Parallel SPI Slave Communication for Synchronized Power Converters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional serial-communication-method communication apparatuses using SPI face challenges with prolonged communication times and timing differences among slaves, particularly in electric power converters with low processing ability, leading to potential secondary failures.
Innovation Solution
A communication apparatus with a master communication unit that simultaneously outputs signals to multiple slave communication units, utilizing a logical operation unit to manage synchronization and data transmission, allowing for efficient communication even with low-processing-ability circuit configurations and reducing timing differences among electric power conversion units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a data bus is shared to reduce the number of communication lines, then the number of communication lines is reduced, but communication time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the communication system into multiple independent communication paths, with each slave device having its own dedicated data bus connected to the master device. This segmentation eliminates the need for slaves to share a common data bus, allowing simultaneous communication with multiple slaves without the timing conflicts and delays inherent in shared-bus architectures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a one-dimensional shared bus architecture to a two-dimensional matrix-like architecture where the master device connects to multiple slaves through separate parallel paths. This dimensional change allows multiple communication operations to occur simultaneously across different paths, dramatically reducing total communication time while maintaining a reasonable number of connection lines.
2Device complexity
If a shared data bus is used, then device complexity is reduced, but processing ability and communication speed are limited
Solution Approach 1:
By providing dedicated data buses for each slave device, the system segments the communication paths to enable parallel processing. Each communication path operates independently, allowing the master device to communicate with multiple slaves simultaneously, thereby significantly improving communication processing speed without requiring complex arbitration or timing control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces separate data bus lines as intermediaries between the master device and each slave device. These dedicated bus lines act as direct communication channels that eliminate the need for complex sharing protocols and arbitration logic, simplifying the overall control mechanism while enabling high-speed parallel communication.
3Reliability
If communication time is prolonged, then communication reliability may improve, but timing synchronization among slaves deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication architecture into independent parallel paths, allowing each slave device to receive commands and execute operations simultaneously without waiting for others. This eliminates the cumulative timing delays that occur in sequential shared-bus communication, maintaining precise timing synchronization across all slaves while ensuring reliable communication through dedicated error-free paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The master device sends communication commands to multiple slave devices simultaneously through dedicated data buses, allowing all slaves to begin their operations at the same predetermined time. This preliminary simultaneous action prevents timing drift and synchronization errors that would otherwise accumulate during prolonged sequential communication sequences.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention is an SPI-communication-method communication apparatus that has a plurality of slave communication units for a single master communication unit and an electric power converter utilizing the communication apparatus; the master communication unit outputs communication signals simultaneously to all of the slave communication units and separately reads respective data signals outputted by the slave communication units, in accordance with a priority.