Parallel data transfer method and system of DDR divided data with associated transfer clock signal over three signal lines

A data transfer method allowing improved data transfer speed without increasing the number of signal lines is disclosed. After dividing data to be transferred into odd-numbered data and even-numbered data, the odd-numbered data are sequentially read at timing of a leading edge of each clock pulse and the even-numbered data are sequentially read at timing of a trailing edge of each clock pulse. Thereafter, a data transfer completion indicator is appended to one of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings. A transfer clock signal includes a fixed-level pulse in a period of time corresponding to the data transfer completion indicator. The one of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings followed by the data transfer completion indicator, the other of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings, and the transfer clock signal are transferred through different signal lines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to data transfer techniques and in particular to a data transfer method and system allowing improved data transfer speed without increasing the number of signal lines.

2. Description of the Related Art

In an apparatus that is required to have light weight and a small size, it is desirable to decrease the number of terminals of a large-scale integrated circuit (LSI), from the viewpoint of installation. For this purpose, a serial data interface has been used to transfer data between two LSIs. One-bit data transfer per one system clock is a maximum data transfer speed at the serial data interface.

In the case of transferring eight-bit data of D0to D7as shown inFIG. 8Afrom a sending LSI to a receiving LSI by using a serial data interface, for example, three signal lines are necessary in total including a data line, a serial clock line for transferring a serial clock signal shown inFIG. 8B, and a strobe signal line for a strobe signal shown in FIG.8C. In this case, it is necessary to take time required for outputting eight serial clock pulses and the strobe signal. This has a problem in that the data transfer speed is slow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made to solve the above problem. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a data transfer method and a data transfer system capable of improving the data transfer speed in serial transmission without increasing the number of signal lines.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a method for transferring data from a sending unit to a receiving unit, includes the steps of: dividing the data into first data and second data to store the first data and the second data; sequentially reading the first data at timing of a leading edge of each clock pulse of a reference clock signal to produce a first data string; sequentially reading the second data at timing of a trailing edge of each clock pulse of the reference clock signal to produce a second data string; appending a data transfer completion indicator to one of the first and second data strings; generating a transfer clock signal from the reference clock signal, wherein the transfer clock signal includes a fixed-level pulse in a period of time corresponding to the data transfer completion indicator; and transferring the one of the first and second data strings followed by the data transfer completion indicator, the other of the first and second data strings, and the transfer clock signal through different signal lines.

According to another aspect of the present invention, in a method for transferring data from a sending unit to a selected one of two receiving units connected in common to the sending unit, the sending unit divides the data into first data and second data to store the first data and the second data; sequentially reads the first data at timing of a leading edge of each clock pulse of a reference clock signal to produce a first data string; sequentially reads the second data at timing of a trailing edge of each clock pulse of the reference clock signal to produce a second data string; appending a data transfer completion indicator to one of the first and second data strings, wherein the one of the first and second data strings is selected depending on which one of the two receiving units is selected as a destination of the data; generating a transfer clock signal from the reference clock signal, wherein the transfer clock signal includes a fixed-level pulse in a period of time corresponding to the data transfer completion indicator; and transfers the one of the first and second data strings followed by the data transfer completion indicator, the other of the first and second data strings, and the transfer clock signal through different signal lines. Each of the two receiving units receives the one of the first and second data strings followed by the data transfer completion indicator, the other of the first and second data strings, and the transfer clock signal; sequentially stores the first data string at timing of a trailing edge of each clock pulse of the transfer clock signal; sequentially stores the second data string at timing of a leading edge of each clock pulse of the transfer clock signal; determines whether the data transfer completion indicator is appended to a predetermined one of the first and second data strings; and reproduces original data from the first and second data strings stored when the data transfer completion indicator is appended to the predetermined one of the first and second data strings.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method includes the steps of: at the sending unit, a) dividing the data into odd-numbered data and even-numbered data to store the odd-numbered data and the even-numbered data; b) sequentially reading the odd-numbered data at timing of one edge of leading and trailing edges of each clock pulse of a reference clock signal to produce an odd-numbered data string; c) sequentially reading the even-numbered data at timing of the other edge of leading and trailing edges of each clock pulse of the reference clock signal to produce an even-numbered data string; d) appending a data transfer completion indicator to one of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings; e) generating a transfer clock signal composed of the reference clock signal followed by a fixed-level pulse at a timing corresponding to the data transfer completion indicator; and f) transferring the one of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings followed by the data transfer completion indicator, the other of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings, and the transfer clock signal through respective ones of the three signal lines.

The method further includes the steps of: at the receiving unit, g) receiving the one of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings followed by the data transfer completion indicator, the other of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings, and the transfer clock signal; h) sequentially storing the odd-numbered data string in a first memory at timing of the other edge of each clock pulse of the transfer clock signal; i) sequentially storing the even-numbered data string in a second memory at timing of the one edge of each clock pulse of the transfer clock signal; j) determining whether the data transfer completion indicator is appended to a predetermined one of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings at a timing corresponding to the data transfer completion indicator; and k) when the data transfer completion indicator is appended to the predetermined one of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings at a timing corresponding to the data transfer completion indicator, simultaneously latching the odd-numbered data string stored in the first memory and the even-numbered data stored in the second memory to reproduce original data.

The data transfer completion indicator may be a unipolar pulse.

The sending unit may be connected in common to two receiving units, wherein, in the step (d), the one of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings is selected depending on which one of the two receiving units is selected as a destination of the data.

More specifically, the sending unit may be connected in common to a first receiving unit and a second receiving unit, wherein, in the step (d), the odd-numbered data string is selected when the first receiving unit is selected as a destination of the data, and the even-numbered data string is selected when the second receiving unit is selected as a destination of the data.

In this case, the method further includes the steps of: at the first receiving unit, receiving the one of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings followed by the data transfer completion indicator, the other of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings, and the transfer clock signal; sequentially storing the odd-numbered data string in a first memory at timing of the other edge of each clock pulse of the transfer clock signal; sequentially storing the even-numbered data string in a second memory at timing of the one edge of each clock pulse of the transfer clock signal; determining whether the data transfer completion indicator is appended to the odd-numbered data string at a timing corresponding to the data transfer completion indicator; and when the data transfer completion indicator is appended to the odd-numbered data string at a timing corresponding to the data transfer completion indicator, simultaneously latching the odd-numbered data string stored in the first memory and the even-numbered data stored in the second memory to reproduce original data and, at the second receiving unit, receiving the one of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings followed by the data transfer completion indicator, the other of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings, and the transfer clock signal; sequentially storing the odd-numbered data string in a third memory at timing of a trailing edge of each clock pulse of the transfer clock signal; sequentially storing the even-numbered data string in a fourth memory at timing of a leading edge of each clock pulse of the transfer clock signal; determining whether the data transfer completion indicator is appended to the even-numbered data string at a timing corresponding to the data transfer completion indicator; and when the data transfer completion indicator is appended to the even-numbered data string at a timing corresponding to the data transfer completion indicator, simultaneously latching the odd-numbered data string stored in the third memory and the even-numbered data stored in the fourth memory to reproduce original data.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a system for transferring data from a sending unit to a receiving unit through three signal lines, wherein the sending unit includes: a memory for storing the data which are each read in parallel; a first shift register for storing odd-numbered data of the data to sequentially read the odd-numbered data at timing of a trailing edge of each clock pulse of a reference clock signal to produce an odd-numbered data string; a second shift register for storing even-numbered data of the data to sequentially read the even-numbered data at timing of a leading edge of each clock pulse of the reference clock signal to produce an even-numbered data string; a transfer completion indicator generator for generating a data transfer completion indicator to append it to one of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings; a transfer clock generator for generating a transfer clock signal composed of the reference clock signal followed by a fixed-level pulse at a timing corresponding to the data transfer completion indicator; and a transfer circuit for transferring the one of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings followed by the data transfer completion indicator, the other of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings, and the transfer clock signal through respective ones of the three signal lines.

The receiving unit includes: a receiver for receiving the one of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings followed by the data transfer completion indicator, the other of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings, and the transfer clock signal; a third shift register for sequentially storing the odd-numbered data string in a first memory at timing of a trailing edge of each clock pulse of the transfer clock signal; a fourth shift register for sequentially storing the even-numbered data string in a second memory at timing of a leading edge of each clock pulse of the transfer clock signal; a determiner for determining whether the data transfer completion indicator is appended to a predetermined one of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings at a timing corresponding to the data transfer completion indicator; and a latching circuit for simultaneously latching the odd-numbered data string stored in the third shift register and the even-numbered data stored in the fourth shift register to reproduce original data, when the determiner determines that the data transfer completion indicator is appended to the predetermined one of the odd-numbered and even-numbered data strings at a timing corresponding to the data transfer completion indicator.

As described above, first and second data (here, the odd-numbered data and the even-numbered data) obtained by dividing the data can be transferred in parallel using a single clock signal. Therefore, the transfer speed improves without increasing the number of signal lines. More specifically, since the data transfer completion is realized by a combination of the transferred data and a predetermined logic value of the transfer clock in place of the strobe signal, the total required number of signal lines is three, which is the same as that conventionally required.

Further, in the case of two receiving units connected to the sending unit, the sending unit appends a data transfer completion indicator to a selected one of the first and second data strings depending on which one of the two receiving units is selected as a destination of the data. Each receiving unit determines whether the received data strings should be captured, depending on which one of the first and second data strings is followed by the data transfer completion indicator. Therefore, it is possible to transfer the data strings to a selected one of the two receiving units without increasing the number of signal lines.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described hereafter by referring toFIGS. 1-7.

System Configuration

Referring toFIG. 1, a data transfer system according to a first embodiment of the present invention is assumed to be composed of a sending unit100and a receiving unit200, which are connected by three signal lines. The number of signal lines is the same as that of the conventional serial data transfer system. The system as shown inFIG. 1is different from the conventional system in that odd-numbered data a as shown inFIG. 2A, even-numbered data b as shown inFIG. 2B, and a transfer clock c as shown inFIG. 2Care transferred from the sending unit100to the receiving unit200in parallel.

The odd-numbered data a transferred from the sending unit100changes at each trailing edge of the transfer clock c, and is captured by the receiving unit200at each leading edge of the transfer clock c. Further, the even-numbered data b transferred from the sending unit100changes at each leading edge of the transfer clock c, and is captured by the receiving unit200at each trailing edge of the transfer clock c.

After the sending unit100has transferred the last bit D0of the serial data, the sending unit100fixes the signal level of the transfer clock c to HIGH as shown in FIG.2C. Then, the sending unit100causes the odd-numbered data a to go low once after the last odd-numbered data D1to produce a LOW pulse, which is composed of two pulses during the transfer clock c kept HIGH, as shown in FIG.2A. Thereafter, when the transfer clock c is kept at the HIGH level during a period from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the odd-numbered data a, the receiving unit200latches the captured data a and b. In other words, the receiving unit200determines that the transfer clock c kept at the HIGH level indicates the timing of data transfer completion.

As is apparent fromFIGS. 2A-2C, it is possible to transfer 8-bit data in six clock pulses of the transfer clock c. In other words, the data transfer speed is about two times that of the conventional transfer method (see FIGS.8A-8C). Furthermore, the total number of signal lines required remains three, that is the same as the number of lines required conventionally.

Circuit Configurations

Next, the circuit configurations of the sending unit100and the receiving unit200will be described in detail.

As shown inFIG. 3, the sending unit100includes a system clock input terminal101, a load signal input terminal102, a memory103, a first shift register104, and a second shift register105. The memory103may be a shift register, which stores data of 8 bits numbered D0to D7to be transferred in descending order, the most significant bit D7first.

The first shift register104is composed of flip flops connected in cascade at five stages in this embodiment. The first shift register104loads odd-numbered data D7, D5, D3, and D1in descending order from the memory103, and shifts them according to the shift clock f.

The second shift register105is composed of flip flops connected in cascade at four stages in this embodiment. The second shift register105loads even-numbered data D6, D4, D2, and D0in descending order from the memory103, and shifts them according to the shift clock f.

The sending unit100further includes an internal clock generator106, a flip flop107for generating a load signal m from a load signal e to supply it to the shift register105, a clock counter108for generating a clock count value i, an output circuit109for outputting a data output completion signal j, a two-input AND circuit110for outputting a gated clock k, a two-input OR circuit111for outputting the odd-numbered data a to an output terminal113, a two-input OR circuit112for outputting the transfer clock c to an output terminal115, and an output terminal114to which the even-numbered data b is output.

As shown inFIG. 4, the receiving unit200has an input terminal201for receiving the odd-numbered data a from the sending unit100, an input terminal202for receiving the even-numbered data b from the sending unit100, an input terminal203for receiving the transfer clock c from the sending unit100. The receiving unit200includes a first shift register204for storing the odd-numbered data a, a second shift register205for storing the even-numbered data b, a latch pulse generator206for generating a latch pulse, and a latch circuit207. According to the latch pulse, the latch circuit207latches the received serial data stored in the first shift register204and the second shift register205, and outputs the latched data to a terminal208.

Operation

The operation of the sending unit100will be described in detail with reference to the circuit diagram of FIG.3and the timing chart of FIG.5.

As shown inFIG. 5, odd-numbered data D7, D5, D3and D1are loaded into the shift register104from the memory unit103according to the load signal e. This load signal e is a signal that is input via the input terminal102. Further, according to a load signal m, even-numbered data D6, D4and D2are loaded into the shift register105from the data string stored in the memory unit103. This load signal m is a signal that is output by the flip flop107delaying the load signal e by one pulse of the system clock d input from the input terminal101.

The internal clock generator106receives the load signal e and the system clock d, and generates a shift clock f. Then, the internal clock generator106supplies the shift clock f to the shift register104and the shift register105.

Based on this arrangement, the shift register104that is composed of flip flops connected in cascade at five stages shifts the loaded data five times at the timing of the trailing edge of the shift clock f. Then, the shift register104serially outputs the odd-numbered 4-bit data D7, D5, D3and D1as data g to one input terminal of the OR circuit111.

Further, the shift register105that is composed of flip flops connected in cascade at four stages shifts five times at the timing of the leading edge of the shift clock f. Then, the shift register105serially outputs the even-numbered 4-bit data D6, D4, D2and D0as the even-numbered data b. This even-numbered data b is sequentially transferred to the receiving unit200via the output terminal114.

The internal clock generator106generates six system clock pulses as an internal clock h immediately after the load signal e has gone low, from the system clock d and the load signal e. Then, the internal clock generator106outputs this clock h in common to the clock counter108, the output circuit109, and the OR circuit112. The clock counter108counts this clock h to output the count value i to the output circuit109.

The output circuit109decodes the count value i and outputs a data output completion signal j that rises at a point of time when the input count value i has become “5” and that falls at a point of time when a pulse of the clock h has fallen after the input count value i became “6”. The AND circuit110allows the passing of the system clock101from the input terminal101only when this data output completion signal j is at the HIGH level. In this manner, the AND circuit110outputs a gated clock k to the OR circuit111.

The OR circuit111executes an OR operation of this gated clock k and the data g input from the shift register104to produce the odd-numbered data a. This odd-numbered data a is sequentially transferred to the receiving unit200via the output terminal113. The OR circuit112executes an OR operation of the gated clock k and the clock h input from the internal clock generator106to produce the transfer clock c. This transfer clock c is transferred to the receiving unit200via the output terminal115.

Next, the operation of the receiving unit200will be described in detail with reference to FIG.4.

Referring toFIG. 4, the odd-numbered data a is sequentially input to the shift register204via the input terminal201. The shift register204captures the data at a timing of the leading edge of the transfer clock c that is input via the input terminal203.

Further, the even-numbered data b is sequentially input to the shift register205via the input terminal202. The shift register205captures the data at a timing of the trailing edge of the transfer clock c.

In the latch pulse generator206, flip flops210,211and212that are connected in cascade at three stages are reset at a timing of the trailing edge of the transfer clock c. When the transfer clock c is at HIGH level, the flip flop210captures data on its input terminal and the respective flip flops212and213capture data on their input terminals, at the timing of the trailing edge of the odd-numbered data a that has been input at the input terminal201.

Therefore, the respective flip flops210to212are reset by the transfer clock c immediately before completing the transfer of the last bit D1of the odd-numbered data a. Thereafter, the transfer clock c is held at HIGH level as described before. The flip flop210captures the HIGH level at the timing of the trailing edge of the odd-numbered data a in such a state that the HIGH-level signal has been input to one input terminal of the AND circuit213from the flip flop212. At the timing of the leading edge of the continuing odd-numbered data a, the flip flop211captures the HIGH-level output from the flip flop210. Then, the HIGH-level output from the flip flop211is input to the other input terminal of the AND circuit213.

As a result, when the odd-numbered data a goes low and then goes high during a period while the transfer clock c is at HIGH level, that is, when the transfer of the last bit D1of the odd-numbered data a has been completed, a pulse of positive polarity is obtained such that the output of the AND circuit213goes high and then goes low when the odd-numbered data a goes low again. The positive polarity pulse is output to the latch circuit207as a latch pulse.

The latch circuit207receives in parallel the output data D0, D2, D4and D6from the respective stages of the shift register204and the output data D1, D3, D5and D7from the respective stages of the shift register205. At the timing when the latch pulse has been input, the latch circuit207latches these data D0to D7, and outputs the data D0to D7to the terminal208in parallel as the reception data.

As described above, the system according to the present embodiment-determines whether data transfer is completed, based on a logical combination of the data a and the transfer clock c in place of the strobe signal used in the conventional system. Further, the data is transferred using two signal lines. Therefore, as is apparent fromFIG. 2, in comparison with the conventional data transfer method as shown inFIGS. 8A-8C, it is possible to increase the data transfer speed to about two times the conventional transfer speed by using the same three signal lines.

Another Embodiment

It is possible to select one of a plurality of receiving units depending on which of the odd-numbered data a and the even-numbered data b is followed by the LOW pulse generated during the time period where the transfer clock c is kept high.

Referring toFIG. 6, a system according to a second embodiment of the present invention is assumed to be composed of a sending unit100and two receiving units A and B. There are three signal lines between the sending unit100and each of the receiving units A and B. The number of signal lines is the same as that of the conventional serial data transfer system. In other words, the three signal lines of the sending unit100are connected in common to the receiving units A and B. Therefore, the odd-numbered data a (a′), the even-numbered data b (b′), and the transfer clock c are simultaneously transferred from the sending unit100to the receiving units A and B.

In the second embodiment, however, a selected one of the receiving units A and B captures the data transferred by the sending unit100depending on which one of the odd-numbered data a (a′) and the even-numbered data b (b′) has the LOW pulse added thereto.

More specifically, when the LOW pulse is generated at the end of the odd-numbered data a during a period while the transfer clock is kept high at the time of completing the transfer of the serial data (see FIG.2A and FIG.5), only the receiving unit A is permitted to capture the transferred data of the odd-numbered data a and the even-numbered data b. The other receiving unit B cannot capture the transferred data. In other words, when the odd-numbered data a is followed by an indicator indicating the completion of data transfer, it is determined that the present data string is destined to the receiving unit A.

On the other hand, when the LOW pulse is generated at the end of the even-numbered data b during a period while the transfer clock is kept high at the time of completing the transfer of the serial data (see FIG.7B), only the receiving unit B is permitted to capture the transferred data of the odd-numbered data a and the even-numbered data b. The other receiving unit A cannot capture the transferred data. In other words, when the even-numbered data b is followed by an indicator indicating the completion of data transfer, it is determined that the present data string is destined to the receiving unit B.FIGS. 7A-7Cshow the case where the present data string is destined to the receiving unit B.

In order to cause the receiving units A and B to operate as described above, the receiving unit A is structured in a similar manner to that shown in FIG.4. The receiving unit B is structured to use the even-numbered data b as the operation clock of the latch pulse generator206as shown in FIG.4. Based on this arrangement, it is possible to distribute the data on the same signal lines to one of the receiving unit A and the receiving unit B.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. In the case of the first embodiment, the completion of the data transfer can be also determined depending on whether a predetermined LOW pulse is added to the even-numbered data b during a period while the transfer clock is kept high. Alternatively, it is also possible to use a HIGH pulse that is an inverted LOW pulse in place of the LOW pulse. In other words, a unipolar pulse may be used as an indicator indicating the data transfer completion.

Further, in the above embodiments, the data transfer is carried out in such a phase relationship that the odd-numbered data a changes at the timing of trailing edge of the transfer clock c, and the even-numbered data b changes at the timing of leading edge of the transfer clock c. However, in place of this phase relationship, it is also possible to transfer data in such a phase relationship that the even-numbered data b changes at the timing of the trailing edge of the transfer clock c, and the odd-numbered data a changes at the timing of the leading edge of the transfer clock c. In this case, it is a matter of course that the receiving unit receives the even-numbered data b at the timing of the leading edge of the transfer clock c, and receives the odd-numbered data a at the timing of the trailing edge of the transfer clock c.