I2C Bus Master Slave Abnormal Unit Determination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional I2C bus systems fail to accurately determine whether an abnormality occurs in a bus master unit or a bus slave unit when a low stack condition causes communication failures, as existing techniques cannot differentiate between the two.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus method that involves a first master unit determining an abnormal point in access to a slave unit, requesting a redundant second master unit to access the same slave unit, and combining access results to identify the unit with an abnormality using an abnormal unit determination matrix.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional I2C bus systems use voltage-level monitoring to detect hung-up units, then communication failures can be detected, but the system cannot determine whether the abnormality is in the bus master unit or bus slave unit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the detection function by introducing separate detection mechanisms for master unit abnormalities (via low stack detection in the master's stack) and slave unit abnormalities (via voltage level monitoring on the I2C bus). This segmentation allows the system to identify whether the abnormality originates from the master or slave side, resolving the ambiguity in conventional systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary detection mechanism where the master unit monitors its own stack levels and generates specific abnormality information that indicates whether the problem is master-side or slave-side. This intermediary information layer enables precise abnormality location without requiring direct complex interaction between all components.
2Measurement precision
If the system adds redundant master units to determine abnormal units, then abnormal unit identification accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a redundant master unit configuration where a second master unit copies the functional structure of the first master unit. This copying approach enables the system to perform cross-validation of abnormality detection by having the redundant unit observe the same I2C bus conditions, thereby improving identification accuracy while maintaining a relatively simple replicated structure rather than a completely new system.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus determines an abnormal unit by: determining whether or not there is an abnormal point in access to a slave unit by a first master unit that controls a plurality of slave units connected by a serial bus; requesting a second master unit having redundancy with the first master unit to access a specific slave unit when the abnormal point is determined to exist in access to the specific slave unit in the determining; and determining a unit having an abnormality by use of an access result relating to the abnormal point determined to have an abnormality in the determining and an access result indicating a result of the request made in the requesting.