Relay SDIO Interface for Multiple Units

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current SDIO host devices can only communicate with a single SDIO slave device through each SDIO interface, limiting the functionality of SDIO cards inserted into standard SD slots without proper drivers and applications, leading to frustration when SDIO cards do not function fully.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a Relay SDIO (RSDIO) system that uses a single SDIO interface to communicate with multiple SDIO units by employing SDIO relay logic to determine if each unit should process commands, allowing for the transmission and processing of SDIO commands and responses across multiple units connected in a relay chain, and utilizing address encoding within SDIO commands to manage device interactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a single SDIO interface communicates with only one SDIO slave device, then the interface is simple and easy to control, but the functionality and device versatility are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice versatilityVSAvoidinterface complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the SDIO interface communication by introducing address fields that divide the communication space into multiple addressable units. Each SDIO device is assigned a unique address, allowing the single interface to selectively communicate with different slave devices based on address matching, thereby enabling multiple devices without proportionally increasing interface complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the single SDIO interface universal by implementing address decoding logic that allows it to communicate with multiple different slave devices through the same physical interface. The interface can dynamically switch between addressing different devices, making one interface serve multiple functions and connect to various device types

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If multiple SDIO devices are connected to a single SDIO interface, then device functionality increases, but the complexity of managing device communication increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transfer efficiencyVSAvoidcommunication management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces address fields and address decoding logic as intermediaries between the host and multiple SDIO devices. This intermediary mechanism automatically routes commands to the correct device based on address matching, reducing the manual management complexity that would otherwise be required to coordinate multiple devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary addressing and device identification during the initialization phase. Devices are pre-assigned addresses and the system performs preliminary device enumeration, so that subsequent data transfers can proceed efficiently without real-time complex management decisions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10127172B2Single SDIO interface with multiple SDIO units

Publication Date: 2018.11.13 QUALCOMM TECH INT

AI summary

A system and method communicates with one of two or more secure digital input output (SDIO) units that only one SDIO unit responds when it is being addressed. The SDIO unit has an SDIO clock input port, an SDIO data bus output port, and an SDIO bidirectional command port. Each SDIO unit has an address indicator within it associated with each SDIO unit. An SDIO unit will not respond to an SDIO command unless an SDIO unit address encoded in the SDIO command matches its address indicator.