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processing system is configured to:

decode the plurality of control signals from symbols received from the second set of connectors.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the second set of connectors comprises at least some bidirectional connectors.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein each set of connectors allocated from the plurality of connectors separately encodes different portions of the plurality of data signals and the plurality of control signals.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first, the second, the third and the fourth sequences of symbols encoding the plurality of data signals and the plurality of the control signals are transmitted on four or more connectors of the plurality of connectors.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processing system is configured to:

transmit a synchronization word after said transmitting the first sequence of symbols and the second sequence of symbols and before the third sequence of symbols is received.

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:

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.

32. The processor-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein a clock associated with the plurality of control and data signals of the memory device is encoded in a transmission timing of the first, the second, the third and the fourth sequences of symbols.

33. The processor-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the polarity of the second pair of connectors is characterized as a voltage differential provided between the second pair of connectors.

34. The processor-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the polarity of the second pair of connectors is characterized as a direction of current flow through the second pair of connectors.

35. The processor-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein for each set of the first and the second set of connectors a signal that has a phase that rotates in one of two directions is transmitted in different phases on each connector of said each set of the first and the second set of connectors, and wherein information is encoded in a change of rotation of the phase between sequential time intervals.

36. The processor-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the one or more instructions, when executed by at least one processing circuit, cause the at least one processing circuit to:

decode the plurality of control signals from symbols received from the second set of the plurality of connectors.

37. The processor-readable storage medium of claim 36, wherein the second set of connectors comprises at least some bidirectional connectors.

38. The processor-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein each set of connectors allocated from the plurality of connectors separately encodes different portions of the plurality of the data signals and the plurality of the control signals.

39. The processor-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein the first, the second, the third and the fourth sequences of symbols encoding the plurality of the data signals and the plurality of the control signals are transmitted on four or more connectors of the plurality of connectors.

40. The processor-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the one or more instructions, when executed by at least one processing circuit, cause the at least one processing circuit to:

transmit a synchronization word after said transmitting the first sequence of symbols and the second sequence of symbols and before the third sequence of symbols is received.