The following steps explain a complete
transaction in F/S mode.
- The master initiates data transfer by generating a start
condition. The start condition is when a high-to-low transition occurs on the
SDA line while SCL is high, as shown in Figure 7-3. All I2C-compatible devices recognize a start
condition.
- The master then generates the SCL pulses, and transmits the
7-bit address and the read/write direction bit (R/W) on the
SDA line. During all transmissions, the master makes sure that data are valid. A
valid data condition requires the SDA line to be stable during the entire high
period of the clock pulse, as shown in Figure 7-4. All devices recognize the address sent by the master and
compare the address to the respective internal fixed address. Only the slave
device with a matching address generates an acknowledge by pulling the SDA line
low during the entire high period of the ninth SCL cycle, as shown in Figure 7-2. When the master detects this acknowledge, the communication link with a
slave has been established.
- The master generates further SCL cycles to transmit
(R/W bit 0) or receive (R/W bit 1)
data to the slave. In either case, the receiver must acknowledge the data sent
by the transmitter. The acknowledge signal can be generated by the master or by
the slave, depending on which is the receiver. The 9-bit valid data sequences
consists of 8-data bits and 1 acknowledge-bit, and can continue as long as
necessary.
- To signal the end of the data transfer, the master generates a
stop condition by pulling the SDA line from low-to-high while the SCL line is
high (see Figure 7-4). This action releases the bus and stops the communication
link with the addressed slave. All I2C-compatible devices recognize
the stop condition. Upon receipt of a stop condition, the bus is released, and
all slave devices then wait for a start condition followed by a matching
address.
Figure 7-3 Start and Stop
Conditions Figure 7-4 Bit Transfer on the
I2C Bus