Pulse or digital communications – Transceivers – Transmission interface between two stations or terminals
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-03
2001-02-20
Pham, Chi H. (Department: 2731)
Pulse or digital communications
Transceivers
Transmission interface between two stations or terminals
C340S315000, C375S285000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06192069
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates generally to semiconductor devices and, more particularly, to inter-device signal transfer circuitry and methodology.
BACKGROUND ART
Modern semiconductor integrated circuit devices, or “chips,” form their electrical connections with the outside world through pins. In particular, pins are used to supply power and ground reference potentials to the chip. For example, a CMOS or TTL semiconductor device receives a supply potential of 5 V through one pin, and a ground potential of 0 V through another pin. Integrated circuits implemented in other forms of logic, such as ECL, receive other reference potential levels as supply and ground and may even receive a plurality of supply potentials.
Pins are also used to carry electrical signals between chips. Specifically, pins provide electrical connections for transferring bit data from one chip to another. Conventional chips use multiple pins to input and output multiple bit data. For example, in
FIG. 1
, conventional IC
100
transmits 8-bit parallel data (a “byte”) to IC
110
using transmit data pins D
0
to D
7
and transmit data strobe pin TDS. Transmit data strobe pin TDS is used for signalling that the multiple-bit data on pins D
0
to D
7
are valid. IC
110
receives the byte at pins D
0
to D
7
, when signaled by received data strobe RDS. Pins D
0
to D
7
in
FIG. 1
are bidirectional, allowing for data to be both transmitted and received through the same pins.
IC
100
further comprises receive data strobe pin RDS for receiving a signal indicating that data on pins D
0
to D
7
are ready to be read. In this configuration, the number of pins required for signalling is ten and the number of pins required for receiving reference potentials is two, for a total of twelve pins for each chip.
Pins, although necessary, consume space on the chip and often require expensive packaging. Therefore, a need exists to greatly reduce the number of pins required by semiconductor devices.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, a circuit for transferring signals between chips comprises a power supply pin. The power supply pin couples the chip to a power supply line. A first filter is coupled to the power supply pin and functional elements of the chip for supplying a low-frequency signal from the power supply line to the chip functional elements. A second filter is coupled between the power supply pin and a transceiver for supplying the transceiver with high-frequency signal components of the power supply line. The transceiver, coupled to the second filter and chip functional elements, is configured for serializing and deserializing multiple bit data received from and supplied to the power supply line for signal transfer between chips.
In another aspect of the invention, a network of semiconductor devices comprises a common power supply line, with each semiconductor device having a power supply pin coupled to the power supply line. A first filter is coupled to the power supply pin and functional elements of the chip for supplying a low-frequency signal from the power supply line to the chip functional elements. A second filter is coupled between the power supply pin and a transceiver for supplying the transceiver with high-frequency signal components from the power supply line. The transceiver, coupled to the second filter and chip functional elements, is configured for serializing and deserializing multiple bit data for the chip functional elements as high-frequency components from and to the power supply line.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method for communicating between a source semiconductor device and a destination semiconductor device comprises the step of serializing bits into a serial data stream and outputting the serial data stream to a power supply line. The method includes filtering out the serial data stream as high frequency components from the power supply and deserializing the serial data stream.
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Advanced Micro Devices , Inc.
Corrielus Jean B.
Pham Chi H.
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