Communications bus with redundant signal paths and method for compensating for signal path errors in a communications bus
First Claim
1. A communications bus connected between a source node and a destination node, the communications bus including:
- (a) a number of alternate transmission paths extending between the source node and the destination node on a common substrate;
(b) a source switching arrangement interposed between the source node and the alternate transmission paths, the source switching arrangement being operable to selectively connect the source node to a selected one of the alternate transmission paths and disconnect the source node from each other alternate transmission path; and
(c) a destination switching arrangement interposed between the destination node and the alternate transmission paths, the destination switching arrangement being operable to selectively connect the destination node to the selected one of the alternate transmission paths and disconnect the destination node from each other alternate transmission path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communications bus (300) includes a number of alternate transmission paths (311, 312) between a given source node (301) and respective destination node (305) on a common substrate. The source node (301) receives a signal from a first circuit (309) serviced by the bus (300) while the respective destination node (305) transfers that signal to a second circuit (310) serviced by the bus. The communications bus (300) includes two switching arrangements for switching between the alternate transmission paths (311, 312). A source switching arrangement (318) is interposed between the source node (301) and the respective alternate transmission path (311, 312). This source switching arrangement (318) selectively connects the respective source node (301) to a selected one of the alternate transmission paths (311, 312) and disconnects the source node (301) from each other alternate transmission path. A destination switching arrangement (319) is interposed between the destination node (305) and respective alternate transmission paths (311, 312). The destination switching arrangement (319) selectively connects the respective destination node (305) to the selected alternate transmission path and disconnects the respective destination node from each other alternate transmission path.
109 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A communications bus connected between a source node and a destination node, the communications bus including:
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(a) a number of alternate transmission paths extending between the source node and the destination node on a common substrate;
(b) a source switching arrangement interposed between the source node and the alternate transmission paths, the source switching arrangement being operable to selectively connect the source node to a selected one of the alternate transmission paths and disconnect the source node from each other alternate transmission path; and
(c) a destination switching arrangement interposed between the destination node and the alternate transmission paths, the destination switching arrangement being operable to selectively connect the destination node to the selected one of the alternate transmission paths and disconnect the destination node from each other alternate transmission path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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5. The communications bus of claim 5 wherein the source switch control structure and the destination switch control structure each includes a nonvolatile or volatile memory structure.
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13. A communications bus connected between a number of source nodes and an equal number of destination nodes, the communications bus including:
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(a) a number of alternate transmission paths extending between each respective source node and a matched one of the destination nodes on a common substrate, the matched destination node being matched to a respective one of the source nodes;
(b) a source switching arrangement, the source switching arrangement being interposed between each respective source node and the respective alternate transmission paths associated with that respective source node, the source switching arrangement also being operable to selectively connect each respective source node to a selected one of the alternate transmission paths associated with that source node and disconnect each respective source node from each other alternate transmission path associated with that source node; and
(c) a destination switching arrangement, the destination switching arrangement being interposed between each respective destination node and the respective alternate transmission paths associated with that respective destination node, the destination switching arrangement also being operable to selectively connect each respective destination node to the selected one of the alternate transmission paths associated with that destination node and disconnect the respective destination node from each other alternate transmission path associated with that destination node.
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18. A method for compensating for errors in a communications bus between a source node and a destination node, the bus including alternate transmission paths between the source and destination node, the method including the steps of:
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(a) applying a test signal to a first one of the alternate transmission paths between the source node and the destination node;
(b) determining whether the test signal is properly received at the destination node; and
(c) if the test signal is not properly received at the destination node, switching to a second one of the alternate transmission paths between the source node and destination node.
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Specification