Method and system for transmitting data
View Patent ↗A method and system for transmitting binary-coded data use partitioning of data words in a plurality of data nibbles. The data nibbles are coded using modified a 1-bit hot coding format that transforms a data nibble in a data segment including a plurality of bit groups. A change in a digital state at a bit position in a more significant bit group is maintained at that bit position in less significant bit groups, and information is transmitted in a form of a transition between digital states. The data segments are transmitted in phases each including one bit group from each data segment. At a receiving terminal, the bit groups are converted back in the binary-coded data words. In one application, the invention is used to reduce power consumption during data transmissions to and from an integrated circuit device.
1. A method for transmitting binary-coded data, comprising:
(a) partitioning each binary-coded data word in a plurality of data nibbles, each data nibble having a pre-determined number of consecutive bits of the binary-coded data word;
(b) coding each data nibble using a coding format transforming a data nibble in a data segment having a plurality of bit groups, wherein:
a number of bits in each bit group is equal to the pre-determined number; and
a change in a digital state at a bit position in a more significant bit group is maintained at that bit position in less significant bit groups of the data segment;
(c) transmitting data segments in phases, each phase including one bit group from each data segment.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step (a) further comprises:
setting the pre-determined number to 4.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step (b) further comprises:
transmitting a digital state at a bit position in the bit group in a form of a transition between digital states.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step (c) further comprises:
synchronizing transmission of at least a portion of the phases with the same edge of a clock signal.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step (c) further comprises:
transmitting bit groups including bits of same significance using pre-assigned bit lanes of a transmission bus.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
(d) assembling, at a destination terminal, received bit groups in received data segments;
(e) re-formatting the received data segments in received data nibbles; and
(f) assembling the binary-coded data word from the received data nibbles.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step (d) further comprises:
assembling the received data segments using one received bit group in each of the phases.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein the step (e) further comprises:
selectively converting each data segment in a data nibble of the binary-coded data word.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the binary-coded data is coded using a binary-coded decimal (BCD) format, a binary-coded hexadecimal (BCH) format, or a binary-coded octal (BCO) format.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the binary-coded data is information, an address of the information, a command, or a combination thereof.
11. A device, comprising:
(a) coding data in binary-coded data words using at least one digital data format;
(b) at a transmitting terminal:
(b1) partitioning each binary-coded data word in a plurality of data nibbles, each data nibble having a pre-determined number of consecutive bits of the binary-coded data word;
(b2) coding each data nibble using a modified 1-bit hot coding format transforming a data nibble in a data segment having a plurality of bit groups, wherein:
a number of bits in each bit group is equal to the pre-determined number; and
a change in a digital state at a bit position in a more significant bit group is maintained at that bit position in less significant bit groups of the data segment; and
(b3) transmitting data segments in phases, each phase including one bit group from each data segment; and
(c) at a receiving terminal:
(c1) assembling received bit groups in received data segments;
(c2) re-formatting the received data segments in received data nibbles; and
(c3) assembling the binary-coded data word from the received data nibbles.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step (b2) further comprises:
transmitting a digital state at a bit position in the bit group in a form of a transition between digital states.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the step (b3) further comprises:
synchronizing transmission of at least a portion of the phases with the same edge of a clock signal.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein the step (b3) further comprises:
transmitting bit groups including bits of same significance using pre-assigned bit lanes of a transmission bus.
15. The method of claim 11 wherein the step (c1) further comprises:
assembling the received data segments using one received bit group in each of the phases.
16. A computer readable medium storing program code that, when executed by a data processor, facilitates execution of the method of claim 11 .
17. A system for transmitting binary-coded data, comprising:
a transmitting terminal; and
a receiving terminal coupled to the transmitting terminal using a system interface including at least one of a data bus, an address bus, a command bus, or a combination thereof, wherein each of said terminals includes at least one unit, including:
(a) a TX state machine adapted for processing an outgoing data stream and:
(a1) partitioning each binary-coded data word in a plurality of data nibbles, each data nibble having a pre-determined number of consecutive bits of the binary-coded data word;
(a2) coding each data nibble using a modified 1-bit hot coding format transforming a data nibble in a data segment having a plurality of bit groups, wherein:
a number of bits in each bit group is equal to the pre-determined number; and
a change in a digital state at a bit position in a more significant bit group is maintained at that bit position in less significant bit groups of the data segment; and
(a3) transmitting data segments in phases, each phase including one bit group from each data segment;
(b) a RX state machine adapted to process an incoming data stream and:
(b1) assembling received bit groups in received data segments;
(b2) re-formatting the received data segments in received data nibbles; and
(b3) assembling the binary-coded data word from the received data nibbles; and
(c) means providing selective connectivity between the TX and RX state machines and the interface.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the at least one unit further comprises:
a bus control state machine administering the RX and TX state machines.
19. The system of claim 17 wherein at least one unit further comprises:
means allowing to bypass the TX and RX state machines during transmission or receipt of the binary-coded data.
20. The system of claim 17 , wherein, during the step (a2), the TX state machine is further adapted for transmitting a digital state at a bit position in the bit group in a form of a transition between digital states.
21. The system of claim 17 , wherein, during the step (a3), the TX state machine is further adapted for synchronizing transmission of at least a portion of the phases with the same edge of a clock signal.
22. The system of claim 17 , wherein, during the step (a3), the TX state machine is further adapted for transmitting bit groups including bits of same significance using pre-assigned bit lanes of a transmission bus.
23. The system of claim 17 , wherein the binary-coded data is coded using a binary-coded decimal (BCD) format, a binary-coded hexadecimal (BCH) format, or a binary-coded octal (BCO) format.
24. The system of claim 17 , wherein said system is a portion of a system-on-chip (SoC) device.