There are multiple methods for getting data from A to B in an Electronic system. These methods are often referred to as Protocols. A communications protocol is a system of digital message formats and rules for exchanging those. Communicating systems use well-defined formats for exchanging messages. These protocols enable Serial Communication.
Serial Communications is the process of sending data one bit at a time, sequentially, over a communication channel or computer bus. Serial computer buses are becoming more common even at shorter distances, as improved signal integrity and transmission speeds in newer serial technologies have begun to outweigh the parallel bus's advantage of simplicity. The migration from PCI to PCI Express is an example.
Avnet Memec has suppliers offering solutions from the following serial communications protocols:
USB (Universal Serial Bus) - is an industry standard developed in the mid-1990s that defines the cables, connectors and protocols used in a bus for connection, communication and power supply between computers and electronic devices. Max cable length for USB is approx 5 Metres.
PCI Express - (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express), officially abbreviated as PCIe, is a computer expansion card standard designed to replace the older PCI, PCI-X, and AGP bus standards. PCIe has numerous improvements over the aforementioned bus standards read about solutions from Avnet Memec suppliers for more details. Distances of 16 inch to 30 Inch over a backplane are achievable.
RS232/485 - In telecommunications, RS-232 (Recommended Standard 232) is the traditional name for a series of standards for serial binary single-ended data and control signals connecting between a DTE (Data Terminal Equipment) and a DCE (Data Circuit-terminating Equipment). Max distance 1000 feet. RS485 is a standard defining the electrical characteristics of drivers and receivers for use in balanced digital multipoint systems, Max Distance 1200 metres
UART - is a type of "asynchronous receiver/transmitter", a piece of computer hardware that translates data between parallel and serial forms. UARTs are commonly used in conjunction with communication standards such as EIA RS-232, RS-422 or RS-485. Can achieve distances up to 25 feet.
SERDES - is a pair of functional blocks commonly used in high speed communications to compensate for limited input/output. These blocks convert data between serial data and parallel interfaces in each direction
CAN/LIN - Controller–area network (CAN or CAN-bus) is a vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other within a vehicle without a host computer. LIN-Bus (Local Interconnect Network) is a vehicle bus standard or computer networking bus-system used within current automotive network architectures.
Firewire – Otherwise known as IEEE 1394 interface is a serial bus interface standard for high-speed communications and isochronous real-time data transfer, frequently used by personal computers, as well as in digital audio, digital video, automotive, and aeronautics applications.
