UART Peripheral for Key Variable Loader Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for loading encryption keys into two-way radios are limited by their reliance on General Purpose Input Output (GPIO) peripherals, which occupy processing resources and restrict parallel tasking, making them inefficient for handling incoming communications.
Innovation Solution
The use of a Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (UART) peripheral allows for communication with a Key Variable Loader (KVL) without requiring a timer peripheral, utilizing parity error information for validation and enabling parallel processing of encryption commands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If GPIO peripheral is used for KVL communication, then data can be captured from KVL, but processing resources are occupied and parallel tasking is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a UART peripheral as an intermediary device between the KVL and the processor. The UART peripheral handles the high-speed sampling and data capture from the KVL keyfill line, while the processor only needs to read from the UART's receive buffer. This intermediary approach maintains reliable data capture while freeing the processor for parallel tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the processor-direct GPIO sampling mechanism with a UART peripheral-based serial communication system. The UART peripheral's built-in sampling clock and buffer architecture substitute for the processor's direct GPIO polling, achieving the same data capture function with reduced processor involvement and enabled parallel processing.
2Loss of information
If GPIO samples data at high rate to capture complete byte, then no command information is lost, but processing resources are heavily utilized
Solution Approach 1:
The UART peripheral is configured to autonomously sample the KVL keyfill line at the required high rate using its internal sampling clock. The peripheral independently captures complete bytes and stores them in its receive buffer without requiring processor intervention for each sampling operation, thereby preventing information loss while minimizing processor resource consumption.
3Measurement precision
If timer peripheral is used for timing information, then data sampling can be synchronized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The UART peripheral is utilized for multiple functions: it provides both the high-speed data sampling capability and the timing synchronization that would otherwise require separate timer peripheral. The UART's built-in sampling clock and buffer management handle timing precision requirements, eliminating the need for additional timer components and reducing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An encryption key interface system (200) includes a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART) peripheral (209) that communicates with a key variable loader (KVL) (201) through a communications link (205, 207). A driver application (211) associated with the UART peripheral (209) is used to both receive and transmit commands to the KVL (201). The invention operates to allow the driver application (211) to communicate key command information to the KVL (201) without the use of a timer peripheral enabling the system to interface with a much broader range of devices utilizing encryption keys without requiring the use of timer system resources.