IP Library Granted Patent US 10,732,669
Granted Patent B2
US 10,732,669 · App. 15/667,907 · Granted Aug 4, 2020

Serial peripheral interface and methods of operating same

Inventor: Paolo E. Mangalindan (Rancho Cordova, CA)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G06F1/12G06F1/3278G06F13/4282Y02D10/14Y02D10/151
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,732,669
App. No.
15/667,907
Granted
Aug 4, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Serial peripheral interfaces and methods of operating the same are provided. An apparatus can have a serial peripheral interface (SPI) including a first command state machine (CSM), and a second CSM.

Claims (40)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a serial peripheral interface (SPI) including:

a first command state machine (CSM);

a second CSM; and

a clock generator,

wherein the SPI is configured such that:

the first CSM, the second CSM, or both are configured to process commands in both a Single Transfer Rate (STR) mode and a Double Transfer Rate (DTR) mode;

at least one of the first CSM or the second CSM is configured to process commands while in a Deep Power Down Mode and the DTR mode responsive to synchronous command signals transmitted by the SPI;

the first CSM is configured to receive/transmit data on a rising edge of the clock signal; and

the second CSM is configured to receive/transmit data on the rising edge and on a falling edge of the clock signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first CSM is selected to process commands while the SPI is not in the DPD mode, and the first CSM is not selected to process commands while the SPI is in the DPD mode.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second CSM is configured to pass command processing control to the first CSM in STR mode.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second CSM is configured to pass command processing control to the first CSM in DTR mode.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second CSM is not selected to process commands while the SPI is not in the DPD mode.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the SPI is configured such that only one of the first CSM and second CSM is selected to process commands during a command sequence.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a serial peripheral interface (SPI) including:

a first command state machine (CSM) configured to receive/transmit data on a first edge of a first clock signal;

a second CSM configured to receive/transmit data on a first edge and on a second edge of a second clock signal;

a clock generator configured to assert signaling on the first CSM, the second CSM, or both to cause at least one of the first CSM or the second CSM to process commands while in a Deep Power Down Mode and a Double Transfer Rate (DTR) mode responsive to synchronous command signals generated by the SPI; and

a select generator configured to select only one of the first CSM and the second CSM for command processing during a particular command sequence.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the select generator is configured to select the second CSM for command processing responsive to the SPI being simultaneously in the DTR mode and the DPD mode.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the select generator is configured to select the first CSM for command processing responsive to the SPI being in a Single Transfer Rate (STR) mode and the DPD mode.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the select generator is configured to select the first CSM for command processing responsive to the SPI being in a Single Transfer Rate (STR) mode and not in the DPD mode.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the select generator is configured to select the second CSM for command processing responsive to the SPI being in the DTR mode and not in the DPD mode.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first clock signal is a frequency-multiplied clock signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the second CSM is configured to process a command causing exit of the DPD mode.

14. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first edge is a rising clock signal edge and the second edge is a falling clock signal edge.

15. A method, comprising:

synchronously processing commands in a serial peripheral interface (SPI) using a first command state machine (CSM) while the first CSM is able to properly process commands;

determining that the first CSM is unable to properly process commands based an operational characteristic associated with the first CSM;

selectively enabling, by the SPI, a second CSM based on the determination that the first CSM is unable to properly process commands;

synchronously processing commands in the SPI using the second CSM while the first CSM is unable to properly process commands

synchronously processing commands using at least one of the first CSM or the second CSM while the first CSM or the second CSM is in a Deep Power Down Mode, a Double Transfer Rate mode, or both, responsive to signaling received from a clock generator coupled to the first CSM and the second CSM and synchronous command signals generated by the SPI,

wherein the first CSM is configured to receive/transmit data on a first edge of a clock signal and the second CSM is configured to receive/transmit data on the first edge and on a second edge of the clock signal.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising synchronously processing commands in the SPI using the first CSM while the SPI is not in both the DTR mode and the DPD mode.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising synchronously processing commands in the SPI using the second CSM while the SPI is in both the DTR a-mode and the DPD mode.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising doubling a frequency of the clock signal provided to the first CSM responsive to the SPI being in the DTR mode.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising passing processing of commands from the second CSM to the first CSM after processing an exit DPD command sequence by the second CSM.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising passing processing of commands from the second CSM to the first CSM after processing a rescue command sequence by the second CSM.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051028/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050709/0838 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 046597/0333 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047540/0001 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 6 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 1, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044348/0253 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 6 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 1, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044653/0333 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2017
From: MANGALINDAN, PAOLO E.
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 043186/0942 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 13826723 · Mar 14, 2013
Related Publication 20170329363A1 · Nov 16, 2017