I2C Master / Slave Controller w/FIFO (APB Bus)

Overview

The Digital Blocks DB-I2C-MS-APB Controller IP Core interfaces a microprocessor via the APB system Interconnect Fabric to an I2C Bus. The I2C is a two-wire bidirectional interface standard (SCL is Clock, SDA is Data) for transfer of bytes of information between two or more compliant I2C devices, typically with a microprocessor behind the master / slave controller and one or more master / slave devices on the I2C Bus. The companion products, the DB-I2C-MS-APB, DB-I2C-MS-AXI, DB-I2C-MS-AVLN, DB-I2C-MS-AXI-Lite, support on-chip bus interfaces with microprocessors such as the ARM, MIPS, PowerPC, and ARC.

Digital Blocks offers I2C Controller Master/Slave, Master only, and Slave only IP with AXI / APB / APB / Avalon / Qsys Interfaces. In addition, besides interfacing to a CPU, the I2C Controllers can transfer blocks of data directly between System Memory or Registers and the I2C Bus.

Key Features

I2C Master / Slave with Parameterized FIFO:

Targets embedded processors with high performance algorithm requirements, by independently controlling the Transmit or Receive of bytes of information:

For Transmits, the processor writes the Slave Address & bytes of information into the FIFO, sets a start control bit, and waits for an interrupt or polls a status bit signaling completion
For Receive, the processor writes the Slave Address into the DB-I2C-MS-AHB, enables the controller, and waits for an interrupt or polls a status bit signaling completion. The processor then reads the bytes of information from the FIFO.

Small VLSI footprint
Master Controller Modes:

Master – Transmitter
Master – Receiver

Slave Controller Modes:

Slaver – Transmitter
Slave – Receiver

Multi-Master, Clock Synchronization, Arbitration, SCL held low by Slave, & Repeated Start capabilites
Parameterized FIFO depth for higher performance. Optional 16 or 32-bit processor interface
Supports three I2C bus speeds:

Standard mode (100 Kb/s)
Fast mode (400 Kb/s)
Fast mode plus (1 Mbit/s)

8 sources of internal interrupts with masking control
Compliance with AMBA AXI and I2C specifications:

AMBA AHB Protocol Specification (V2.0)
Philips/NXP – The I2C-Bus Specification, Version 2.1, January 2000 and NXP Rev 0.3 19 June 2007

Fully-synchronous, synthesizable Verilog or VHDL RTL core, with rising-edge clocking, no gated clocks, and no internal tri-states, for easy integration into FPGA or ASIC design flows.

Benefits

The DB-I2C-MS-APB Controller IP Core targets embedded processor applications with high performance algorithm requirements. While most I2C controllers require high processor interaction involvement, the DB-I2C-MS-APB contains a parameterized FIFO and Finite State Machine Control for the processor to off-load the I2C transfer to the DB-I2C-MS-APB Controller. Thus, while the DB-I2C-MS-APB is busy, independently controlling the I2C Transmit or Receive transaction of data, the processor can go off and complete other tasks.

Deliverables

Verilog or VHDL RTL Source or technology-specific netlist.
Comprehensive testbench suite with expected results.
Synthesis scripts.
Installation & Implementation Guide.
Technical Reference Manual.

Technical Specifications

Foundry, Node

Chartered, IBM, LSI. OKI, Silterra, SMIC, STMicroelectronics, Tower, TMSC, UMC

Maturity

Successful in Customer Implementations

Availability

Immediately

GLOBALFOUNDRIES

Pre-Silicon: 28nm HPP , 32nm , 55nm
Silicon Proven: 28nm HPP

LFoundry

Pre-Silicon: 150nm

Renesas

Pre-Silicon: 40nm , 90nm

SMIC

Pre-Silicon: 40nm LL
Silicon Proven: 55nm G

Silterra

Pre-Silicon: 90nm
Silicon Proven: 130nm

TSMC

In Production: 45nm LP
Pre-Silicon: 28nm LP , 40nm G , 45nm LP , 55nm LP , 65nm GP , 90nm GOD
Silicon Proven: 40nm G , 55nm GP , 65nm LP

Tower

Pre-Silicon: 130nm
Silicon Proven: 180nm

UMC

In Production: 55nm
Pre-Silicon: 40nm LP
Silicon Proven: 40nm LP

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