Nordic Semiconductor Asa

Steffen Wiken

Vegard Endresen

Per-Carsten Skoglund

Joar Rusten

Anders Nore

Arne Wanvik Venås

Karianne Krokan Kragseth

Vegard Endersen

A handshake circuit portion for performing a handshake procedure to facilitate data reception by an associated circuit portion is provided. The handshake circuit portion comprises a request signal input for detecting a request signal from a further handshake circuit portion associated with a further circuit portion, an acknowledge signal output for asserting an acknowledge signal for the further handshake circuit portion, and a blocking signal input for detecting a blocking signal from the associated circuit portion. The handshake circuit portion is arranged to detect a request signal via the request signal input, determine if a blocking signal is present on the blocking signal input, and if a blocking signal is not present on the blocking signal input, respond to the request signal by asserting an acknowledge signal via the acknowledge signal output.

Handshake circuits

A semiconductor integrated-circuit device comprises two processing subsystems, each comprising a respective processor, set of local peripherals, and bridge unit, all connected to a respective local bus. An electrical interconnect joins the respective bridge units. The first bridge unit comprises a task register, accessible over the first local bus, and can be configured to detect a write to the task register, and respond by sending an event signal over the interconnect to the second bridge unit. The second bridge unit can be configured to receive the event signal, and respond by sending an interrupt signal to the second processor.

Inter-processor communication

A serial, half-duplex start/stop event detection circuit comprises a stop detection flip-flop clocked by a serial data input that takes a serial clock input as an input and generates a stop signal output indicative of a stop event. A start detection flip-flop, clocked by an inverted copy of the serial data input, takes the serial clock input as an input and generates a start signal output indicative of a start event. A first buffer flip-flop, clocked by an inverted copy of the serial clock input, takes the start signal output as an input and generates a first delayed start signal output. Similarly, a second buffer flip-flop, clocked by the serial clock input, takes the first delayed start signal output as an input and generates a second delayed start signal output. The second delayed start signal output resets at least one of said stop detection, start detection or first buffer flip-flops.

Communication between integrated circuits

Growing community of inventors

Trondheim, Norway

Steffen Wiken