Microchip Technology Inc.

Nathan John

John Day

Shannon Poulin

Bruce Negley

A memory device with a switchable clock output. The memory device has a data pin, a clock input pin, and a clock output pin. The memory device is designed to be wired up to a plurality of other memory devices in a daisy chain manner. The clock input pin of the first memory device would be serially coupled to the first memory device. The clock output pin of each memory device would be serially coupled to the clock input pin of a directly successive memory device. The processor can then interrogate the first memory device for the identification information it contains. Once this information is obtained, the processor can issue a command to deactivate the first memory device from responding to bus commands, as well as to output the clock signal via the clock output pin to a directly successive memory device. The processor may then interrogate the next memory device.

Memory device having a switchable clock output and method therefor

A method for allowing flexible multiple access to a serial bus by a plurality of circuit boards. Before a circuit board can be used on a common serial bus with other circuit boards, a unique software address must be assigned to each circuit board. The unique software address is assigned by having a bus master device issue Assign Address commands which utilizes a unique serial number which is stored on each circuit board. The Assign Address command queries each of the circuit boards coupled to the serial bus and assigns a unique software address to each circuit board that fully responds. The Assign Address command is repeated for each circuit board on the serial bus until all of the circuit boards on the serial bus have been assigned a unique software address.

Growing community of inventors

Chandler, AZ, United States of America

Nathan John