US 12,468,653 B2
Micro controller unit, operation system, and control method
Chieh-Sheng Tu, Hsinchu (TW); and Ta-Chin Chiu, Hsinchu Science Park (TW)
Assigned to NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, Hsinchu Science Park (TW)
Filed by Nuvoton Technology Corporation, Hsinchu Science Park (TW)
Filed on May 18, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/319,771.
Claims priority of application No. 111129386 (TW), filed on Aug. 4, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0045826 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. G06F 13/42 (2006.01); G06F 13/20 (2006.01); G06F 13/40 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 13/4282 (2013.01) [G06F 2213/0002 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A micro controller unit coupled between a master device and a slave device and comprising:
a first communication interface comprising:
a first pin receiving a first external signal provided by the master device;
a second pin receiving a second external signal provided by the master device; and
a third pin outputting output data to the master device;
a serial peripheral interface (SPI) circuit configured to generate an internal signal;
a switch circuit using the second external signal or the internal signal as an output signal according to a control signal;
a second communication interface providing the output signal to the slave device, receiving the output data from the slave device, and providing the output data to the third pin;
a switching control circuit generating the control signal according to the level of the first external signal;
a third communication interface; and
a central processing unit (CPU) using the third communication interface to communicate with the master device,
wherein in response to the master device not operating normally according to the output data, the master device sets the level of the first external signal to a predetermined level,
wherein in response to the level of the first external signal being equal to the predetermined level, the switching control circuit directs the switch circuit to use the internal signal as the output signal, and
wherein in response to the level of the first external signal not being equal to the predetermined level, the switching control circuit directs the switch circuit to use the second external signal as the output signal, and
wherein the CPU verifies the output data, and in response to the output data not being correct, the CPU utilizes the output signal to provide an original program code to the salve device and notifies the master device so that the master device sets the level of the first external signal to be not equal to the predetermined level.