SRRT: An Ultra-Low-Power Unidirectional Single-Wire Inter-Chip Communication for IoT

Abstract

In the rapidly evolving landscape of the Internet of Things (IoT), efficient and low-power communication solutions with minimal I/O count are essential for the effective connectivity of a multitude of devices. This brief presents Spike Refresh Receiver-Transmitter (SRRT), a novel ultra-low power unidirectional single-wire inter-chip communication protocol designed specifically for IoT applications. The protocol distinguishes continuous identical data through spike refresh and ensures data reliability via stability detection. We conduct theoretical analysis of the SRRT and performed post-layout simulations using layouts generated by ICC. The results show that the SRRT achieves a power consumption of 0.0605mW, a performance of 200Mbps, an energy efficiency of 0.3025pJ/bit, and an area of 0.001508mm2. Additionally, the protocol is validated in a real-world environment using a PCB comprising two FPGAs.