Clock-less Half-Duplex Repeater for Low-Voltage eUSB2 Bridging

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Solution Overview

Problem

The standard USB2 specification faces integration challenges due to high voltage signaling, which is not suitable for advanced semiconductor processes and results in high power consumption, making it unsuitable for mobile platforms.

Innovation Solution

The eUSB2 solution reduces voltage cost and power consumption by using 1.0 Volt digital signaling for Low-Speed and Full-Speed operations and 0.2 V differential signaling for High-Speed interfaces, employing a clock-less half-duplex repeater to bridge communications between USB2 and low-voltage signaling interfaces without a clock source.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If 3.3 Volt analog signaling is used for USB2 communication, then signal strength is sufficient for reliable communication, but power consumption is high and integration is difficult in advanced semiconductor processes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the voltage parameter from 3.3V to 1.0V for digital signaling and to 0.2V for differential signaling, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining communication functionality through adaptive signal detection and level translation mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If 3.3 Volt analog signaling is used for USB2 communication, then communication compatibility is maintained, but integration is challenging in advanced semiconductor processes with low geometry

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication compatibilityVSAvoidintegration ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The eUSB2 repeater acts as an intermediary device between USB2 and eUSB2 interfaces, performing voltage level translation and signal adaptation to enable communication between different voltage domains without requiring changes to existing USB2 hardware

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If clock data recovery is implemented to decode and retime data packets, then data transmission accuracy is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transmission accuracyVSAvoidrepeater complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the clock data recovery function from the eUSB2 repeater, relying instead on the host controller to perform timing recovery and data decoding, thereby simplifying the repeater design and reducing power consumption while maintaining data transmission accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP2867782B1A clock-less half-duplex repeater

Publication Date: 2019.04.24 INTEL CORP

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AI summary

A method and system for communicating data between two devices are described herein. The method detects an electrical signal of a first protocol from a first device in a repeater, wherein the first protocol comprises single-ended signaling. The method also determines the speed of the electrical signal. Additionally, the method converts the electrical signal of the first protocol into an electrical signal of a second protocol based on the speed of the electrical signal. The second protocol comprises differential signaling. Furthermore, the method sends the electrical signal of the second protocol to a second device. In addition, the method stops the electrical signal of the second protocol to the second device when the electrical signal of the second protocol indicates an end of data flow.