IP Library Granted Patent US 9,652,431
Granted Patent B2
US 9,652,431 · App. 14/605,135 · Granted May 16, 2017

Single wire communications using predictive host sampling window

Inventor: Eustace Ngwa Asanghanwa (Colorado Springs, CO)
Assignee: Atmel Corporation
G06F13/4265G06F1/266G06F13/40
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,652,431
App. No.
14/605,135
Granted
May 16, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and techniques for single-wire communications are described. A described system includes a host device, and a slave device coupled with the host device via a single-wire bus. The host device can be configured to transmit synchronization information based on transitions over the single-wire bus. The slave device can be configured to detect the transitions on the single-wire bus, determine timing information of the host device based on a first transition of the transitions and a second transition of the transitions, determine a predicted start time of a host sampling window based on the timing information, and determine, based on a predicted charging duration, whether to perform a charge operation before the predicted start time or after a predicted end time of the host sampling window. The charge operation can include drawing power from the single-wire bus to charge the device.

Claims (42)

1. A device comprising:

a detector configured to detect transitions on a single-wire bus that are produced by a host, wherein the transitions provide synchronization information;

circuitry configured to (i) determine timing information of the host based on a first transition of the transitions and a second transition of the transitions, and (ii) determine a predicted start time of a host sampling window based on the timing information; and

a controller configured to determine, based on a predicted charging duration, whether to perform a charge operation before the predicted start time or after a predicted end time of the host sampling window, wherein the charge operation comprises drawing power from the single-wire bus to charge the device.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to perform the charge operation before the predicted start time of the host sampling window based on the predicted charging duration reflecting that the charging operation is to complete before the predicted start time of the host sampling window.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to perform the charge operation after the predicted end time of the host sampling window based on the predicted charging duration reflecting that the charging operation is not to complete before the predicted start time of the host sampling window.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the charge operation comprises maintaining the single-wire bus at a high state.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to determine the timing information of the host based, at least in part, on a timing measurement from a first falling edge of the transitions to a second falling edge of the transitions.

6. The device of claim 1 , comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a bit of information requested by the host over the single-wire bus for at least a duration that spans the host sampling window,

wherein the transmitter is configured to pull the single-wire bus to a first voltage level if the bit of information represents a first bit state, and wherein the transmitter is configured to maintain the single-wire bus at a second voltage level if the bit of information represents a second bit state, wherein the second voltage level is higher than the first voltage level.

7. The device of claim 1 , comprising:

a non-volatile memory structure; and

a processor configured to perform an operation responsive to a command received over the single-wire bus, wherein the bit of information is retrieved from the non-volatile memory structure in response to the command.

8. A method comprising:

detecting, at a slave device, a first transition on a single-wire bus that is produced by a host device;

detecting a second transition on the single-wire bus that is produced by the host device, wherein the first transition and the second transition provide synchronization information;

determining timing information of the host device based on the first transition and the second transition;

determining, based on the timing information, a predicted start time of a host sampling window; and

determining, based on a predicted charging duration, whether to perform a charge operation before the predicted start time or after a predicted end time of the host sampling window, wherein the charge operation comprises drawing power from the single-wire bus to charge the slave device.

9. The method of claim 8 , comprising:

performing the charge operation before the predicted start time of the host sampling window based on the predicted charging duration reflecting that the charging operation is to complete before the predicted start time of the host sampling window.

10. The method of claim 8 , comprising:

performing the charge operation after the predicted end time of the host sampling window based on the predicted charging duration reflecting that the charging operation is not to complete before the predicted start time of the host sampling window.

11. The method of claim 8 , transmitting a bit of information requested by the host device over the single-wire bus for at least a duration that spans the host sampling window, wherein transmitting the bit of information comprises:

pulling the single-wire bus to a first voltage level if the bit of information represents a first bit state; and

maintaining the single-wire bus at a second voltage level if the bit of information represents a second bit state, wherein the second voltage level is higher than the first voltage level.

12. A system comprising:

a host device; and

a slave device coupled with the host device via a single-wire bus,

wherein the host device is configured to transmit synchronization information based on transitions over the single-wire bus,

wherein the slave device is configured to (i) detect the transitions on the single-wire bus, (ii) determine timing information of the host device based on a first transition of the transitions and a second transition of the transitions, (iii) determine a predicted start time of a host sampling window based on the timing information, and (iv) determine, based on a predicted charging duration, whether to perform a charge operation before the predicted start time or after a predicted end time of the host sampling window, wherein the charge operation comprises drawing power from the single-wire bus to charge the device.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the slave device is configured to perform the charge operation before the predicted start time of the host sampling window based on the predicted charging duration reflecting that the charging operation is to complete before the predicted start time of the host sampling window.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the slave device is configured to perform the charge operation after the predicted end time of the host sampling window based on the predicted charging duration reflecting that the charging operation is not to complete before the predicted start time of the host sampling window.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the charge operation comprises maintaining the single-wire bus at a high state.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the slave device is configured to determine the timing information of the host device based, at least in part, on a timing measurement from a first falling edge of the transitions to a second falling edge of the transitions.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the slave device is configured to transmit a bit of information requested by the host device over the single-wire bus for at least a duration that spans the host sampling window.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the slave device is configured to pull the single-wire bus to a first voltage level if the bit of information represents a first bit state, and wherein the slave device is configured to maintain the single-wire bus at a second voltage level if the bit of information represents a second bit state, wherein the second voltage level is higher than the first voltage level.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the slave device comprises:

a non-volatile memory structure; and

a processor configured to perform an operation responsive to a command received over the single-wire bus, wherein the bit of information is retrieved from the non-volatile memory structure in response to the command.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the host device comprises a dynamic clock generator, and a processor that is responsive to an output of the dynamic clock generator, wherein a timing of the transitions are responsive to the output of the dynamic clock generator.

Assignments (16)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059262/0105 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059333/0222 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047103/0206 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 046426/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041715/0747 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 16, 2015
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ISSUING BANK AND SWINGLINE LENDER
Reel/Frame 035918/0451 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 28, 2015
From: ASANGHANWA, EUSTACE NGWA
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 034827/0657 →
Continuity (1)
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