Message repeating apparatus and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A multi-processor communications system wherein the processors can communicate via a medium, the system comprising:
- at least one programmed processor wherein the processor includes interface circuitry for transmitting information to the medium to communicate with another processor and for detecting information received from the medium which may be directed to the another processor and wherein the at least one processor includes a plurality of preprogrammed instructions for verifying the integrity of information received from a transmitting unit and wherein the at least one programmed processor rebroadcasts, at least in part, that received information in response to an error indicator being broadcast onto the medium by an intended receiving processor.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-processor communication system includes a plurality of processors in bidirectional communication with one another. One processor can transmit a message to an intended recipient. The message can be correctly received by other processors. In the event that the intended processor does not correctly receive the message and transmits a failure indicating message, the other processors, upon detection of the failure will retransmit the message. Ambient condition sensors can be coupled to some of the processors.
-
Citations
90 Claims
-
1. A multi-processor communications system wherein the processors can communicate via a medium, the system comprising:
at least one programmed processor wherein the processor includes interface circuitry for transmitting information to the medium to communicate with another processor and for detecting information received from the medium which may be directed to the another processor and wherein the at least one processor includes a plurality of preprogrammed instructions for verifying the integrity of information received from a transmitting unit and wherein the at least one programmed processor rebroadcasts, at least in part, that received information in response to an error indicator being broadcast onto the medium by an intended receiving processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
10. A monitoring system comprising:
a plurality of communications units, wherein each of the units communicates with others of the units, wherein each of the units includes detection circuitry for receipt of messages transmitted by others of the units and transmission circuitry for broadcasting messages to at least one other unit, wherein the detection circuitry and the transmission circuitry are coupled to control circuitry wherein the control circuitry includes analysis circuitry for determining if a message, not intended for that unit, has been properly received thereby from another transmitting unit and repeat circuitry for retransmitting at least a part of that message in response to a received message deficiency indicator. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
20. A communications method comprising:
-
transmitting a message, directed to at least one electrical unit, to a plurality of units;
receiving the message at the at least one electrical unit and at one other unit;
analyzing the integrity of the message at the at least one electrical unit, and, in response to a lack of integrity transmitting from the at least one electrical unit a defect indicating message; and
analyzing the integrity of the message at the other unit wherein in the event that the other unit determines that the message has been received with a requisite level of integrity, retransmitting at least a part of the received message in response to receipt of the defect indicating message. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. In a communications system having at least three devices in bidirectional communication, a process comprising:
-
transmitting a message from a first device to an intended second device;
receiving the transmission at a third device; and
retransmitting at least a part of the message from the third device in the event that an error has occurred in the transmitting step. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
-
-
30. A multi-processor communications system comprising:
-
a communications link;
a plurality of programmed processors coupled to the link wherein the processors each include interface circuitry for writing information to the link to communicate with another processor and for detecting information on the link which may be directed to the reading processor or another processor and wherein each of the processors includes a plurality of preprogrammed commands for verifying the integrity of information received and circuitry for rebroadcasting information received at the respective processor with a predetermined degree of integrity in response to an error indicator being written onto the link by an intended receiving processor. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. A communications method wherein each member of a plurality of communication units is in bidirectional communication with others of the units and wherein the units include detection circuitry for receipt of messages transmitted by others of the units and transmission circuitry for broadcasting of messages to at least one other unit, wherein the detection circuitry and the transmission circuitry are coupled to the control circuitry, the processing comprising:
-
sending a first message from a first transmitting unit to a second unit wherein the second unit sends an acknowledgment message in response to receiving the message without error and not otherwise;
receiving the first message and storing it at least at a third unit;
in response to not receiving the acknowledgment message, retransmitting the first message to the second unit from at least the third unit. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
-
-
42. A system comprising:
-
a plurality of communication units, wherein each of the units is in bidirectional communication with others of the units, wherein each of the units includes detection circuitry for receipt of messages transmitted by at least one other unit and transmission circuitry for broadcasting of messages to at least one other unit, wherein the detection circuitry and the transmission circuitry are coupled to the control circuitry;
circuitry at some of the units to identify that a first transmitted message by a first unit was not received without error by a second unit, and;
wherein a third unit will repeat the first transmitted message when it has identified that the second unit did not receive the message without error. - View Dependent Claims (43)
-
-
44. A multi-processor communications system wherein the processors can communicate via a medium, the system comprising:
-
at least a first programmed processor wherein the processor includes interface circuitry for transmitting first information to the medium to communicate with another, second, processor and for detecting first information received from the medium which may be directed to the receiving processor or another processor and wherein the system contains programmed instructions to identify that an error has occurred in the first information, and;
a third processor which transmits a second information which contains at least part of the first information onto the medium when an error has occurred in a prior transmission of the first information. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
-
-
47. A multi-device communication method comprising:
-
providing at least three devices for transmitting and receiving information;
transmitting information from a first device intended to be received at a second device;
receiving that information, at least in part, at the intended second device and at a third device;
retransmitting from the third device, at least in part, the received information intended for the second device where the second device did not receive the information in an error free state but the third device did. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
-
-
54. A process for detecting transmission errors in a multiple device transmission system comprising:
-
providing a common communications medium;
monitoring, at a plurality of devices, communications, via the medium, between devices;
determining the integrity of the monitored messages received at each member of the plurality and generating, at each receiving member, a respective indicator thereof. - View Dependent Claims (55)
-
-
56. A multiple device communications system which comprises:
at least one electrical device which includes circuitry for monitoring system communications wherein the device includes a preprogrammed processor and executable instructions for evaluating the integrity of received communications and maintaining an indicator thereof and which includes a common control element in communication with the devices via a common communications medium wherein the element includes instructions for retrieving respective message integrity indicators from the devices. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59)
-
60. A multi-processor communication system comprising:
A plurality of processors wherein each of the processors includes circuitry for receiving and transmitting signals via a communications medium and wherein each of the processors includes circuitry for immediately retransmitting received signals whereby a signal strength indicating parameter of a respective signal present in the medium is enhanced, and wherein each of the members of the plurality includes circuitry for initiating a non-repeating transmission via the medium to another processor, wherein retransmitting takes place irrespective of the absence of error in a received signal and which includes a transmission initiating device, and an intended receiving device coupled to the medium wherein the members of the plurality of processors retransmit messages from the initiating device so as to increase the signal strength of messages received at the receiving device. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
-
66. In a communication system having at least three devices in bi-directional communication, a process comprising:
-
transmitting a message from a first device to an intended second device;
if the first device determines that an error has occurred in the transmitting of the message to the second device, the first device retransmits the message to a third device, designated as a repeater device; and
the third device retransmits at least a part of the first device'"'"'s message to the second device. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
the third device retransmits at least a part of the first device'"'"'s message to a fourth device, designated as a repeater device; and
the fourth device retransmits at least a part of the first device'"'"'s message to the second device.
-
-
68. A process as in claim 66 wherein the third device was previously designated as a repeater device in the event that a message transmission between the first device and the second device contains an error.
-
69. A process as in claim 66 that includes input or ambient condition sensor devices, such as a gas sensor, fire sensor, smoke sensor, heat sensor, motion sensor, or the like.
-
70. A process as in claim 66 that includes output or control devices.
-
71. A process as in claim 66 wherein a central control unit is the designated repeater device.
-
72. A process as in claim 66 wherein at least part of the system is a fire alarm system.
-
73. A process as in claim 66 wherein at least part of the system is a control system.
-
74. A process as in claim 69 or claim 70 wherein the communication linked is by RF or other non-wired media.
-
75. A multi-processor communications system wherein the processors can communicate via a common medium, the system comprising:
at least one programmed processor wherein the processor includes interface circuitry for transmitting information to the medium to communicate with another processor and for detecting information received from the medium which may be directed to the another processor and wherein the at least one processor includes a plurality of preprogrammed instructions for verifying the integrity of information received from a transmitting unit and wherein the at least one programmed processor rebroadcasts, at least in part, that received information on the medium in response to an error indicator being broadcast on the medium by an intended receiving processor. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77, 78, 79)
-
80. A monitoring system comprising:
a plurality of communications units, wherein each of the units communicates with others of the units via a common medium, wherein each of the units includes detection circuitry for receipt of messages transmitted by others of the units via the medium and transmission circuitry for broadcasting messages to at least one other unit via the medium, wherein the detection circuitry and the transmission circuitry are coupled to control circuitry wherein the control circuitry includes analysis circuitry for determining if a message, not intended for that unit, has been properly received thereby from another transmitting unit and repeat circuitry for retransmitting at least a part of that message via the medium in response to a received message deficiency indicator. - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
-
87. A multi-processor communication system comprising:
-
a common communications medium;
a plurality of processors coupled to the medium wherein each of the processors includes circuitry for receiving and transmitting signals via the medium and wherein each of the processors includes circuitry for immediately retransmitting received signals whereby a signal strength indicating parameter of a respective signal present in the medium is enhanced, and wherein each of the members of the plurality includes circuitry for initiating a non-repeating transmission via the medium to another processor. - View Dependent Claims (88, 89, 90)
-
Specification