IP Library Granted Patent US 9,124,351
Granted Patent B2
US 9,124,351 · App. 13/589,157 · Granted Sep 1, 2015

Semiconductor device, radio communication terminal using the same, and control method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,124,351
App. No.
13/589,157
Granted
Sep 1, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A communication terminal according to one aspect of the present invention includes a baseband LSI that performs baseband processing for communication, an application LSI that includes a vocoder function and performs processing according to an application, an audio LSI that performs one of D/A conversion and A/D conversion on audio data, and a switch circuit that is installed in the application LSI and connects a data path between the audio processor LSI and the baseband LSI.

Claims (34)

1. A communication terminal, comprising:

a baseband processor unit that performs baseband processing for communication;

an application processor unit, including a central processing unit and a switch circuit, that includes a vocoder function and performs processing according to an application; and

an audio processor unit that performs at least one of D/A conversion and A/D conversion on audio data,

wherein the switch circuit selectively disconnects a data path between the audio processor unit and the baseband processor unit when only the application processor unit executes vocoding.

2. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein

when the baseband processor unit executes vocoding, the switch circuit connects the data path between the audio processor unit and the baseband processor unit.

3. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein power supply to the central processing unit of the application processor unit is stopped depending on a connection state of the data path.

4. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , further comprising a speaker that reproduces audio data that is D/A converted by the audio processor unit,

wherein the application processor unit mutes voice that is reproduced from the speaker according to a timing of switching by the switch circuit.

5. A semiconductor device installed in a communication terminal on which a baseband processor unit and an audio processor unit are mounted, the baseband processor unit performing baseband processing for communication, and the audio processor unit performing at least one of D/A conversion and A/D conversion on audio data, the semiconductor device comprising:

a processor that executes vocoding on the audio data from the audio processor unit; and

a switch circuit that selectively disconnects a data path between the audio processor unit and the baseband processor unit when only the semiconductor device executes vocoding.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 5 , wherein the switch circuit is controlled to connect the data path between the audio processor unit and the baseband processor unit when the baseband processor unit executes vocoding.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 5 , wherein power supply to the processor is stopped depending on a connection state of the data path.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 5 , wherein the semiconductor device performs control to mute voice that is reproduced according to a timing of switching by the switch circuit.

9. A method of controlling a communication terminal, the communication terminal comprising:

a baseband processor unit that performs baseband processing for communication;

an application processor unit, including a central processing unit and a switch circuit, that includes a vocoder function and performs processing according to an application; and

an audio processor unit that performs at least one of D/A conversion and A/D conversion on audio data,

the method comprising:

selectively disconnecting, using the switch circuit, a data path between the audio processor unit and the baseband processor unit when vocoding is not executed by the baseband processor unit; and

executing the vocoding by the baseband processor unit.

10. The method of controlling the communication terminal according to claim 9 , comprising:

when only the application processor unit executes vocoding, the switch circuit interrupts the data path between the audio processor unit and the baseband processor unit, and

when the baseband processor unit executes vocoding, the switch circuit connects the data path between the audio processor unit and the baseband processor unit.

11. The method of controlling the communication terminal according to claim 9 , wherein power supply to the central processing unit is stopped depending on a connection state of the data path.

12. The method of controlling the communication terminal according to claim 9 , wherein the application processor unit performs control to mute voice that is reproduced according to a timing of switching by the switch circuit.

13. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the application processor unit includes a plurality of functional blocks, and power supply to at least one functional block is stopped depending on a connection state of the data path.

14. The communication terminal according to claim 13 , wherein power supply to functional blocks not related to vocoding is stopped depending on a connection state of the data path.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of functional blocks, wherein power supply to at least one functional block is stopped depending on a connection state of the data path.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 15 , wherein power supply to functional blocks not related to vocoding is stopped depending on a connection state of the data path.

17. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the application processor unit includes a plurality of functional blocks, and the method further comprises stopping power supply to at least one functional block depending on a connection state of the data path.

18. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising stopping power supply to functional blocks not related to vocoding depending on a connection state of the data path.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Nov 29, 2017
From: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
To: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 044928/0001 →
MERGER Recorded Mar 17, 2015
From: RENESAS MOBILE CORPORATION
To: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 035186/0340 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2012
From: UCHIMURA, YUTAKA; IRITA, TAKAHIRO; SAKAMOTO, NORIAKI
To: RENESAS MOBILE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 028820/0354 →