Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamic lane reallocation based on bandwidth needs are disclosed. In one aspect, dynamic repurposing of low-speed lanes for creation of a high-speed lane on a communication bus is disclosed. The repurposed low-speed lanes may be used to support a symmetrical high-speed link or an asymmetrical high-speed link. Further changes are provided to shield conductors in a cable to assist in preventing crosstalk or unwanted electromagnetic emissions. The addition of such a dynamic high-speed lane may assist in data transfer for data intensive use cases.

Abstract: A multi-port data communication apparatus includes a first port having a first physical interface circuit configured to couple the multi-port data communication apparatus to a first serial bus that has a first line and a second line, a second port having a second physical interface circuit configured to couple the multi-port data communication apparatus to a second serial bus that has a first line and a second line, and a controller. The controller is configured to use the first port during a first transaction restricted to transmissions over the first serial bus and use the first port and the second port in a second transaction in which data is transmitted over the second line of the first serial bus and the second line of the second serial bus in accordance with timing provided by a clock signal transmitted over the first line of the first serial bus.

Abstract: A receive clock generated at a receiver coupled to a one-wire bus is synchronized in each clock cycle, permitting reception of a data frame of unlimited length without clock overrun or underrun. A base clock signal provided by an oscillator is passed by a clock gating circuit while the clock gating circuit is enabled. A counter counts positive and negative edges in an output of the clock gating circuit. The clock gating circuit is disabled when an output of the counter indicates a preconfigured maximum count value. An edge synchronization circuit that synchronizes edges in the base clock signal with edges in a data signal received over the one-wire bus ignores edges in the data signal while the counter output has a value that is less than the maximum count value, and resets the counter in response to an edge detected in the data signal received over the one-wire bus.

Abstract: Sideband signaling in Universal Serial Bus (USB) Type-C communication link allows multiple protocols that are tunneled through a USB link, where sideband signals may be provided through the sideband use (SBU) pins. Further, the SBU pins may be transitioned between different modes of sideband signals. In particular, signals in an initial mode may indicate a need or desire transition to a second mode. After a negotiation, linked devices agree to transition, the two devices may transition to the second mode. By providing this inband sideband signaling that allows mode changes, more protocols can be tunneled with accompanying sideband signaling and flexibility of the USB link is expanded.

Abstract: An apparatus coupled to a single-wire serial bus through a line driver is configured to determine that a first sequence start condition (SSC) has been initiated when the single-wire serial bus transitions from first to second signaling states. The line driver drives the single-wire serial bus to the first signaling state after a first duration to complete the first SSC, and an arbitration window with plural timeslots is provided when the line driver presents a high impedance to the single-wire serial bus after the first SSC. The line driver drives the single-wire serial bus to the first signaling state in each timeslot of the plural timeslots in which the single-wire serial bus is driven to the second signaling state. After the arbitration window has expired, the apparatus transmits a second SSC and a Manchester encoded command addressed to at least one slave device.

Abstract: A receive clock generated at a receiver coupled to a one-wire bus is synchronized in each clock cycle, permitting reception of a data frame of unlimited length without clock overrun or underrun. A base clock signal provided by an oscillator is passed by a clock gating circuit while the clock gating circuit is enabled. A counter counts positive and negative edges in an output of the clock gating circuit. The clock gating circuit is disabled when an output of the counter indicates a preconfigured maximum count value. An edge synchronization circuit that synchronizes edges in the base clock signal with edges in a data signal received over the one-wire bus ignores edges in the data signal while the counter output has a value that is less than the maximum count value, and resets the counter in response to an edge detected in the data signal received over the one-wire bus.

Abstract: Systems and methods for chip operation using serial peripheral interface (SPI) with reduced pin options contemplate eliminating the chip select pins, interrupt pins and/or reset pins for host (also referred to as master)-to-device (also referred to as slave) communication links, while preserving the possibility of backward compatibility for legacy devices if desired. The communication link may include a clock line, a host-to-device line, and a device-to-host line. The host may use specific sequences of signals on the clock and host-to-device line to provide start and stop sequence commands, interrupts, or reset commands. By consolidating these commands onto the clock and host-to-device line, pin count may be reduced for portions of the host and slave circuits. Likewise, fewer (or at least shorter potentially) conductive traces may be needed to interconnect the host to the device. Such changes may save cost, make layout design easier, and/or save space within a computing device.

Abstract: An apparatus coupled to a single-wire serial bus through a line driver is configured to determine that a first sequence start condition (SSC) has been initiated when the single-wire serial bus transitions from first to second signaling states. The line driver drives the single-wire serial bus to the first signaling state after a first duration to complete the first SSC, and an arbitration window with plural timeslots is provided when the line driver presents a high impedance to the single-wire serial bus after the first SSC. The line driver drives the single-wire serial bus to the first signaling state in each timeslot of the plural timeslots in which the single-wire serial bus is driven to the second signaling state. After the arbitration window has expired, the apparatus transmits a second SSC and a Manchester encoded command addressed to at least one slave device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for chip operation using serial peripheral interface (SPI) with reduced pin options contemplate eliminating the chip select pins, interrupt pins and/or reset pins for host (also referred to as master)-to-device (also referred to as slave) communication links, while preserving the possibility of backward compatibility for legacy devices if desired. The communication link may include a clock line, a host-to-device line, and a device-to-host line. The host may use specific sequences of signals on the clock and host-to-device line to provide start and stop sequence commands, interrupts, or reset commands. By consolidating these commands onto the clock and host-to-device line, pin count may be reduced for portions of the host and slave circuits. Likewise, fewer (or at least shorter potentially) conductive traces may be needed to interconnect the host to the device. Such changes may save cost, make layout design easier, and/or save space within a computing device.

Abstract: Thermal mitigation features may be included in a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable assembly or in the USB receptacle portion of a device. In one aspect, one or both ends of a USB cable jacket may have greater thermal conductivity than the portion between them. The portion having the greater thermal conductivity may dissipate excess heat from the cable into the environment. In another aspect, a USB cable connector or the USB receptacle portion of a device may include a thermoelectric heat pump. The thermoelectric heat pump may move excess heat from the cable assembly or receptacle into a portion of the cable assembly or device that dissipates the heat into the environment.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an interface circuit adapted to couple the apparatus to a serial bus, a slot counter, and a processor. The slot counter may be configured to monitor a radio frequency coexistence management cycle that includes a plurality of time slots. The processor may be configured to transmit a first datagram through the interface circuit during a first time slot in the plurality of time slots. The apparatus may be uniquely permitted to initiate transactions over the serial bus during the first time slot. The processor may be further configured to participate in an arbitration procedure during a second time slot in the plurality of time slots. More than one device coupled to the serial bus may be permitted to initiate transactions in the second time slot.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for error signaling on a serial bus are described. An apparatus includes a bus interface configured to couple the apparatus to a serial bus, a phase-differential decoder configured to decode data from transitions between pairs of symbols in a sequence of symbols received from the serial bus, each symbol being representative of signaling state of the serial bus, and a processor configured to detect an indicator of an error signaling window in signaling state of two wires of the serial bus, the indicator of the error signaling window corresponding to a prohibited combination of symbols or a delay in control signaling, signaling an error through the bus interface during the error signaling window when an error is detected in the sequence of symbols or in timing of the indicator of the error signaling window.

Abstract: Alternate sideband signaling in a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) express (PCIE) link may be enabled over existing sideband lines in a conventional PCIE link. For example, the default sideband communication of PCIE may be changed to a Universal Asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART), line multiplex UART (LM-UART), serial peripheral interface (SPI), I2C, or I3C mode of communication. This change may be negotiated between the host and slave of the communication link, with a transition occurring after the negotiation concludes. The new mode of communication may include or encode the conventional PCIE sideband signals.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus and techniques are described that provide point-to-point capabilities without the expected increase in input/output pad usage. In some examples, point-to-point data lines are provided between a host and multiple slave devices and timing of communication is controlled using a clock signal shared by the multiple slave devices. An apparatus has a plurality of bus master circuits configured to control point-to-point communication with corresponding slave devices and a clock generation circuit configured to provide pulses in a serial bus clock signal when one or more bus master circuits are in an active state, and further to idle the serial bus clock signal when all bus master circuits are idle. Each bus master circuit may be configured to communicate with its corresponding slave device in accordance with the timing provided by the serial bus clock signal that is transmitted over a common clock line to each slave device.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for communication virtualized general-purpose input/output (GPIO) signals and control messages over a serial communication link. An apparatus includes a serial bus, and a controller configured to represent a series of signaling state of physical general-purpose input/output (GPIO) in a batch that comprises a sequence of virtual GPIO messages and control messages, generate a first header that includes timing information configured to control timing of execution of the batch, transmit the first header over a communication link, and transmit the batch over the communication link.

Abstract: Thermal mitigation features may be included in a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable assembly or in the USB receptacle portion of a device. In one aspect, one or both ends of a USB cable jacket may have greater thermal conductivity than the portion between them. The portion having the greater thermal conductivity may dissipate excess heat from the cable into the environment. In another aspect, a USB cable connector or the USB receptacle portion of a device may include a thermoelectric heat pump. The thermoelectric heat pump may move excess heat from the cable assembly or receptacle into a portion of the cable assembly or device that dissipates the heat into the environment.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus improve synchronization of trigger timing when triggers are configured over a serial bus. A data communication apparatus has an interface circuit that couples the data communication apparatus to a serial bus and is configured to receive a clock signal from the serial bus, a plurality of counters configured to count pulses in the clock signal, and a controller configured to receive a datagram from the serial bus, the datagram including a plurality of data bytes corresponding to the plurality of counters, configure each of the plurality of counters with a count value based on content of a corresponding data byte when the corresponding data byte is received from the datagram, cause each of the counters to refrain from counting until all of the counters have been configured with count values, and actuate a trigger when a counter associated with the trigger has counted to zero.

Abstract: Power delivery may be controlled to help prevent arcing when a data cable supplying power from a power source device to a power sink device is disconnected. The presence of a user in proximity to a connection between a cable plug and a cable receptacle may be detected. The level of a power signal being conveyed from the power source to the power sink may be reduced in response to the detection.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus and techniques are described that provide point-to-point capabilities without the expected increase in input/output pad usage. In some examples, point-to-point data lines are provided between a host and multiple slave devices and timing of communication is controlled using a clock signal shared by the multiple slave devices. An apparatus has a plurality of bus master circuits configured to control point-to-point communication with corresponding slave devices and a clock generation circuit configured to provide pulses in a serial bus clock signal when one or more bus master circuits are in an active state, and further to idle the serial bus clock signal when all bus master circuits are idle. Each bus master circuit may be configured to communicate with its corresponding slave device in accordance with the timing provided by the serial bus clock signal that is transmitted over a common clock line to each slave device.

Abstract: Power delivery may be controlled to help prevent arcing when a data cable supplying power from a power source device to a power sink device is disconnected. The presence of a user in proximity to a connection between a cable plug and a cable receptacle may be detected. The level of a power signal being conveyed from the power source to the power sink may be reduced in response to the detection.