IP Library Granted Patent US 7,251,188
Granted Patent B2
US 7,251,188 · App. 11/553,332 · Granted Jul 31, 2007

Memory access interface for a micro-controller system with address/data multiplexing bus

Assignee: Mediatek, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,251,188
App. No.
11/553,332
Granted
Jul 31, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A memory access interface for connecting a memory to a micro-controller having an address/data multiplexing bus and a microprocessor is proposed. The memory access interface includes an address latch, a multiplexer, and a data buffer. The address latch latches and outputs the lower-bit address signal on the address/data multiplexing bus of the micro-controller when an address-latch-enable signal is enabled. The multiplexer receives the lower-bit address signal latched by the address latch, a higher-bit address signal outputted from the micro-controller, and an address signal outputted from the microprocessor and selectively outputs the address signal of the micro-controller or the address signal of the microprocessor as the address signal of the memory according to a first control signal. The data buffer transmits the signal of the data bus of the memory to the address/data multiplexing bus of the micro-controller during a data cycle of the micro-controller, and maintains a high impedance state during an address cycle of the micro-controller.

Claims (19)

1. A memory access interface for connecting a memory to a micro-controller and a first circuitry, the micro-controller being capable of transmitting a first group address signals and a second group address signals, the micro-controller being capable of transmitting the first group address signals or accessing data signals via an address/data bus, the memory access interface comprising:

an address holder for receiving the first group address signals on the address/data multiplexing bus and a first enable signal outputted from the micro-controller, and outputting the first group address signals when the first enable signal is enabled; and

a multiplexer for receiving the first group address signals outputted from the address holder, the second group address signals outputted from the micro-controller, and third address signals outputted from the first circuitry, the multiplexer being controlled by a first control signal of the micro-controller for selectively outputting the first and second group address signals or outputting the third address signals to the memory;

wherein the micro-controller and the first circuitry can access the data of the memory according to the first enable signal.

2. The memory access interface according to claim 1 , wherein the first control signal is the first enable signal.

3. The memory access interface according to claim 1 , wherein the first control signal is a reading signal of the micro-controller.

4. The memory access interface according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-controller accesses the data of the memory during a data cycle of the micro-controller and the first circuitry accesses the data of the memory during an address cycle of the micro-controller.

5. The memory access interface according to claim 1 , wherein the first circuitry comprises a microprocessor.

6. The memory access interface according to claim 1 , wherein the address holder is an address latch and the first control signal is an address-latch-enable signal.

7. The memory access interface according to claim 1 , wherein the first group address signals are the lower-bit address signals of the micro-controller, and the second group address signals are the higher-bit address signals of the micro-controller.

8. The memory access interface according to claim 1 , further comprising a data buffer for transmitting the data signals from the memory to the address/data bus of the micro-controller during the data cycle of the micro-controller, and for maintaining a high impedance state during the address cycle of the micro-controller, the data buffer being controlled by a second control signal of the micro-controller.

9. The memory access interface according to claim 8 , wherein the second control signal is the first enable signal.

10. A memory access method for controlling the access among a memory, a micro-controller with an address/data multiplexing bus and a first device, the memory access method comprising the steps of:

the micro-controller outputting a first address signal during an address cycle of the micro-controller;

latching the first address signal as a latched address signal;

the first device outputting a second address signal to the memory and reading/writing data from/to the memory during the address cycle of the micro-controller; and

outputting the latched address signal to the memory during a data cycle of the micro-controller; and

the micro-controller reading/writing data from/to the memory during the data cycle of the micro-controller.

11. The memory access method according to claim 10 , wherein the micro-controller further outputs a third address signal to the memory during the data cycle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2021
From: MEDIATEK INC.
To: XUESHAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 055443/0818 →
Priority Claims (1)
TW 90127616 A · Nov 6, 2001 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 1085216900 · May 25, 2004
Continuation 1028689000 · Nov 4, 2002
Related Publication 20070067580A1 · Mar 22, 2007