Priority enhanced messaging and method therefor

• US 6,798,789 B1
• Filed: 01/27/1999
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jackson, Miles Randall, Husen, Eric Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): QURESHI, AFSAR M
• Application Number:
  US09/238,956
• Time in Patent Office: 2,071 Days
• Field of Search: 370/389, 370/444, 370/445, 370/455, 370/447, 370/460, 370/461, 370/388, 370/349, 370/448, 370/462, 370/489, 370/229, 370/230, 370/231, 370/235, 370/359, 370/360, 370/384, 370/410, 370/453, 370/490, 379/357, 379/93.09, 379/106.02, 455/419, 455/432, 455/446, 455/550, 455/552, 455/566, 340/825.5
• US Class Current: 370/489
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/24 using interrupt G06F13/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4295 using an embedded synchronisation

Abstract

A serial bus (106) communication protocol communicates data packets. When priority messages are identified, transmission of a data packet (302) being transmitted, if any, is interrupted. The priority message (402) is transmitted. Thereafter, transmission of an interrupted data packet is completed.

Claims

1. A method of providing a serial bus communication protocol communicating data packets, comprising the steps of:

initiating transmission of a data packet;

identifying a priority message;

interrupting transmission of the data packet being transmitted;

transmitting the priority message; and

completing transmission of the interrupted data packet by transmitting the portion of the packet following the interruption without transmitting the entire interrupted data packet and without transmitting another header for the interrupted data packet.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, further including the step of transmitting at least one additional priority message prior to completing transmission of an interrupted data packet.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the transmitting of priority messages takes place simultaneously with receiving at least one message.

4. A method of receiving data from a serial bus comprising:

determining whether a priority message is received;

if a priority message is received while an active packet message is being received, interrupting reception of the active packet message;

routing the priority message;

resuming reception of the interrupted packet message after the priority message is received by receiving a headerless residual of the active packet message; and

assembling the interrupted packet message from a first portion of the packet message received before the interrupt and the headerless residual to complete the interrupted packet message, wherein the first portion of the interrupted message is only received before the interrupt.

5. The method as defined in claim 4, further including the step of receiving at least one additional priority message prior to resuming reception of an interrupted data packet.

6. The method as defined in claim 4, wherein receiving the priority message takes place while simultaneously transmitting at least one message.

7. The method as defined in claim 4, wherein when a received message is a command, further including the step of executing the command.

8. A radiotelephone comprising:

a key;

a speaker;

a first processor coupled to the key;

a second processor coupled to the speaker; and

a serial bus coupled between the first processor and the second processor, wherein the first processor is responsive to actuation of the key to generate a priority message for transmission to the second processor, the first processor interrupting transmission of data packet, if any, being communicated from the first processor to the second processor and transmitting a priority message to the second processor and the second processor responsive to the priority message to cause an audible alert to be produced, the first processor resuming transmission of the interrupted data packet after sending the priority message.

9. A method of receiving data from a bus, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first portion of a data packet;

receiving a priority message interrupt;

receiving the priority message;

routing the priority message to priority message handler;

receiving a second portion of the data packet following the priority message, wherein the second portion is a headerless residual of the data packet; and

combining the first portion of the data packet received prior to the priority message with the second portion of the data packet received after the priority message to complete the data packet.

10. The method as defined in claim 9, further including the step of providing the combined packet to a framer.

11. A method of communicating data packets, comprising the steps of:

initiating transmission of a data packet;

identifying a priority message;

interrupting transmission of the data packet being transmitted;

transmitting the priority message; and

completing transmission of the interrupted data packet without an additional header by transmitting only a portion of the data packet remaining following the interruption of the priority message.

12. The method as defined in claim 11, further including the step of transmitting at least one additional priority message prior to completing transmission of an interrupted data packet.

13. The method as defined in claim 11, wherein the transmitting of priority messages takes place simultaneously with receiving at least one message.