Protocol with control bits and bytes for controlling the order of communications between a master processor and plural slave processors
First Claim
1. A communication arrangement for enabling communications between a master communication unit and a plurality (M) of slave communication units over a plurality of communication paths, said arrangement comprisingat said master unit,means for sending master information in a downlink message over a first communication path to said M slave units, said downlink message including a number N of information bytes, where N≧
- M, each byte except a last byte comprising a data portion followed by a control bit at a first state and said last byte comprising a status portion followed by a control bit at a second state; and
means for receiving slave information in an uplink message over a second communication path from at least one of said M slave units, said uplink message including at least one information byte, wherein each byte except a last byte comprises a data portion followed by a control bit at a first state and said last byte comprises a status portion followed by a control bit at a second state;
third communication path connected between said master unit and said M slave units for enabling a first slave unit to signal other slave units of the first slave unit'"'"'s desire to send information to said master unit; and
wherein at least one slave unit includesmeans for monitoring a state of said third path during the reception of said downlink message frame over said first path,means responsive to a first state of said third path and an indication that that slave unit is to send an uplink message over said second path following the reception of said downlink message, for establishing a second state on said third path during a predetermined unique byte of said received downlink message, the unique byte being associated with said at least one slave unit, andmeans for sending said uplink message over said second path after the complete reception of said downlink message as determined by said control bit at said second state in said last byte of said downlink message.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A protocol controls communications between a master unit and a plurality (M) of slave units connected thereto. The master unit sends a downlink message over a first communication path to the M slave units, the downlink message including a number N of information bytes, where N≧M, each byte except a last byte comprising a data portion followed by a first predetermined control bit and the last byte comprising a status portion followed by a second predetermined control bit. The master unit receives uplink messages over a second communication path from the M slave units, the uplink messages having the same format as downlink messages. A third communication path connects between the master unit and the M slave units enabling a first slave unit to signal other slave units of the first slave unit'"'"'s desire to send information to the master unit.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A communication arrangement for enabling communications between a master communication unit and a plurality (M) of slave communication units over a plurality of communication paths, said arrangement comprising
at said master unit, means for sending master information in a downlink message over a first communication path to said M slave units, said downlink message including a number N of information bytes, where N≧ - M, each byte except a last byte comprising a data portion followed by a control bit at a first state and said last byte comprising a status portion followed by a control bit at a second state; and
means for receiving slave information in an uplink message over a second communication path from at least one of said M slave units, said uplink message including at least one information byte, wherein each byte except a last byte comprises a data portion followed by a control bit at a first state and said last byte comprises a status portion followed by a control bit at a second state; third communication path connected between said master unit and said M slave units for enabling a first slave unit to signal other slave units of the first slave unit'"'"'s desire to send information to said master unit; and wherein at least one slave unit includes means for monitoring a state of said third path during the reception of said downlink message frame over said first path, means responsive to a first state of said third path and an indication that that slave unit is to send an uplink message over said second path following the reception of said downlink message, for establishing a second state on said third path during a predetermined unique byte of said received downlink message, the unique byte being associated with said at least one slave unit, and means for sending said uplink message over said second path after the complete reception of said downlink message as determined by said control bit at said second state in said last byte of said downlink message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- M, each byte except a last byte comprising a data portion followed by a control bit at a first state and said last byte comprising a status portion followed by a control bit at a second state; and
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12. Apparatus for enabling communications over a plurality of communication paths connected thereto, said apparatus comprising
means for receiving a downlink message over a first communication path, said downlink message including a plurality of information bytes, each byte except a last byte comprising a data portion followed by a control bit at a first state and said last byte comprising a status portion followed by a control bit at a second state; -
means for monitoring a state of a third communication path during the reception of said downlink message; means, responsive to a first state of said third path and an indication that said apparatus desires to send an uplink message, for establishing a second state on said third path during a predetermined unique byte of said received downlink message, the unique byte being associated with said apparatus; and means for sending an uplink message over a second communication path after the complete reception of said downlink message as determined by said control bit at said second state in said last byte of said downlink message, said uplink message including at least one information byte, wherein each byte except a last byte comprises a data portion followed by a control bit at a first state bit and said last byte comprises a status portion followed by a control bit at a second state. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of communicating with an apparatus over a plurality of communication paths connected thereto, said method comprising the steps of
receiving a downlink message over a first communication path, said downlink message including a plurality of information bytes, each byte except a last byte comprising a data portion followed by a control bit at a first state and said last byte comprising a status portion followed by a control bit at a second state; -
monitoring a state of a third communication path during the reception of said downlink message; establishing, in response to a first state of said third path, and an indication that said apparatus desires to send an uplink message, a second state on said third path during a predetermined unique byte of said received downlink message, the unique byte being associated with said apparatus; and sending an uplink message over a second communication path after the complete reception of said downlink message as determined by said control bit at said second state in said last byte of said downlink message, said uplink message including at least one information byte, wherein each byte except a last byte comprises a data portion followed by a control bit at a first state and said last byte comprises a status portion followed by a control bit at a second state.
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19. A method of communicating between a master communication unit and a plurality (M) of slave communication units over a plurality of communication paths, said method comprising the steps of
at said master unit, sending master information in a downlink message over a first communication path to said M slave units, said downlink message including a number N of information bytes, where N≧ - M, each byte except a last byte comprising a data portion followed by a control bit at a first state and said last byte comprising a status portion followed by a control bit at a second state; and
receiving slave information in an uplink message over a second communication path from at least one of said M slave units, said uplink message including at least one information byte, wherein each byte except a last byte comprises a data portion followed by a control bit at a first state and said last byte comprises a status portion followed by a control bit at a second state; enabling, over a third communication path connected between said master unit and said M slave units, a first slave unit to signal other slave units of the first slave unit'"'"'s desire to send information to said master unit; and at at least one slave unit monitoring a state of said third path during the reception of said downlink message frame over said first path, and establishing, in response to a first state of said third path and an indication that that slave unit is to send an uplink message over said second path following the reception of said downlink message, a second state on said third path during a predetermined unique byte of said received downlink message, the unique byte being associated with said at least one slave unit; and sending said uplink message over said second path after the complete reception of said downlink message as determined by said control bit at said second state in said last byte of said downlink message.
- M, each byte except a last byte comprising a data portion followed by a control bit at a first state and said last byte comprising a status portion followed by a control bit at a second state; and
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20. A terminal arrangement for enabling communications to a control unit of a communication system via a first facility and and for enabling communications to one or more (M) adjuncts connectable via a second facility including a plurality of communication paths, said terminal arrangement comprising
means for sending master information in a downlink message over a first communication path to said M adjuncts, said downlink message including a number N of information bytes, where N≧ - M, each byte except a last byte comprising a data portion followed by a control bit at a first state and said last byte comprising a status portion followed by a control bit at a second state;
means for receiving adjunct information in an uplink message over a second communication path from at least one of said M adjuncts after the complete sending of said downlink message as determined by said control bit at said second state in said last byte of said downlink message, said uplink message including at least one information byte, wherein each byte except a last byte comprises a data portion followed by a control bit at a first state and said last byte comprises a status portion followed by a control bit at a second state; and third communication path connected between said terminal arrangement and said M adjuncts for enabling a first adjunct to signal other adjuncts of the first adjunct'"'"'s desire to send adjunct information to said terminal arrangement, said third path having a first state during the transmission of said downlink message frame over said first path and wherein said third path is established at a second state during a predetermined unique byte of said transmitted downlink message to indicate said first adjunct'"'"'s desire to send adjunct information to said terminal arrangement, the unique byte being associated with said first adjunct.
- M, each byte except a last byte comprising a data portion followed by a control bit at a first state and said last byte comprising a status portion followed by a control bit at a second state;
Specification