Protocol with control bits and bytes for controlling the order of communications between a master processor and plural slave processors
US5488693A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 24, 1992 |
| Grant date | Jan 30, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 24, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q3/54566
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
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.gtoreq.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.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.