Synchronous Bus Signal Encoding for Energy Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In complex digital electronic systems, the energy consumption is significantly affected by the number of transitions on the data bus, and existing techniques for reducing bus switching activity are inefficient, especially for larger buses.
Innovation Solution
A method and circuit system for synchronous binary digital signal transmission that compresses signals by encoding one signal onto another, reducing the number of transitions on the bus, utilizing flip-flops and logic gates to encode and decode the signals efficiently, allowing for transmission over fewer bus leads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If signals are transmitted without compression, then data integrity is maintained, but bus switching activity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple signals into a single compressed signal by encoding the first signal onto the second signal. This is achieved by inverting the second signal when the first signal is high, effectively combining both signals into one. The receiver then separates them by detecting transitions and inverting accordingly, thus reducing bus switching activity while maintaining data integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of signal representation by transforming two separate binary signals into a single encoded signal with modified transition characteristics. The encoding process modifies the second signal's transitions based on the first signal's state, changing the signal's parameter space to achieve compression without information loss.
2Loss of energy
If signals are compressed by encoding one signal onto another, then bus switching activity is reduced, but hardware complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The encoding and decoding processes are designed to be self-service through the use of existing signal transitions. The encoder uses the second signal's transitions to carry the first signal's information, and the decoder uses the same transitions to recover both signals. This self-service approach minimizes the need for additional complex hardware components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs inversion as a key mechanism. The encoder inverts the second signal when the first signal is high, and the decoder inverts the received signal to recover the original signals. This inversion technique simplifies the hardware requirements by using basic logic operations rather than complex encoding/decoding circuits.
3Productivity
If more bits are transmitted over fewer leads, then transmission efficiency improves, but switching activity on the bus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the transmission of multiple bits onto a single lead by encoding the first signal onto the second signal. This allows two signals to be transmitted over one bus lead, improving transmission efficiency. The merging is achieved through careful coordination of signal transitions and inversion, ensuring that both signals can be recovered at the receiver without increasing switching activity.
Data Source
AI summary
N binary signals are transmitted through a bus of m leads, where m<n, at the rhythm of a train of clock pulses by encoding a first signal on a second signal. The encoding provides for the information associated with the first signal to be included in the second signal within a predetermined time interval of the clock period preceding each reading clock pulse. In this way one obtains a reduction of the switching activity on the bus and therefore a reduction of the energy consumption.