Companion chip for a microcontroller with global time management module ensuring consistency and FIFO module for internal and external data transfer

US8312251B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Robert Bosch GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Matthias Knauss · Schorndorf, DE
• Stephen Schmitt · San Antonio, US
• Thomas Lindenkreuz · Reutlingen, DE
• Udo Schulz · Gießen, DE
• Juergen Hanisch · Bempflingen, DE
• Rolf Kurrer · Stuttgart, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 23, 2008
• Grant date: Nov 13, 2012
• Expiry date: Dec 1, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G05B19/042
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A companion chip for a microcontroller has a microprocessor bus domain and a peripheral module bus domain, which are connected to each other via a bus bridge. The microprocessor bus domain includes at least one microprocessor core, and the peripheral module bus domain includes at least one global time-management module as well as modules for communication with the outside world and for signal processing. The companion chip further includes at least one FIFO module for transmitting data within the chip, and between the chip and the microcontroller, and a management module connected to the FIFO module, which ensures the consistency of the data by associating a respective time value and/or an angle of rotation.