Multidrop Serial Bus Coexistence Management via Datagram Register Addressing
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Solution Overview
Problem
High bus latency and congestion in serial communication systems, particularly in multi-radio devices, hinder low-latency communication and coexistence management, limiting the number of sensors and RF devices that can be effectively connected and operated concurrently.
Innovation Solution
A multidrop serial bus is adapted for coexistence management by using a datagram with a register address as a coexistence management identifier, allowing for multidirectional messaging and efficient transmission of coexistence management messages through a line driver activation mechanism, reducing bus contention and latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a multi-drop serial bus is used to support multiple RF devices and sensors, then device connectivity and functionality are improved, but bus latency and congestion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the bus communication into priority-based channels or time slots, allowing high-priority coexistence management messages to be transmitted separately from lower-priority data traffic. This segmentation reduces contention and latency for critical messages while maintaining support for multiple devices on the same bus.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-allocating specific time slots or communication windows for high-priority coexistence management traffic before lower-priority data transmission begins. This ensures that time-sensitive messages are transmitted without delay from bus contention, while still allowing multiple devices to share the bus infrastructure.
2Productivity
If multiple devices are concurrently active on the serial bus, then device functionality is improved, but bus contention and latency degradation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic action by organizing bus access into regular time slots or cycles, where different devices are granted bus access in a predetermined sequence. This periodic structure allows multiple devices to function concurrently over time while preventing simultaneous access conflicts, thereby maintaining low latency for time-sensitive operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by implementing dynamic priority arbitration that adjusts bus access rights based on real-time message urgency and device requirements. High-priority coexistence management messages can dynamically preempt lower-priority traffic, allowing the system to adapt to changing conditions while supporting multiple active devices.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional serial bus protocols are used for coexistence management, then protocol compatibility is improved, but message transmission efficiency and latency performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality by designing a communication framework that operates over existing standard serial bus protocols (I2C, I3C, SPI) while adding layered coexistence management functionality. This allows the system to maintain protocol compatibility for broad device support while implementing efficient priority-based message transmission through additional control mechanisms and message formats.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary coexistence management layer that sits between the physical bus protocol and the application-layer communication needs. This intermediary layer translates high-priority coexistence messages into bus-compatible transactions while maintaining efficient transmission, effectively mediating between protocol compatibility requirements and performance optimization goals.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and apparatus for multi-drop coexistence management are described. A data communication apparatus has a bus interface that couples the data communication apparatus to a serial bus and a controller configured to determine that a datagram received from the serial bus is addressed to a register address corresponding to a coexistence management identifier, activate a line driver of the bus interface circuit that is coupled to a data line of the serial bus during a portion of a first payload of the datagram when one or more coexistence management messages are ready for sending from the slave device, where the portion of the first payload of the datagram is allocated for use of the apparatus, and transmit a first coexistence management message in the portion of the first payload of the datagram that is allocated for use of the data communication apparatus.