Serial Data Sampling Point Control

摘要

Serial data transmission is performed using a serial data signal (8) with an associated clock signal (10) having sampling-trigger characteristics within the clock signal for controlling when the serial data signal is sampled by the receiver (2). Instead of reducing the clock signal frequency to a level where minimum setup time and minimum hold time requirements are met for every serial bit irrespective of its value, the technique instead runs at a higher frequency assuming that the bit value will not change and when a change in bit value does occur extends the time between sampling-trigger characteristics and extends assertion of either the preceding bit in the case of hold time requirements or the following bit in the case of setup time requirements. The technique is particularly useful in serial communication of diagnostic data with integrated circuits (2).