IP Library Granted Patent US 9,742,585
Granted Patent B2
US 9,742,585 · App. 14/549,138 · Granted Aug 22, 2017

Signaling control among multiple communication interfaces of an electronic device based on signal priority

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,742,585
App. No.
14/549,138
Granted
Aug 22, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides signaling control among multiple communication interfaces of an electronic device based on signal priority. According to an aspect, an electronic device includes multiple communication interfaces. The electronic device also includes a communication controller configured to determine priority of signals to be communicated on different communication interfaces among the plurality of communication interfaces. Further, the communication controller is configured to determine an order of communication of the signals among the different communication interfaces based on the priority of the signals to be communicated. The communication controller is also configured to control communication of the signals among the different communication interfaces based on the determined order of communication.

Claims (54)

1. An electronic device comprising:

a plurality of communication interfaces, each communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces assigned a priority for controlling communications on each communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces; and

a communication controller that:

determines priority of signals to be communicated on different communication interfaces among the plurality of communication interfaces based on the assigned priority of each communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces;

determines an order of communication of the signals among the different communication interfaces based on the priority of the signals to be communicated; and

controls communication of the signals among the different communication interfaces based on the determined order of communication.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the communication interfaces are each one of an input interface and an output interface.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the communication interfaces are each one of an input interface and an output interface of a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the communication interfaces comprise a first input interface and a second input interface, and

wherein the communication controller is configured to:

determine a priority of a first signal to be received by the first input interface based on the assigned priority of the first input interface;

determine a priority of a second signal to be received by the second input interface based on the assigned priority of the second input interface, wherein the priority of the first signal is higher than the priority of the second signal;

determine whether the first signal has a higher priority than the second signal; and

control receipt of the first signal by the first input interface prior to receipt of the second signal on the second input interface in response to determining that the first signal has a higher priority than the second signal.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the communication controller is configured to idle the second input interface in response to determining that the first signal has a higher priority than the second signal.

6. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the communication controller is configured to idle the second input interface for a predetermined time period in response to determining that the first signal has a higher priority than the second signal.

7. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the communication controller is configured to idle the second input interface based on a priority list in response to determining that the first signal has a higher priority than the second signal.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the communication interfaces comprise a first output interface and a second output interface, and

wherein the communication controller is configured to:

determine a priority of a first signal to be communicated by the first input interface based on the assigned priority of the first input interface;

determine a priority of a second signal to be communicated by the second input interface based on the assigned priority of the second input interface, wherein the priority of the first signal is higher than the priority of the second signal;

determine whether the first signal has a higher priority than the second signal; and

control communication of the first signal by the first output interface prior to communication of the second signal by the second output interface in response to determining that the first signal has a higher priority than the second signal.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the communication controller is configured to idle the second output interface in response to determining that the first signal has a higher priority than the second signal.

10. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the communication controller is configured to idle the second output interface for a predetermined time period in response to determining that the first signal has a higher priority than the second signal.

11. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the communication controller is configured to idle the second output interface based on a priority list that identifies the priorities of the first output module and the second output interface.

12. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the communication controller is configured to idle one of the communication interfaces based on a level of simultaneous switching output noise.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the communication interfaces comprise an input interface and an output interface, and

wherein the communication controller is configured to:

determine priority of a signal to be received by the input interface based on the assigned priority of the input interface; and

idle the output interface based on the priority of the signal.

14. A method comprising:

assigning a priority for each communication interface of a plurality of communication interfaces for controlling communications on each communication interface;

determining priority of signals to be communicated on different communication interfaces among the plurality of communication interface of an electronic device utilizing the assigned priority of each communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces;

determining an order of communication of the signals among the different communication interfaces based on the priority of the communications; and

controlling communication of the signals among the different communication interfaces based on the determined order.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the communication interfaces are each one of an input interface and an output interface of a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the communication interfaces comprise a first input interface and a second input interface, and

wherein the method further comprises:

determining a priority of a first signal to be received by the first input interface based on the assigned priority of the first input interface;

determining a priority of a second signal to be received by the second input interface based on the assigned priority of the second input interface, wherein the priority of the first signal is higher than the priority of the second signal;

determining whether the first signal has a higher priority than the second signal; and

in response to determining that the first signal has a higher priority than the second signal, controlling receipt of the first signal by the first input interface prior to receipt of the second signal on the second input interface.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the communication interfaces comprise a first output interface and a second output interface, and

wherein the method further comprises:

determining a priority of a first signal to be communicated by the first input interface based on the assigned priority of the first input interface;

determining a priority of a second signal to be communicated by the second input interface based on the assigned priority of the second input interface, wherein the priority of the first signal is higher than the priority of the second signal;

determining whether the first signal has a higher priority than the second signal; and

controlling communication of the first signal by the first output interface prior to communication of the second signal by the second output interface in response to determining that the first signal has a higher priority than the second signal.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising idling the second output interface in response to determining that the first signal has a higher priority than the second signal.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the communication interfaces comprise an input interface and an output interface, and

wherein the method further comprises:

determining priority of a signal to be received by the input interface based on the assigned priority of the input interface; and

idling the output interface based on the priority of the signal.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2025
From: LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 069869/0614 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 6, 2019
From: LENOVO ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD.
To: LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL LTD
Reel/Frame 050304/0861 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 20, 2014
From: DECESARIS, MICHAEL; REMIS, LUKE D.; SELLMAN, GREGORY D.; WOOD, CHRISTOPHER L.
To: LENOVO ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 034225/0299 →