Patent · US Expired

Multi-chip PWM synchronization and communication

US7584009B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
9References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 19, 2004
Grant dateSep 1, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 26, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03F2200/331
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Systems and methods for synchronizing multiple digital audio controller chips, wherein one of the chips is designated as a master and the other chips are designated as slaves. A common line connects all of the chips and is used to transmit synchronization signals from the master to the slaves. Each of the chips listens for an appropriate signal and, when the signal is detected, all of the chips simultaneously begin operation. In one embodiment, the synchronization signal comprises a transition on the shared line to an active state. The transition is repeated at fixed intervals and maintained in the active state for a fixed period in order to enable the chips to determine whether synchronization is being maintained. The signal may be sampled and/or filtered to improve reliability. The chips may be able to drive the shared line active to indicate that synchronization has been lost.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.