FORMING A LOGICAL MICROCONTROLLER FROM AT LEAST TWO PHYSICAL MICROCONTROLLERS ON A COMMON SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATE

Abstract

A system of at least two microcontrollers on a common semiconductor substrate, each of the at least two microcontrollers respectively having one hardware interface, and the at least two microcontrollers being coupled in data-transmitting fashion via the hardware interfaces by a coupling device.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A system, comprising: at least two microcontrollers on a common semiconductor substrate, each of the at least two microcontrollers having respectively one hardware interface, and the at least two microcontrollers being coupled in data-transmitting fashion via the respective hardware interfaces by a coupling device.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least two microcontrollers each have the same range of functions.

13. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein one microcontroller of the at least two microcontrollers have a range of functions that is different from that of another microcontroller of the at least two microcontrollers.

14. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the hardware interfaces being developed as bus interfaces.

15. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the hardware interfaces are developed as parallel or serial interfaces.

16. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the coupling device have one or multiple circuit traces.

17. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least two microcontrollers are produced like a single microcontroller.

18. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the system is designed in such a way that outwardly it behaves like a single microcontroller.

19. A processing unit, comprising: a system including at least two microcontrollers on a common semiconductor substrate, each of the at least two microcontrollers having respectively one hardware interface, and the at least two microcontrollers being coupled in data-transmitting fashion via the respective hardware interfaces by a coupling device; wherein the processing unit being designed to control an internal combustion engine.

20. A method of producing a system, the method comprising: producing at least two microcontrollers on a common semiconductor substrate, each of the at least two microcontrollers having respectively one hardware interface, and the at least two microcontrollers being coupled in data-transmitting fashion via the respective hardware interfaces by a coupling device, the at least two microcontroller being produced like a single microcontroller.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1 shows schematically a system according to the present invention of two microcontrollers on a semiconductor substrate in a preferred development.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0023] FIG. 1 schematically shows a semiconductor substrate 100 developed as a silicon wafer, on which two microcontrollers 200, 300 are mounted or situated. By way of example, both microcontrollers 200, 300 are developed identically, but both microcontrollers may also have different ranges of function.

[0024] By way of example, microcontroller 200 includes two processor cores 201, 202, a flash memory 205 and a working memory 206. Microcontroller 200 furthermore includes a hardware interface 210, via which it is possible to establish a connection from outside, in particular to the processor cores 201, 202.

[0025] Microcontroller 300 also includes two processor cores 301, 302, a flash memory 305, a working memory 306 and a hardware interface 310. Hardware interfaces 210, 310 are here developed as AHB interfaces (advanced high-performance bus).

[0026] Both microcontrollers 200, 300 are situated side by side on semiconductor substrate 100 and forma system 110, which was produced like a single microcontroller and which also behaves as such outwardly.

[0027] Microcontrollers 200, 300 are connected by a coupling device 400 via hardware interfaces 210, 310 of microcontrollers 200, 300. In an AHB bus, coupling device 400 are developed as x circuit traces (x dependent on the internal bus width of the architecture and the performance segment of the pC), which are mounted on the semiconductor substrate. This is particularly easy to produce.

[0028] The microcontrollers 200, 300 are preferably existing (and thus already proven and optimized) designs, which merely had to be extended by the coupling option (i.e., in particular by the hardware interface and possibly coupling device). In particular, they also continue to be functional in single operation, but may now, however, also be coupled to form larger systems according to the present invention. This allows for savings in the design work of more than 90% compared to the design of a new microcontroller having a comparable range of functions.

[0029] The system according to the present invention is not limited to two microcontrollers, as even three or more microcontrollers may be suitably situated on semiconductor substrate 100 and be coupled via the hardware interfaces.