An integrated circuit having a generic communication interface

The Invention relates to the field of integrated circuits with a Communication interface, such as micro controllers and / or systems on a chip, with a variety of peripheral devices need to communicate.

A is variety of integrated circuit systems of the prior Technology known which comprise more than one processing unit. Information is exchanged between the processing units via transmission channels, while the communication interface by means of communication modules and physical connections is realized. In an embedded Microcontroller environment in which an information processing unit with different peer processing units and / or Communication peripherals must replace, must the Processing unit to support all the communication protocols by any peer and / or communication peripheral in terms Hardware and software are used.

The Communication module hardware implements the physical connection from the transmission channel to / from the processing unit. The limit of the hardware section the module is formed by a register interface.

The Communication module software is divided into a number of function blocks. The processing unit peripherals need to be initialized, to even to allow communication. Initialization is the Initialisierungssoftwareabschnitt the communication module software performed. The driver software is the portion of the overall communication software, to the register interface the communication module hardware accesses and data between the Communication interface and the internal memory of the processing unit exchanges. The driver software is active after initialization, while Data is communicated on flawless manner. application software working on the internal memory of the processing unit held Data after reception and provides data to the internal memory of the processing unit for transmission. The error of the software communication module software to respond the occurrence of an error in the data transmission signaling such a condition to the application software, and allows that the impaired communication software through an error states recovered.

currently available Processing units (old microcontroller devices, own communication peripheral ICs, ...) Implement for each communication module hardware that on in every respect is tailored communication interface. This approach requires by specific software for each communication channel on initialisation, driver, and error level. Consequently, the technical complexity of implementing and testing proportional of communications software and program memory requirements to the number of the supported Communication interfaces. The goal of reducing the technical effort and the program memory requirements calls for a new approach for a Communication module interface.

Out the document <patcit><text>US 5,822,553</text></patcit> is a high-power peripheral I / O controller for transferring data between a central processor and more networking and communications-related peripheral devices via register interface known.

<figref idrefs="S11">1</figref> shows a typical example of a system according to the prior art. The system comprises communication interfaces I, II, ..., N (CI1, CI2, CIN) on. Each of the communication interfaces has their for the own communication interface I, II, ..., N-specific Register interface (SRI1, SRI2, SRIN) on. Likewise has each of the communication interfaces I, II, ..., N own Driver software I, II, ... N (SDS1, SDS2, SDSN), which with the for the Communication interface I, II, ..., N specific register interface (SRI1, SRI2, SRIN) communicates. The driver software (SDS 1, SDS2, SDSN) for communication with a specific communication interface (CI1, CI2, CIN) is invoked by the application software (AS) a communication interface independent call routine for the required having communication. The realization of specific register interface (SRI1, SRI2, SRIN) for each communication interface (CI1, CI2, CIN) and the programming of its own driver software (SDS 1, SDS2, SDSN) is both in terms on time and on cost expensive.

It is therefore an object of the present invention, an improved provide integrated circuit, the disadvantages of the prior art softens.

The This invention is based on a software-friendly configuration the communication module register interface. According to a preferred embodiment, the invention separates communication interface specific communication interface Register contents of those in all communication interfaces to disposal to stand.

For example implement all communication interfaces common Regis sterol&lt;?page 3?&gt;consider general status and control register functions and data registers. If the register contents are arranged such that the same register functionality is accessible at the same location within a register and that all Registers are placed in the same order can be identical software data structures on each communications interface apply.

The This invention is advantageous because all software within the driver software blocks, the work on these data structures, be independent from the communication interface can be worked on. Only one driver software needs implemented to be that an abstract identifier and a data structure Index associated with each communication module.

It is a particular advantage of the present invention that the driver software is implemented only once, what the technical complexity and the program memory requirements reduced. In addition, the effort and the price for testing greatly reduced since the driver software tested only once must become.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the invention can realize communication interface specific Register content capabilities communication-specific initialization and error status. Just such specific functions would specific software for some Initialization and error handling software functions require. However, that specific software functions are to be compared several software drivers is very limited in terms of size.

According to the invention includes a method for communicating data between a primary processing unit and several external peripherals via several communication interfaces a plurality of communication protocols, where a set of registers each communication interface is designed such that a specific register functionality independently of a selection of the first or second communication interface accessible is, the steps of: associating each communication interface with an abstract identifier and a data structure index, determining with which external peripheral data to be exchanged, identifying the respective communication interface, initialising the certain external peripheral device via communication interface specific Registers of the identified communication interface, exchanging data and general status and control information with the certain external peripheral device via the communication interfaces independent set of registers of the identified communication interface, and Controlling an error status of certain external peripheral device via communication interface specific register of the identified communication interface.

in the following text the invention will be with reference to the drawings in more detail described. Show it:

<figref idrefs="S11">1</figref> on Schematic diagram of an integrated circuit system according to the prior of the technique,

<figref idrefs="S11">2</figref> on Schematic diagram of one embodiment an integrated circuit system according to the invention,

<figref idrefs="S12">3</figref> a Illustration of an exemplary application of the present Invention.

In the integrated circuit system as in <figref idrefs="S11">2</figref> illustrated there is only one driver software (IDS), which is communication interfaces independently. This is compared to multiple driver software (SDS 1, SDS2, SDSN) specifically for each communication interface (CI1, CI2, CIN) as shown in <figref idrefs="S11">1</figref> respect of Prior art shown.

As in <figref idrefs="S11">2</figref> shown, communicates the application software (AS) of the integrated circuit system of communication interfaces independent manner with the driver software (IDS).

The Driver software (IDS) communicates with external peripherals via a available Communication interfaces (CI1, CI2, CIN), ie communication interface I, II, ..., N. Each of the communication interface (CI1, CI2, CIN) has a communication interface independent register interface (IRI1, IRI2, IRIN) on. To those communication interfaces independent register interface (IRI1, IRI2, IRIN) to implement the corresponding registers to register functionalities grouped, which are all common communication interfaces, such as about general status, control register and / or data register functionalities. The Grouping the register, with the aid of the use of the same addresses for the specific functionality independently from the selected communications interface (CI1, CI2, CIN) done. also the system communication interface specific register include, for example, for initialization and / or error handling software functions.

at Operating communicates the driver software (IDS) with the communication interfaces independent register interface (IRI1, IRI2, IRIN) generic way independent of the choice of the available communication interfaces (CI1, CI2, CIN).

&lt;?page 4?&gt;

at the example of <figref idrefs="S12">3</figref> is an embodiment an integrated circuit (<figref>1</figref>) According to the invention schematically shown. The integrated circuit (<figref>1</figref>) Is a so-called System-on-Chip, a primary processing unit (<figref>2</figref>) And a secondary processing unit (<figref>3</figref>) Includes. The primary processing unit (<figref>2</figref>) And the secondary processing unit (<figref>3</figref>) Communicate a non-standard parallel interface (NSPI) on the Chip.

The Primary processing unit (<figref>2</figref>) Can communicate with external devices using a variety communicate communication interfaces such as a synchronous, Byte-oriented serial interface (SI1), for example, I²C, and asynchronous block-oriented, serial interface (SI2), wherein, for example, the UART protocol (Universal asynchronous receive transmit) is used. These Communication is carried out using a generic driver software conducted which is communication interfaces independently and with communication interfaces independent registrars communicates to data independently from the selected exchange communication interface.