System of apparatuses that communicate via a bus structure
First Claim
1. A system of apparatuses with a communication bus, the system comprising:
- at least two apparatuses, each comprising a circuit for transmitting messages;
a plurality of bus connections, each connected between a respective pair of apparatuses;
the apparatuses comprising circuits for organizing the system into a tree communication structure, in which a first one of the apparatuses is a root node and remaining apparatuses are subordinate nodes, communicating with the root node via the bus connections directly or via other subordinate nodes, the root node and the subordinate being allowed to arbitrate for access to the communication structure, the root node ultimately resolving arbitration;
wherein the apparatuses are arranged to dynamically assign a second one of the apparatus to be root node; and
wherein at least one of the apparatuses is arranged to select the second one of the apparatuses to become root node on the basis of detection that an apparatus other than the root node is expected to need relatively more access to the communication structure than other apparatuses, the second one of the apparatuses being selected closer to the apparatus needing relatively more access to the communication structure than the first one of the apparatuses, in terms of a number of connections needed to communicate from the first and second one of the apparatuses to the apparatus needing relatively more access to the communication structure.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatuses are connected in a tree structure, wherein the branches correspond to bus connections between apparatuses. The apparatus at the root node the tree ultimately arbitrates access to the bus connections. The tree structure is dynamically reorganized by selecting a new root node. Selection of the new root node involves predicting a volume of messages to be sent by each of the apparatuses (preferably by counting the number of messages originating from each apparatus during an observation period). An expected heavy sender apparatus is selected as new root node. Thus, the heavy sender is able to get faster access to arbitration and network resources, reducing jitter in the time points at which messages can be sent by the heavy sender.
-
Citations
9 Claims
-
1. A system of apparatuses with a communication bus, the system comprising:
-
at least two apparatuses, each comprising a circuit for transmitting messages; a plurality of bus connections, each connected between a respective pair of apparatuses; the apparatuses comprising circuits for organizing the system into a tree communication structure, in which a first one of the apparatuses is a root node and remaining apparatuses are subordinate nodes, communicating with the root node via the bus connections directly or via other subordinate nodes, the root node and the subordinate being allowed to arbitrate for access to the communication structure, the root node ultimately resolving arbitration; wherein the apparatuses are arranged to dynamically assign a second one of the apparatus to be root node; and wherein at least one of the apparatuses is arranged to select the second one of the apparatuses to become root node on the basis of detection that an apparatus other than the root node is expected to need relatively more access to the communication structure than other apparatuses, the second one of the apparatuses being selected closer to the apparatus needing relatively more access to the communication structure than the first one of the apparatuses, in terms of a number of connections needed to communicate from the first and second one of the apparatuses to the apparatus needing relatively more access to the communication structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. An apparatus for use in a communication system having apparatuses and bus connections each connected between a respective pair of apparatuses, the apparatus being adapted to:
-
communicate a tree structure with nodes corresponding to the apparatuses, including a root node apparatus; count an amount of communication traffic originating from respective ones of the apparatuses; select an apparatus originating a greater amount of communication traffic; and initiate a redefinition of the root node apparatus of the tree structure to an new root node apparatus closer to the apparatus originating a greater amount of communication traffic. - View Dependent Claims (7)
-
-
8. A method of communicating information in a system of apparatuses with a communication bus, wherein the system comprises bus connections between pairs of apparatuses, the apparatuses each comprising a circuit for transmitting messages, the apparatuses comprising circuits for organizing the system into a tree comniunication structure, in which a first one of the apparatuses is a root node and remaining apparatuses are subordinate nodes, communicating with the root node via the bus connections directly or via other subordinate nodes, the root node and the subordinate being allowed to arbitrate for access to the communication structure, the root node ultimately resolving arbitration;
- the method comprising
predicting a volume of messages to be sent by each of the apparatuses; selecting an apparatus expected to need relatively more access to the communication structure than other apparatuses; and dynamically selecting a new root apparatus to become root node, the new root apparatus being selected closer to the apparatus expected to need relatively more access to the communication structure than the apparatus previously corresponding to the root node, in terms of a number of connections needed to communicate from the new and previous root node to the apparatus expected to need relatively more access to the communication structure. - View Dependent Claims (9)
- the method comprising
Specification