Abstract: A method of communication between a protocol-processing unit and an input/output (I/O) device through a device interface controller includes configuring the protocol-processing unit to write command/message data in a predefined write file, and configuring the device interface controller to translate the command/message data written in the predefined write file into a corresponding command/message and to transmit the corresponding command/message thus translated to the I/O device. A system that includes the protocol-processing unit and the device interface controller is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for communication between an electronic device and a target input/output (I/O) device in a secure digital input/output (SDIO) card through a secure digital (SD) interface is provided. The SDIO card includes a SDIO controller. The method includes the steps of: configuring the electronic device to write an I/O command packet at a designated address accessible to both the electronic device and the SDIO controller, the I/O command packet including a command for controlling the operation of the target I/O device; and configuring the SDIO controller to control the operation of the target I/O device according to the I/O command packet written at the designated address.

Abstract: An A/D converter having multiple conversions is described. The first conversion determines the Most Significant Bits of the output digital code and a second conversion determines the Least Significant Bits of the output digital code. A multiple reference voltage comparator for use in an A/D converter is described. The multiple reference voltage comparator allows one set of voltage comparators to be used in creating coarse and fine thermometer codes that respectively determine the Most Significant Bits and the Least Significant Bits of the digital code. Further, a set of error detection voltage comparators is provided to determine errors in the coarse thermometer code and allow correction during encoding of the Most Significant Bits.