APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING SIGNALS TRANSMITTED IN BUS

A signal monitor includes a signal collecting unit, a register, a processing unit, and a Reduced Media Independent Interface (RMII). The signal collecting unit collects real-time signals from a bus, converts the real-time signals into accessible data, and stores the accessible data in the register. The processing unit retrieves the accessible data from the register and determines status of the real-time signals by examining the accessible data. The RMII converts the status of the real-time signals into Ethernet frame packets and transmits the Ethernet frame packets to a control terminal via an Ethernet interface. A method for monitoring signals transmitted in a bus is also provided.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1shows one embodiment of a data communication system. The data communication system includes a master device10, a slave device20, a signal monitor30, a control terminal40, and a signal probe50.

The master device10is connected to the slave device20via a bus, for example, an I2C bus or a SPI bus. An I2C bus includes a Serial Data (SDA) line and a Serial Clock (SCL) line. A SPI bus includes a Master-Out-Slave-In (MOSI) line, a Master-In-Slave-Out (MISO) line, a Serial Clock (SCL) line, and a Slave Select (SS) line. The master device10and the slave device can transmit data to each other via the bus.

The signal probe50is electrically connected to the bus that interconnects the master device10the slave device20. The signal monitor30is connected to the bus through the signal probe50. The signal monitor30collects real-time signals transmitted in the bus through the signal probe50. In some embodiments, the signal probe50includes a unidirectional transmission module (not shown) which prevents any signal from being transmitted from the signal monitor30to the bus. Thus, the signal monitor50is prevented from damaging signals transmitted in the bus.

When the signal monitor30collects the real-time signals transmitted in the bus, the signal monitor30can examine the real-time signals and report the status of the real-time signals to the control terminal40.

The control terminal10provides a user interface for displaying the status of the real-time signals transmitted in the bus. The control terminal10may be a personal computer, a server computer, a tablet computer, or the like.

FIG. 2shows one embodiment of the signal monitor30. The signal monitor30includes a signal collection unit301, a register304, a data write/read (W/R) controller306, a processing unit307, a Reduced Media Independent Interface (RMII)308, an Ethernet interface309, and an indicating lamp310.

The signal collecting unit301collects the real-time signals transmitted in the bus through the signal probe50and converts the collected real-time signals into accessible data according the protocol of the bus, for example, the I2C bus protocol or the SPI bus protocol.

The signal connecting unit301stores the accessible data in the register304. In some embodiments, the register304is a First Input First Output (FIFO) register. Thus, the accessible data which is firstly stored in the register304can be firstly read from the register304.

When the register304is full, the register304sends an out-of-space signal to the data W/R controller306. In response to the out-of-space signal from the register304, the data W/R controller306sets the register304to a write-protected state and informs the signal collecting unit301and the processing unit307that the register304is full. The processing unit307starts reading accessible data from the register304. When the processing unit307has finished reading the accessible data from the register304, the data W/R controller306sets the register304to a write-permitted state.

When the register304is in the write-protected state, the signal collecting unit301suspends collecting real-time signals from the bus. When the register305is set to the write-permitted state, the signal collecting unit301continues to collect real-time signals from the bus and stores the subsequent accessible data in the register304.

When the register304is empty, the processing unit307enters a standby state and suspends reading data from the register304. When the processing unit307receives an out-of-space signal from the register, the processing unit307exits the standby state.

When the processing unit307receives the accessible data from the register304, the processing unit307determines status of the real-time signals transmitted in the bus by examining the accessible data. The processing unit307then transmits the status of the real-time signals to the RMII308.

The RMII308converts the status of the real-time signals into Ethernet frame packets and transmits the Ethernet frame packets to the Ethernet interface309.

The Ethernet interface309establishes an Ethernet connection with the control terminal40and transmits the status of the real-time signals to the control terminal40via the Ethernet connection.

The indicating lamp310indicates the working status of the signal monitor30. While the processing unit307is examining the accessible data, the processing unit307controls the indicating lamp310to flicker.

FIG. 3shows one embodiment of the control terminal40. The control terminal40includes a communication interface401, a processor402and a storage device403.

The communication interface401establishes an Ethernet connection with the Ethernet interface309of the signal monitor30and receives the Ethernet frame packets from the signal monitor30via the Ethernet connection. The communication interface401transmits the Ethernet frame packets to the processor402. The processor402obtains the status of the real-time signals from the received Ethernet frame packets and stores the status of the real-time signals in the storage device403.

FIGS. 4 and 5show a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for monitoring real-time signals transmitted in a bus. The method includes the following steps.

In step S401, the signal collecting unit301collects real-time signals from a bus through the signal probe50.

In step S402, the signal collecting unit301converts the real-time signals into accessible data according to the protocol of the bus.

In step S403, the signal collecting unit301stores the accessible data in the register304.

In step S404, the processing unit307reads the accessible data from the register304.

In step S405, the processing unit307determines status of the real-time signals transmitted in the bus by examining the accessible data.

In step S406, the processing unit307transmits the status of the real-time signals to the RMII308.

In step S407, the RMII308converts the status of the real-time signals into Ethernet frame packets.

In step S408, the RMII308transmits the Ethernet frame packets to the Ethernet interface309.

In step S409, the Ethernet interface309establishes an Ethernet connection with the control terminal40and transmits the Ethernet frame packets to the control terminal40via the Ethernet connection.

In step S410, the control terminal10obtains the status of the real-time signals from the received Ethernet frame packets.

In step S411, the control terminal10provides a user interface for displaying the status of the real-time signals.

Although numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

In particular, depending on the embodiment, certain steps or methods described may be removed, others may be added, and the sequence of steps may be altered. The description and the claims drawn for or in relation to a method may give some indication in reference to certain steps. However, any indication given is only to be viewed for identification purposes, and is not necessarily a suggestion as to an order for the steps.