Peripheral Function Remapping for Limited IC I/O Pins
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated circuit devices often have more peripheral functions than can be activated at once due to limited external input-output connections, leading to inflexibility and reduced functionality.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of fully remappable peripheral functions and dynamic mapping registers allows users to configure and reconfigure input and output connections, enabling more efficient use of available connections and preventing multiple functions from being active simultaneously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If multiple peripheral functions are hardwired onto a single external connection, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability and versatility of the integrated circuit device deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic remapping of peripheral functions to external connections through programmable mapping registers. The peripheral function connections are no longer fixed but can be dynamically reconfigured by writing to control registers, allowing the same physical connection to serve different peripheral functions based on application requirements. This resolves the contradiction by making the system adaptable without requiring complex hardwired connections for each possible function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal external connection interface that can serve multiple peripheral functions through software configuration. Each external connection is designed to be multi-functional, capable of being mapped to different peripheral functions via mapping registers. This allows a single connection to universally support various functions (UART, SPI, I2C, etc.) without requiring dedicated hardwired paths for each, thus reducing hardware complexity while maintaining versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more peripheral functions are included in the integrated circuit device, then the adaptability and versatility improve, but the device complexity increases due to more external connections required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple peripheral function interfaces into a unified remappable connection framework. Instead of providing separate dedicated external connections for each peripheral function, the patent combines them into a shared pool of connections that can be dynamically assigned to different functions through mapping registers. This consolidation reduces the number of physical external connections needed while maintaining support for a large number of peripheral functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic configuration capability where the mapping between peripheral functions and external connections is not fixed but can be changed through software. Mapping registers allow runtime reconfiguration of which peripheral function is connected to which external pin, enabling the same physical connection to serve different functions as needed. This dynamic approach allows supporting more functions with fewer physical connections.
3Productivity
If peripheral functions are time-multiplexed onto external connections, then the productivity of external connections improves, but the reliability may deteriorate due to potential conflicts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through mapping registers that track and control the assignment of peripheral functions to external connections. The system monitors the configuration state and ensures that only one peripheral function is active on each external connection at any given time. This feedback control prevents signal conflicts and integrity issues that could arise from improper time-multiplexing, while still allowing multiple functions to share connections through controlled time-multiplexing.
Data Source
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AI summary
Peripheral functions of an integrated circuit device may be pooled and dynamically mapped to available external input-output connections of the integrated circuit device by using a set of configuration registers. To provide system robustness, the configuration registers may implement various levels of write protection, error correction and monitoring circuitry. One or more peripheral output functions may be mapped to one or more external output connections. Not more than one output function may be active at the same time on the same output connection. Outputs and inputs may be mapped to the same external input- output connection with or without the output being controllable for placement into an inactive state, e.g., high impedance or open collector. When the input is required to receive external data over the external input-output connection, the output may be placed into the inactive state.