IP Library Patent Application 15373391
Patent Application
App. No. 15/373,391

SPI Interface With Slave-Select Fault Detection And Status Signal

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
15/373,391
Abstract

A serial peripheral interface (SPI) module includes a transceiver including a clock line, a data line and at least one slave select line. The module also includes an interface circuit configured to monitor the slave select line and assert a fault based upon an incorrect de-assertion of the slave select line.

Claims (35)

1 . A serial peripheral interface (SPI) module, comprising:

a transceiver including a clock line, a data line and at least one slave select line; and

an interface circuit configured to monitor the slave select line and assert a fault based upon an incorrect de-assertion of the slave select line.

2 . The SPI module according to claim 1 , wherein the fault is stored in a status or control register.

3 . The SPI module according to claim 1 , further comprising a configuration register defining the number of bits per transmission.

4 . The SPI module according to claim 1 , wherein the interface circuit is further configured to assert a fault based upon a de-assertion of the slave select line before an expected number of bits is received at the module from a master module.

5 . The SPI module according to claim 1 , wherein the interface circuit is further configured to assert a fault based upon a de-assertion of the slave select line after more than an expected number of bits is received at the module from a master module.

6 . The SPI module according to claim 1 , wherein the interface circuit is further configured to assert a fault based upon a noisy slave select line.

7 . The SPI module according to claim 1 , further comprising a counter configured to store an expected number of bits.

8 . The SPI module according to claim 1 , further comprising a counter configured to store an expected number of bits, wherein the interface circuit is configured to decrement the counter upon a received bit.

9 . The SPI module according to claim 1 :

further comprising a counter configured to store an expected number of bits; and

wherein the interface circuit is configured to:

decrement the counter upon a received bit; and

assert a fault based upon a de-assertion of the slave select line when the counter is nonzero.

10 . A microcontroller, comprising:

a transceiver including a clock line, a data line and at least one slave select line; and

an interface circuit configured to monitor the slave select line and assert a fault based upon an incorrect de-assertion of the slave select line.

11 . A method for evaluating serial peripheral interface communication, comprising:

receiving data through a clock line, a data line and at least one slave select line;

monitoring the slave select line; and

asserting a fault based upon an incorrect de-assertion of the slave select line.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising storing the fault in a status or control register.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising storing, in a configuration register, the number of bits per transmission.

14 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising asserting a fault based upon a de-assertion of the slave select line before an expected number of bits is received at the module from a master module.

15 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising asserting a fault based upon a de-assertion of the slave select line after more than an expected number of bits is received at the module from a master module.

16 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising asserting a fault based upon a noisy slave select line.

17 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising storing an expected number of a bits in a counter.

18 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

storing an expected number of a bits in a counter; and

decrementing the counter upon a received bit.

19 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

storing an expected number of a bits in a counter;

decrementing the counter upon a received bit; and

asserting a fault based upon a de-assertion of the slave select line when the counter is nonzero.

Assignments (5)
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 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 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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2018
From: KILZER, KEVIN; RAMANATHAN, SHYAMSUNDER; RAJARAMAN, SAI KARTHIK; MILKS, JUSTIN
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 046514/0695 →
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 →