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Basic Knowledge of I2C

Inter-Integrated Circuit




  • It is a synchronous mode of communication.
  • As it synchronous so the the communication between two devices id based on a common signal called serial clock pulse, and master have the control of this serial clock pulse.
  • It uses 2 wire bus
    1. SCL : Serial Clock      ( controls communication ) 
    2. SDA : Serial Data Access  ( serial data transmission bus)
  • It follows many master many slaves.
  • It is address oriented communication, as every slave has a unique address.
  • Max no of slaves are limited to 2^7 (2 raise to power 7).
  • It is half duple mode of communication.
  • While transmitting data, MSB is sent first.


  • Master can be transmitter and receiver as well.
  • Master generates serial clock pulse and initiate communication, other device will act as slave as start responding as per their address, as this is address oriented mode of communication.
  • Master does't have any address, so not possible for slave to send commands to master until master request slave to do so.

Working principle
  • Master will start communication with sending a start bit.
  • With every clock pulse from  high to low, a bit of data is transmitted by serial data bus.
  • Data is exchanged only and only when SCL ( serial clock pulse ) is low.
  • Master will transmit slave address to whom it wants to communicate.
  • After address master will send memory address to slave that master wants to access.
  • After memory address, master will read/write data at that location.
  • Master will stop communication with sending a stop bit.

we will discuss all stages one by one. Go back and read further.

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