Multi-Bus Device Fused Access Node for PMBUS and I2C Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for accessing devices with multiple bus interfaces, such as PMBUS and I2C, result in increased workload and complexity due to the need for separate nodes and information management, leading to inefficiencies in development and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for multi-bus device fused access, where a single instruction with a matching word, initial address, and offset is used to access a fused node, allowing the same device to be treated as a single entity in the device tree, with the fused drive computing addresses for both PMBUS and I2C buses to acquire necessary information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If separate nodes are configured for PMBUS and I2C bus access in the device tree, then complete information access is achieved, but device complexity and workload increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges PMBUS and I2C bus access into a single unified node in the device tree. The fused drive combines multiple bus interfaces (PMBUS and I2C) that previously required separate nodes, allowing a single node to represent and access a device through multiple bus protocols simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The fused drive is designed with multi-functionality to handle both PMBUS and I2C bus protocols through a single node. The adapter within the fused drive can associate the unified node with multiple different bus types, enabling one node to perform the functions that previously required separate dedicated nodes for each bus protocol.
2Loss of information
If multiple separate nodes are created for different bus interfaces, then all device information can be accessed, but development and maintenance efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple bus interface nodes into a single fused node, reducing the number of nodes that developers need to configure and maintain. This merging maintains full information accessibility while significantly improving development and maintenance efficiency by eliminating redundant node management.
Solution Approach 2:
The fused drive provides a universal interface that can access device information through multiple bus protocols (PMBUS, I2C, etc.) from a single node, eliminating the need for separate nodes for each protocol and thereby improving productivity in device tree configuration and maintenance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If dedicated nodes are constructed for each bus interface, then complete device coverage is achieved, but the number of nodes becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple bus interface representations into a single fused node, dramatically reducing the quantity of nodes in the device tree. The fused drive maintains adaptability to multiple interfaces (PMBUS, I2C, etc.) while representing them through one unified node structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The fused drive implements multi-functionality to support multiple bus protocols through a single node, thereby maintaining complete device interface coverage without requiring separate nodes for each interface type. This universality reduces the overall node count while preserving full adaptability.
4Reliability
If separate access methods are used for PMBUS and I2C buses, then protocol-specific access is achieved, but operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fused drive provides a universal access interface that handles both PMBUS and I2C protocols through a single node. The adapter automatically manages protocol-specific access details, allowing users to access devices through a unified method while maintaining the reliability of protocol-specific communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter within the fused drive acts as an intermediary that translates unified node access into protocol-specific operations. It associates the single fused node with multiple bus interfaces and handles the complexity of protocol-specific access internally, simplifying user operations while maintaining access accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a method and apparatus for multi-bus device fused access. The method includes: receiving, by a bus, an instruction for accessing a fused node of a device, which instruction containing a matching word, an initial address, and an offset; performing matching according to the matching word and activating a fused drive; acquiring, by the fused drive, the initial address and the offset from the instruction on the bus respectively; computing an address of a first bus of the device according to the initial address, and computing an address of a second bus of the device according to the initial address and the offset; and accessing the device according to the address of the first bus so as to acquire first information, and accessing the device according to the address of the second bus so as to acquire second information.