TWI694376B - Light sensor device controlled with dual-mode master-and-slave mcu application - Google Patents

Abstract

A light sensor is provided. It is controlled with a dual-mode master and slave microcontroller unit (MCU) application. An MCU is embedded into an optical sensor chip. The original dual-mode master and slave dual-CPU architecture is combined to be operated as a single-CPU architecture. According to the original circuit pin design, it is possible to be compatible with the old circuit design. The present invention uses a single-CPU architecture to directly control optical sensor with microcontroller. Through the configuration of random access memory (RAM), internal integrated circuit (I2C I/F) bus can be redirected to internal non-volatile memory. The operating mode of optical sensor is switched from slave device to host device; and interrupt pin is switched off and, then, is turned into GPIO pin. Thus, the present invention provides a single-CPU architecture with simple use and effectively-lowered cost.

Description

MCU master-slave application with two modes to control light sensor device

The present invention relates to an MCU master-slave application with two modes for controlling a light sensor device, in particular to an operation mode of a light sensor, and in particular to embedding a small microcontroller (Microcontroller Unit, MCU) into a light sensor In the detector chip, the light sensor is controlled by the microcontroller.

Light sensor (Light Sensor) is a sensor that uses light-sensitive elements to convert optical signals into telecommunications signals. The light sensor is usually composed of a group of light projectors and light receivers. The light projectors focus light through a lens, transmit it to the lens of the light receiver, and then pass it to the receiving sensor. The sensor converts the received optical signal into a telecommunication signal, which can be further used for various switching and control actions. In other words, the basic principle of the light sensor is to use the signal obtained by changing the light between the projector and the receiver to complete various automatic controls. The light sensor replaces contact detection methods such as limit switches, and any sensor that performs detection without touching the detection object is generally called a proximity sensor. The principle is to convert the mobile information or presence information of the detected object into electrical signals.

Up to now, the operation mode of the light sensor is still activated/deactivated by the microcontroller; that is, its operation always needs to be woken up by the microcontroller, so the overall main cost is expensive. As shown in Figure 3, the master/slave architecture uses dual CPUs, and the host uses the internal integrated circuit (Inter-Integrated Circuit, I2C) protocol to control the slave's light sensor. The previous case itself had a central processor 31 of host 3 A microcontroller 41 of the slave 4, the central processor 31 of the master 3 is the CPU that controls the internal light sensor 32, and the microcontroller 41 of the slave 4 is the CPU used to control the external configuration adjustment. This forms a dual CPU control mode. However, the configuration adjustment of the conventional microcontroller 41 is not used to control the light sensor 32, but uses the central processor 31 of the host 3 to control the light sensor 32.

In view of the problems of the conventional technology, it is necessary to develop a cheaper sensor structure to save the bill of materials (BOM) list.

The main purpose of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned problems encountered in the conventional art and provide a small microcontroller embedded in the light sensor chip, combining the dual CPU architecture of the original master-slave dual mode into a single CPU architecture, It is designed according to the original circuit pin, so it can be compatible with the old circuit design mode. The MCU master-slave application with two modes controls the light sensor device.

The secondary object of the present invention is to provide a single CPU architecture that allows the light sensor to be directly controlled by a microcontroller. Through the configuration of random access memory, it can be redirected from the internal integrated circuit bus to the internal Non-volatile memory, switch the operation mode of the light sensor from the slave device to the host device, close the interrupt pin, and then switch to the GPIO pin, thus making the bill of lading CPU architecture simple, easy to use, and cost-effective The MCU master-slave application with two modes for effective descent controls the light sensor device.

To achieve the above purpose, the present invention is a MCU master-slave application control light sensor device with two modes, which includes: a light sensor area provided with several light sensors; an analogy A front-end circuit (Analog Front End, AFE) is electrically connected to the photo-sensor area for photoelectric conversion and analog trimming of the parameters of the photo-sensors; a microcontroller is electrically connected to the analog front-end circuit, The microcontroller is a software state machine (State machine), which has a first memory and an I/O communication interface, respectively, and stores the program of the software state machine from the first memory; a memory arbiter (Arbitration, ARB), electrically connected to the microcontroller , Used to receive micro-instructions associated with various memories, and used to select the order of these micro-instructions according to an arbitration procedure and process them, so that a processed micro-instruction creates the memory portion designated for the micro-instruction and Access to the address; a second memory, electrically connected to the memory arbiter, which stores the setting value controlled by a functional light sensor; an internal integrated circuit (I2C I/F) The bus is electrically connected to the memory arbiter. The internal integrated circuit bus is used as a communication interface for connecting an external device. It has a register. All calculation settings are stored in the second memory and the temporary storage. A third memory, which has a trim value built-in, used as the microcontroller to control the analog front-end circuit to trim the AFE trim parameter data of the light sensors; a fourth memory, its configuration As a unit bit (Single bit) unit memory, and burn the data in the form of single bit with these operation settings, so as to decide whether to perform slave mode or single chip mode; and a memory interface circuit, electrically connected to the memory arbitration Device, the third memory, and the fourth memory, used to generate memory channel addresses based on the processed microinstructions of the memory arbiter to access the third memory and the fourth memory; The constituent elements form a light sensor chip. By continuously reading the third memory and the fourth memory and storing them in the second memory, the microcontroller will obtain the data from the third memory and the fourth memory Read the data from the memory and check the Single bit status. When the Single bit status is 0, the read data from the fourth memory cannot replace the setting value controlled by the Functional light sensor in the second memory. Make the operation mode of the light sensor chip into the slave mode and become the slave terminal, the I/O communication interface will be used as the INT interface, and the external device connected to the internal integrated circuit bus becomes the master terminal, through the internal The integrated circuit bus waits for the actuation command of the external device to control the light sensors; when the When the Single bit state is 1, the read data from the fourth memory can replace the setting value controlled by the Functional light sensor in the second memory, so that the operation mode of the light sensor chip enters the single chip Mode, the second memory setting redirects the internal integrated circuit bus to the third memory and the fourth memory, so that the light sensors are controlled by the microcontroller, and the I/O The communication interface will be switched from the INT interface in slave mode to the GPIO interface.

In the above embodiments of the present invention, the light sensors are an ambient light sensor (Ambient Light Sensor, ALS) and a proximity sensor (Proximity Sensor, PS).

In the above embodiments of the present invention, the first memory is a read-only memory (Read-Only Memory, ROM), the second memory is a random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM), and the third memory The body is a Trim non-volatile memory (Trim non-volatile memory), and the fourth memory is a SetUp non-volatile memory (SetUp non-volatile memory).

In the above embodiment of the present invention, the set value is a photo sensor calibration and control register setting.

In the above embodiments of the present invention, each light sensor chip is the default slave mode during the factory test (FT) stage. The Trim value of the third memory that is burned after FT is only for the light sensors Calibration of the detector, if the single bit of the fourth memory is not programmed and the status is 0, then the data read from the fourth memory cannot replace the data in the second memory when starting up The setting value controlled by the Functional light sensor enters the slave mode; the end user burns the Single bit and the status is 1, when the power is turned on, the read data from the fourth memory can be replaced in the second memory The setting value controlled by the Functional light sensor enters the single-chip mode, and the second memory setting is redirected from the internal integrated circuit bus to the third memory and the fourth memory.

In the above embodiment of the present invention, the user can first verify the setting value of the optimal light sensor control using the slave mode, and then burn through the internal integrated circuit bus to burn the single bit to make The status becomes 1.

In the above embodiment of the present invention, the INT interface is switched to the GPIO interface and can be reset to output the OBJ status bit.

In the above embodiment of the present invention, the internal integrated circuit bus includes an SDA/SCL interface, which will no longer be used in the single-chip mode and needs to be connected to VDD.

In the above embodiment of the present invention, the internal integrated circuit bus includes a SEL interface, which will be released as a GPIO interface for use or removal when performing the single-chip mode.

(Part of the invention)

1: Light sensor chip

11: Light sensor area

111, 112: light sensor

12: Analog front-end circuit

13: Microcontroller

131: read-only memory

132: I/O communication interface

14: memory arbiter

15: Random access memory

16: Internal integrated circuit bus

161: register

162: SDA/SCL interface

163: SEL interface

17: Trim non-volatile memory

18: SetUp non-volatile memory

19: Memory interface circuit

2: External device

s11~s22: steps

(Conventional part)

3: Host

31: CPU

32: Light sensor

4: Slave machine

41: Microcontroller

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the device architecture of the present invention

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the operation flow of the device of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a conventional host computer controlling the slave light sensor through the I2C protocol.

Please refer to "Figure 1 and Figure 2", which are respectively a schematic diagram of the device architecture of the present invention and a schematic diagram of the operation flow of the device of the present invention. As shown in the figure: the present invention is an MCU master-slave application control light sensor device with two modes, including a light sensor area 11, an analog front end (Analog Front End, AFE) 12, a micro Controller (Microcontroller Unit, MCU) 13, a memory arbiter (Arbitration, ARB) 14, a random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM) 15, an internal integrated circuit (I2C I/F) bus 16. A Trim non-volatile memory (Trim non-volatile memory) 17, a SetUp non-volatile memory (SetUp non-volatile memory) 18, and a memory interface circuit 19.

The above-mentioned light sensor area 11 is provided with a plurality of light sensors (light sensors) 111 and 112, including an ambient light sensor (Ambient Light Sensor, ALS) and a proximity sensor (Proximity Sensor, PS).

The analog front-end circuit 12 is electrically connected to the photo sensors 111 and 112 in the photo sensor area 11 for photoelectric conversion and analog modification of the parameters of the photo sensors 111 and 112.

The microcontroller 13 is electrically connected to the analog front-end circuit 12. The microcontroller 13 is a software state machine (State machine) with a read-only memory (Read-Only Memory, ROM) 131 and an I/O The communication interface 132, and the read-only memory 131 stores the software state machine program.

The memory arbiter 14 is electrically connected to the microcontroller 13 for receiving microinstructions associated with each memory, and for selecting and processing the order of the microinstructions according to an arbitration procedure, so that a processed The microinstruction establishes access to the memory portion and address specified by the microinstruction.

The random access memory 15 is electrically connected to the memory arbiter 14 and stores a functional light sensor control setting value. The setting value is a light sensor calibration and control register setting .

The internal integrated circuit bus 16 is electrically connected to the memory arbiter 14. The internal integrated circuit bus 16 is a communication interface for connecting an external device 2 and has a temporary memory 161, and all calculation settings will exist The random access memory 15 and the temporary memory 161. The internal integrated circuit bus includes an SDA/SCL interface 162 and a SEL interface 163.

The Trim non-volatile memory 17 has a Trim value built in, as the microcontroller 13 controls the analog front-end circuit 12 to trim the light sensors 111, 112 AFE trimming parameter data.

The SetUp non-volatile memory 18 is configured as a single-bit (Single bit) unit memory, and burns data in the form of single bits with these operation settings to determine whether to perform the slave mode or the single-chip mode.

The memory interface circuit 19 is electrically connected to the memory arbiter 14, the Trim non-volatile memory 17 and the SetUp non-volatile memory 18 to generate memory based on the processed microinstructions of the memory arbiter 14 The body channel address is used to access the Trim non-volatile memory 17 and the SetUp non-volatile memory 18; a light sensor chip 1 is formed by the above components. If so, a new MCU master-slave application with two modes is used to control the light sensor with the structure disclosed above.

When used, each light sensor chip 1 in the pre-factory test (FT) stage is the default slave mode. The Trim value of the Trim non-volatile memory 17 that is burned after FT is only for these Calibration of the light sensors 111 and 112. If the Single bit of the SetUp non-volatile memory 18 is not burned and the status is 0, the read-out from the SetUp non-volatile memory 18 is turned on The data cannot replace the setting value controlled by the functional light sensor in the random access memory 15 and enter the slave mode. When the end user burns the Single bit and the status is 1, the data read from the SetUp non-volatile memory 18 can replace the setting of the functional light sensor control in the random access memory 15 when starting up When entering the single chip mode, the I/O communication interface 132 will switch from the slave mode INT interface to the GPIO interface, which can be reset to output OBJ status bits. In addition, the SDA/SCL interface 162 of the internal integrated circuit bus 16 is no longer used and needs to be connected to VDD 3.3V, and the SEL interface 163 can also be released for use as a GPIO interface or removed. In addition, the user can first verify the setting value of the light sensor control in the optimal random access memory 15 using the slave mode, and then pass the internal product Use the body circuit bus 16 to program, and program the single bit to 1 to set the state to 1.

The following embodiments are only examples for understanding the details and connotation of the present invention, but are not intended to limit the patent application scope of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the operation mode of the smart sensor equipped with the light sensor chip 1 of the present invention is as in step s11, by continuously reading the Trim non-volatile memory 17 and the SetUp non-volatile memory 18 It is stored in the random access memory 15, as in steps s12 and s13, the microcontroller 13 will obtain the read data from the Trim non-volatile memory 17 and the SetUp non-volatile memory 18 and check the status of the single bit such as Step s14, when the Single bit status is 0, the read data from the SetUp non-volatile memory 18 cannot replace the setting value controlled by the Functional light sensor in the random access memory 15, so that the light sensing The operation mode of the detector chip 1 enters the slave mode as step s15, and becomes the slave terminal. The I/O communication interface 132 will be used as the INT interface, and the external device 2 connected to the internal integrated circuit bus 16 becomes the master terminal. The internal integrated circuit bus 16 waits for an operation command of the external device 2 to control the light sensors 111 and 112. In step s16, the random access memory 15 is configured by the host, and then booted according to the host command as in step s17, and the host command is followed as in step s18. When the Single bit state is 1, the operation mode of the light sensor chip 1 is entered into the single-chip mode as in step s19, the operation mode of the light sensor is switched from the slave device to the host device, from the SetUp non-volatile memory The read data of the body 18 can replace the setting value of the functional light sensor control in the random access memory 15, so that the light sensor can load the dedicated control settings as in step s20, the light sensor chip 1 After the smart sensor restarts, it will automatically start the setting of the random access memory 15 and permanently execute steps s21 and s22, redirecting from the internal integrated circuit bus 16 to the Trim nonvolatile memory 17 and The SetUp non-volatile memory 18 allows the light sensors 111, 112 to be The controller 3 controls to close the interrupt pin, so that the I/O communication interface 132 is switched from the slave mode INT interface to the GPIO interface.

The invention embeds a small microcontroller in a light sensor chip, merges the dual CPU architecture of the original master-slave dual mode into a single CPU architecture, and operates according to the original circuit pin design, so it is compatible with the old circuit design mode . The invention uses a single CPU architecture to enable the light sensor to be directly controlled by the microcontroller, and to control the configuration of the register through the light sensor, which can be redirected from the internal integrated circuit bus to the internal non-volatile memory. Switch the operation mode of the light sensor from the slave device to the master device, turn off the interrupt pin, and then switch to the GPIO pin. In this way, the bill of lading CPU structure of the present invention is simple, easy to use, and the cost can be effectively reduced.

In summary, the present invention is a MCU master-slave application control light sensor device with two modes, which can effectively improve the various shortcomings of the conventional. It is to embed a small microcontroller in the light sensor chip and integrate the original master The dual-mode dual-CPU architecture is merged into a single-CPU architecture, and is designed according to the original circuit pins. With this single-CPU architecture, the light sensor can be directly controlled by the microcontroller, and the register can be controlled by the light sensor. Configuration, can be redirected from the internal integrated circuit bus to the internal non-volatile memory, so that the operation mode of the light sensor is switched from the slave device to the host device, so that the proposed device has a simple structure, easy to use, and cost It can effectively reduce the efficiency, thereby making the invention more advanced, more practical, and more in line with the needs of users. It does meet the requirements of the invention patent application, and the patent application is filed according to law. However, the above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention, which should not be used to limit the scope of implementation of the present invention; therefore, simple equivalent changes and modifications made according to the scope of the patent application of the present invention and the content of the invention description , Should still fall within the scope of this invention patent.

1: Light sensor chip

11: Light sensor area

111, 112: light sensor

12: Analog front-end circuit

13: Microcontroller

131: read-only memory

132: I/O communication interface

14: memory arbiter

15: Random access memory

16: Internal integrated circuit bus

161: register

162: SDA/SCL interface

163: SEL interface

17: Trim non-volatile memory

18: SetUp non-volatile memory

19: Memory interface circuit

2: External device

Claims (9)

A MCU master-slave application with two modes to control the light sensor device includes: a light sensor area, provided with several light sensors (light sensor); an analog front end circuit (Analog Front End, AFE) , Electrically connected to the light sensor area, used for photoelectric conversion and analogously trimming the parameters of the light sensors; a microcontroller (Microcontroller Unit, MCU), electrically connected to the analog front-end circuit, the microcontroller The device is a software state machine (State machine) with a first memory and an I/O communication interface, and the program of the software state machine is stored by the first memory; a memory arbiter (Arbitration, ARB) , Electrically connected to the microcontroller, used to receive micro-instructions associated with each memory, and used to select the order of the micro-instructions according to an arbitration process and process, so that a processed micro-instruction establishes the micro-instruction Access to the memory part and address specified by the command; a second memory, electrically connected to the memory arbiter, which stores a set value controlled by a functional light sensor; an internal product I2C I/F bus, which is electrically connected to the memory arbiter. The internal integrated circuit bus is used as a communication interface for connecting an external device. It has a register. All calculation settings are stored in the A second memory and the temporary memory; a third memory, which has a trim value built in, as the microcontroller controls the analog front-end circuit to trim the AFE trimming parameter data of the light sensors; A fourth memory, which is configured as a single bit unit memory, and burns data in the form of single bits with these operation settings to decide whether to perform a slave mode or a single chip mode; and a memory interface circuit , Electrically connected to the memory arbiter and the third memory And the fourth memory, used to generate a memory channel address based on the processed microinstructions of the memory arbiter to access the third memory and the fourth memory, and forming a light sensor by the above-mentioned components Sensor chip, by continuously reading the third memory and the fourth memory and storing in the second memory, the microcontroller will obtain the read data from the third memory and the fourth memory And check the Single bit status. When the Single bit status is 0, the read data from the fourth memory cannot replace the setting value controlled by the Functional light sensor in the second memory, so that the light sensor The operation mode of the chip enters the slave mode and becomes the slave terminal. The I/O communication interface will be used as the INT interface, and the external device connected to the internal integrated circuit bus becomes the host terminal, and waits through the internal integrated circuit bus The actuation command of the external device to control the light sensors; when the Single bit state is 1, the read data from the fourth memory can replace the functional light sensor control in the second memory Setting value, the operation mode of the light sensor chip enters the single chip mode, the second memory setting is redirected from the internal integrated circuit bus to the third memory and the fourth memory, so that The light sensors are controlled by the microcontroller, and the I/O communication interface will be switched from the slave mode INT interface to the GPIO interface. The MCU master-slave application with two modes as described in item 1 of the patent scope controls the light sensor device, where the light sensors are ambient light sensors (Ambient Light Sensor, ALS) and proximity sensors Tester (Proximity Sensor, PS). The MCU master-slave application with two modes described in item 1 of the patent scope controls the light sensor device, wherein the first memory is a read-only memory (Read-Only Memory, ROM), and the second The memory is a random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM), the third memory is a Trim non-volatile memory (Trim non volatile memory), and the fourth memory is a Set Up non-volatile memory (Set Up non volatile memory). The MCU master-slave application with two modes described in item 1 of the patent application scope controls the light sensor device, wherein the setting value is the light sensor calibration and control register setting. The MCU master-slave application with two modes as described in item 1 of the patent scope controls the light sensor device, where each light sensor chip is the default slave mode during the pre-factory test (FT) stage, The Trim value of the third memory that is burned after FT is only for the calibration of the light sensors. If the Single bit of the fourth memory is not burned and the status is 0, when powering on, The read data from the fourth memory cannot replace the setting value controlled by the Functional light sensor in the second memory and enter the slave mode; the end user burns the single bit and the status is 1, when the power is turned on , The read data from the fourth memory can replace the setting value controlled by the Functional light sensor in the second memory, enter the single-chip mode, the second memory setting will converge from the internal integrated circuit The row is redirected to the third memory and the fourth memory. The MCU master-slave application with two modes described in item 5 of the patent scope controls the light sensor device, where the user can first verify the optimal settings of the light sensor control using the slave mode, Then burn through the internal integrated circuit bus to burn the single bit to make the state become 1. The MCU master-slave application with two modes as described in item 1 of the patent scope controls the light sensor device, where the INT interface is switched to the GPIO interface and can be reset to output OBJ status bits. The MCU master-slave application with two modes as described in item 1 of the patent scope controls the photo sensor device, where the internal integrated circuit bus includes an SDA/SCL interface, which will not be For reuse, it needs to be connected to VDD. The MCU master-slave application with two modes as described in item 1 of the patent scope controls the photo sensor device, wherein the internal integrated circuit bus includes a SEL interface, which will be released as GPIO when performing single-chip mode Use or remove the interface.

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