SLVAE87A December 2020 – October 2023 BQ79600-Q1 , BQ79612-Q1 , BQ79614-Q1 , BQ79616-Q1 , BQ79652-Q1 , BQ79654-Q1 , BQ79656-Q1
The daisy chain communication for the device allows for the use of a ring architecture. In this architecture, a cable break between two devices does not prevent communication to all upstream devices as in a normal non-ring scheme. When the host detects a broken communication interface, the device allows the host to switch the communication direction to communicate with devices on both sides of the break. This allows for safe operation until the break in the lines is repaired.
The CONTROL1[DIR_SEL] controls the communication direction. The devices will reconfigure the COMH and COML ports depends on the [DIR_SEL] and the [TOP_STACK] setting. The auto addressing procedure is needed to re-address the device addresses for the reverse communication direction.
Following is an example on how to change the communication direction to [DIR_SEL] = 1 to the entire daisy chain.
Ring architecture also enables fault status transmitting in sleep. In SLEEP mode, the following fault detections are still active.
Since communication is not available in SLEEP, the device provides an option to transmit the fault status through Heartbeat (device in no fault state) and Fault Tone (device in fault state). These tones are transmitted in the same direction as a communication command frame, which is based on the CONTROL1[DIR_SEL] setting. In order for the tone signal to return back to the base device (so NFAULT can be triggered if needed), a ring architecture must be used in order to support transmitting the fault status in SLEEP mode.