Phone design hinges on serial links: the demand for small phones with big display performance is driving a move toward new serial interfaces.(Mobile)

EDN, November, 2004 by Satsukawa, Norihiro

WITH MOST CELLULAR PHONES based on a clamshell design, the LCD panel and camera module reside in the upper chassis, and the lower chassis contains the processors. The wires connecting the two chassis run through the hinge that mechanically connects the two sides. Traditionally, designers have used CMOS-level parallel interfaces for this connection.

However, as the resolution of both LCDs and camera modules increases, so does the number of parallel wires running through the hinge. This situation not only complicates the design of the hinge, but also creates other problems, such as high power consumption and EMI emissions that can interfere with peripheral circuits. To solve these problems, IC vendors have proposed several types of serial-interface...

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