7.3 Acknowledge Polling
An Acknowledge Polling routine can be implemented to optimize time-sensitive applications that would prefer not to wait the fixed maximum write cycle time (tWR). This method allows the application to know immediately when the Serial EEPROM write cycle has completed, so a subsequent operation can be started.
Once the internally self-timed write cycle has started, an
Acknowledge Polling routine can be initiated. This involves repeatedly sending a Start
condition followed by a valid device address byte with the R/W bit
set at logic ‘0’. The device will not respond with an ACK while the write
cycle is ongoing. Once the internal write cycle has completed, the EEPROM will respond with
an ACK, allowing a new read or write operation to be immediately initiated. A flowchart has
been included below in Figure 7-3 to
better illustrate this technique.