Patent · US Expired

System and method for controlling communications between subsystems

US5978876A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
6References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 14, 1997
Grant dateNov 2, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 14, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N21/4183
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A communication control system provides dynamic centralized control of subsystem communications. In a preferred embodiment, a dedicated subsystem communications coordinator is coupled to a main control bus which is utilized for subsystem communication. The coordinator is further coupled to each subsystem for enabling subsystem communication. The coordinator preferably assigns each pending communication a time-based transfer-window channel designation which, while asserted on the control lines of the main control bus, signals corresponding enabled subsystems to transfer data. The coordinator further preferably monitors all subsystem communications for limiting message length and for continuously determining the most effective main control bus utilization according to current system-wide communications needs.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.