Systems for setting the address of a module
View Patent ↗A circuit module is disclosed. The circuit module has a ground connection, a power connection, a shunt regulator coupled to the power connection and to the ground connection, a current measuring circuit that measures a current flowing between the power connection and the ground connection, one or more communication connections, and a digital logic circuit coupled to the one or more communication connections to send and receive communications. The digital logic circuit responds to communications addressed to a communication address with the communication address based on the current measured by the current measuring circuit. Other systems are disclosed.
1. A circuit module comprising:
a ground connection;
a power connection;
a shunt regulator coupled to the power connection and to the ground connection;
a current measuring circuit that measures a current flowing between the power connection and the ground connection;
one or more communication connections; and
a digital logic circuit coupled to the one or more communication connections to send and receive communications,
wherein the digital logic circuit responds to communications addressed to a communication address with the communication address based on the current measured by the current measuring circuit.
2. The circuit module of claim 1 , wherein the shunt regulator includes a zener diode.
3. The circuit module of claim 1 , wherein the shunt regulator includes an active current sink.
4. The circuit module of claim 1 , wherein the shunt regulator and the current measuring circuit are integrated into an application specific integrated circuit.
5. The circuit module of claim 1 , wherein the shunt regulator, the current measuring circuit, and the digital logic circuit are integrated into an application specific integrated circuit.
6. The circuit module of claim 1 , wherein the digital logic circuit includes an authentication circuit.
7. The circuit module of claim 1 , wherein the communication connections include a clock input connection and a bi-directional data connection.
8. A circuit module comprising:
a ground connection;
a power connection;
a shunt regulator coupled to the power connection and to the ground connection, the shunt regulator including an adjustable current sink and a control line that adjust a current sunk by the adjustable current sink;
one or more communication connections; and
a digital logic circuit coupled to the one or more communication connections to send and receive communications,
wherein the digital logic circuit responds to communications addressed to a communication address with the communication address based on a state of the control line that adjust the adjustable current sink.
9. The circuit module of claim 8 , wherein the shunt regulator and the digital logic circuit are integrated into an application specific integrated circuit.
10. The circuit module of claim 8 , wherein the digital logic circuit includes an authentication circuit.
11. The circuit module of claim 8 , wherein the one or more communication connections include a clock input connection and a bi-directional data connection.
12. A module comprising:
a power connection;
a ground connection;
an I2C slave device that has a communication address;
a controller that:
determines whether or not a voltage between the power connection and the ground connection is greater than a first predetermined threshold, and if so determined then decreases an impedance between the power connection and the ground connection and sets the communication address to a first address, and
determines whether or not the voltage between the power connection and the ground connection is less than a second predetermined threshold, and if so determined then increases the impedance between the power connection and the ground connection and sets the communication address to a second address,
wherein the first address is not the same as the second address.
13. The module of claim 12 , wherein the first predetermined threshold is the same as the second predetermined threshold.
14. The module of claim 12 , wherein the first predetermined threshold is greater than the second predetermined threshold.
15. The module of claim 12 , wherein the I2C slave device and the controller are integrated into the same application specific integrated circuit.
16. The module of claim 12 , wherein the I2C slave device includes an authentication circuit.
17. The module of claim 12 , wherein the controller responds to a communication addressed to the communication address.