Multi-Master Hybrid Bus Bridge Circuit for RFFE and SuBUS Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hybrid bus apparatuses are limited in their ability to efficiently bridge single-wire serial bus (SuBUS) slaves to multiple radio frequency front-end (RFFE) masters, leading to increased cost and footprint in electronic devices like smartphones.
Innovation Solution
A multi-master hybrid bus apparatus with a hybrid bus bridge circuit that couples multiple RFFE buses to single-wire buses, enabling flexible heterogeneous bus deployment by converting command sequences and data payloads between different bus types, thereby reducing the need for multiple SuBUS bridge circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple SuBUS bridge circuits are used to bridge SuBUS slaves to multiple RFFE masters, then the ability to support multiple masters is improved, but the cost and footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hybrid bus bridge circuit is designed to perform multiple functions: it can bridge SuBUS slaves to a single RFFE master, or to multiple RFFE masters simultaneously. The circuit includes multiple RFFE bus interfaces (first RFFE bus interface, second RFFE bus interface, etc.) that allow it to handle communications with multiple masters through a single SuBUS slave, eliminating the need for separate bridge circuits for each master.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple SuBUS bridge circuit functions are merged into a single hybrid bus bridge circuit. The patent combines the capabilities of multiple individual bridge circuits into one unified circuit that can handle multiple RFFE masters through a single SuBUS slave interface, thereby reducing the overall number of bridge circuits needed in the system.
2Device complexity
If a single-wire SuBUS is used instead of two-wire RFFE bus, then the footprint and cost are reduced, but the data rate and communication capability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The hybrid bus bridge circuit acts as an intermediary between the SuBUS and RFFE bus protocols. It receives data from the SuBUS slave at lower data rates, buffers and processes the data, then transmits it to RFFE masters at higher data rates. This mediator approach allows the system to benefit from both the low-cost SuBUS interface and the high-performance RFFE interface without requiring the SuBUS itself to operate at high speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters (data rate, protocol format) of data transmission depending on the bus type being used. The hybrid bus bridge circuit translates and adapts data parameters between the two different bus protocols, allowing SuBUS slaves to communicate effectively with RFFE masters despite their different operational characteristics.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-master hybrid bus apparatus is provided. The multi-master hybrid bus apparatus includes a hybrid bus bridge circuit configured to couple multiple master circuits with one or more slave circuits via heterogeneous communication buses. In examples discussed herein, the multiple master circuits can correspond to multiple physically separated master circuits or multiple bus ports provided in a single master circuit. In a non-limiting example, the hybrid bus bridge circuit is coupled to the multiple master circuits via multiple radio frequency front-end (RFFE) buses and to the slave circuits via at least one single-wire bus (SuBUS) consisting of a single wire. By bridging the multiple master circuits to the slave circuits based on a single hybrid bus bridge circuit, it may be possible to enable flexible heterogeneous bus deployment in an electronic device (e.g., a smartphone) with reduced cost and/or footprint.