Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Intrasystem connection – Bus access regulation
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-01
2001-09-04
Beausoleil, Robert (Department: 2181)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Intrasystem connection
Bus access regulation
C710S063000, C710S064000, C710S072000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286073
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to interfaces for communicating data between personal computers and external devices. More specifically, the invention relates to integrated circuit interfaces.
2. Description of the Related Art
The integrated circuit to integrated circuit (“I
2
C”, pronounced “eye—square—see”) interface is a two wire, synchronous, serial interface that was developed by Philips Electronics so that integrated circuits (IC's) could talk to one another and transfer information between IC's without signal degradation. The I
2
C interface is used extensively in micro controller—based professional, consumer and telecommunications applications as a control, diagnostic and power management bus. The I
2
C interface utilizes a simple, bi-directional 2-wire, serial data (SDA) and serial clock (SCL) bus for inter—IC control. Each of the devices containing integrated circuits is recognized by the I
2
C bus with a unique address, and can operate as either a receiver - homing device, or as a transmitter with the capability to both receive and send information.
Today, the I
2
C bus can operate at up to 400 Kbits per second, and has 19 bit addressing. Its current implementation allows level shifting, and fully bi-directional data transfer between I
2
C devices operating from different supply voltages. Ten bits are used for the external device addresses, allowing for up to 1,024 additional addresses to prevent problems associated with allocation of share addresses as the number of I
2
C devices rapidly expands. The remaining nine bits are used as command bits. The I
2
C interface specification is publicly available from Phillips Electronics and can be found either at the Phillips Electronics Web Site, www-US
2
.semiconductors.phillips.com/I
2
C/, or can be obtained from Phillips by writing to them and requesting a copy. The I
2
C interface specification is specifically incorporated herein by reference.
While the I
2
C interface provides an elegant and simple solution for interfacing integrated circuits to one another, when it is necessary to interface an external I
2
C device with a personal computer, additional hardware is typically needed which is expensive, cumbersome to use and not versatile. Thus, the integrated circuit art has not heretofore created a solution for simple and effective I
2
C interfacing between a personal computer and any I
2
C device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aforementioned long felt needs are fulfilled, and problems solved, by interfaces in accordance with the present invention for communicating data between a personal computer and an external device. The interfaces preferably comprise a first device for transferring data between the personal computer and the external device, said first device adapted to communicate with an integrated circuit interface on the external device. Even more preferably, the interface further comprises a second device in communication with said first device for generating the data.
In a further preferred aspect of the invention, methods of transferring integrated circuit commands between an external device having an integrated circuit interface thereon solve the aforementioned long felt needs. The methods preferably comprise the step of reading an address byte from the integrated circuit interface on the external device. Even more preferably, writing the address byte is accomplished to an address buffer on the personal computer. Still more preferably, transferring data from the personal computer is accomplished to the external device through a connector that is connected to the integrated circuit interface on the external device. Still more preferably, determining whether a next address should be read occurs through the integrated circuit interface on the external device.
The methods and apparatus disclosed and claimed herein provide efficient and effective devices and methods for I
2
C interfacing between an external device and a personal computer. Interface devices in accordance with the present invention are economical to fabricate, and allow for universal interfacing between external devices and personal computers, in a test or other environment. Such needs have not heretofore been achieved in the integrated circuit art.
The invention will be best understood by those with skill of the art by reading the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, in conjunction with the drawings which are first described briefly below.
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patent: 5423697 (1995-06-01), MacGregor
patent: 5638530 (1997-06-01), Pawate et al.
patent: 5778205 (1998-07-01), Orimoto
patent: 5812798 (1998-09-01), Moyer et al.
patent: 5928341 (1999-07-01), Liang
patent: 6081856 (2000-06-01), Comer
patent: 6131125 (2000-10-01), Rostoker et al.
patent: 6151652 (2000-11-01), Kondo et al.
Beausoleil Robert
Lucent Technologies - Inc.
Phan Raymond N
LandOfFree
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