SPI and I2C are two popular serial communication protocols used to connect microcontrollers, sensors, and other devices in embedded systems. Let us list some key differences between the two interfaces:
Bus architecture:
SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) uses a master-slave architecture, where one master device communicates with one or more slave devices. I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) uses a multi-master architecture, where multiple master devices can communicate with multiple slave devices.
Signal count:
SPI typically requires four wires: clock, MOSI (master output, slave input), MISO (master input, slave output), and a chip select signal for each slave device. I2C requires only two wires: clock and data.
Communication Speed:
SPI can operate at much higher speeds than I2C, with maximum speeds ranging from tens of megahertz to hundreds of megahertz, depending on the devices involved. I2C typically operates at speeds up to a few megahertz. I2C has various speeds and they are listed in the below link:
Data transfer:
SPI transfers data in full duplex mode, meaning that data can be sent and received simultaneously. I2C transfers data in half-duplex mode, meaning that data can only be sent or received at a time.
Applications:
SPI is commonly used for high-speed communication between microcontrollers and peripheral devices such as sensors, displays, and memory chips. Generally, the speeds are less than 100MHz for SPI devices. I2C is commonly used for communication between sensors and microcontrollers, and also for low-speed communication between various system components.
Both SPI and I2C have their advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of protocol depends on the specific requirements of the application. In general, SPI is better suited for high-speed, full-duplex communication, while I2C is better suited for low-speed, multi-master communication with fewer wires.
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