Patent ID: 7752364

Claim:
A method for communicating with a serial interconnection including a plurality of series-connected semiconductor devices, each of the devices having a clock synchronizer, the devices in the serial interconnection including a first device and a last device, the method comprising: supplying a clock signal for operation of the devices in the serial interconnection, the clock signal being supplied to the first device and propagated through the clock synchronizers of the devices of the serial interconnection; sending first instruction information for identifying a target device in the serial interconnection; enabling the target device by sending an enable signal that is propagated through the serial interconnection; sending second instruction information for identifying an operation for the target device to perform, the target device operating in accordance with the second instruction information to provide response data, the response data appearing in an output signal from the last device, wherein sending the second instruction information comprises issuing an access command destined for the target device so that the target device performs the operation in accordance with the access command and provides the response data; establishing an acquisition instant in response to the propagated enable signal and the propagated clock signal; and capturing the response data in the output signal from the last device in response to the acquisition instant.