I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit; pronounced as "eye-squared-see" or "eye-two-see"), alternatively known as I2C and IIC, is a synchronous, multi-master/multi-slave, single-ended, serial communication bus invented in 1980 by Philips Semiconductors (now NXP Semiconductors). It is widely used for attaching lower-speed peripheral integrated circuits (ICs) to processors and microcontrollers in short-distance, intra-board communication.
In the European Patent EP0051332B1 Ad P.M.M. Moelands and Herman Sch