Power control network using reliable communications protocol

Claim 2

In a network of interconnected modules which include at least one processor module, at least one I/O module, and at least one memory module, and wherein each module includes internal power control switching means and internal power supply means, each said power control switching means being regulated by an associated slave power logic unit which receives power control instructions from a single master power logic unit, a master slave communications system comprising: (a) master power logic unit means for sensing the power status of each of said modules and for transmitting control instructions for regulating the on/off power status of a selected module, or modules, or all of said modules; and (b) slave power logic unit means for receiving said control instructions and for regulating the power status of its associated module, said slave power logic unit means including: (bl) a plurality of slave logic units each of which is connected to said master logic unit means and wherein each of said modules is provided with an associated slave unit residing therein; (c) said power control switching means operating under control instructions received from said slave unit for switching the power on or off in the module in which said slave unit resides.

Claim 3

The master slave communications system of claim 1, wherein said master power logic unit includes: (a) means to generate a unique address for a specific slave power logic unit; (b) means to transmit said unique address to each one of the slave power logic units in the said network.

Claim 4

The master slave communications system of claim 2, wherein each said slave power logic unit includes: (a) means to set a local unique identification address to uniquely identify itself; (b) means to compare said address received from said master unit with said identification address; (c) means to transmit its unique identification address to said master unit when said received address matches said unique identification address.

Claim 5

The master slave communication system of claim 3, wherein said master power logic unit includes: (a) means to generate a command instruction for regulating the power status in a module associated with an addressed slave unit; (b) means to transmit said command instructions to said uniquely addressed slave unit.

Claim 6

The master slave communications system of claim 4, wherein said slave unit includes: (a) means to receive said command instruction; (b) means to generate a duplicate of said command instruction; (c) means to transmit said duplicated command instruction back to said master power logic unit.

Claim 7

The master slave communications system of claim 5, wherein said master unit includes: (a) means to receive said duplicated command instruction from said slave unit; (b) means to compare said transmitted command instruction transmitted by said master unit with said instruction received back from said slave unit; (c) means to re-transmit said command instruction back to said slave unit upon the occurrence of a match between the instruction transmitted by and received back by said master unit.

Claim 8

The master slave communications system of claim 6, wherein said slave unit includes: (a) means to execute the re-transmitted command instruction received from said master unit.

Claim 9

In a network of interconnected digital modules wherein each module includes internal power control switching means and an associated internal power supply means, and wherein each of said power control switching means can execute power status control instructions received from an associated slave power logic unit means which is connected to a master power logic unit means, the power control communication system comprising; (a) a plurality of interconnected digital modules, each module including: (al) an internal power supply means; (a2) an internal power control switching means connected to regulate and to switch said internal power supply means; (b) said master power logic unit means connected for sensing the power status of each of said modules and for transmitting control -instructions for regulating and for switching the power status of a selected module, or modules, or all of said modules, said master unit means including: (bl) means for generating control instructions; (c) slave power logic unit means for receiving said control instructions and for regulating the power status of each of said modules, said slave logic power unit means including: (cl) a plurality of slave logic units each of which is connected to said master logic unit means and wherein each of said modules is provided with an individual slave unit residing therein; and wherein (bla) each said slave logic unit is identified by a unique address; (d) program means for instructing said master power logic unit means to generate an address for a selected one slave unit or selected plurality of slave units to establish a line of communication for subsequent transfer of power control instructions to their associated digital modules.

Claim 10

In a network of interconnected digital modules wherein each module includes internal power control switching means and an associated internal power supply means, and wherein each of said power control switching means can execute power status control instructions received from an associated slave power logic unit means which is connected to a master power logic unit means, the power control communication system comprising; (a) a plurality of interconnected digital modules, each module including: (al) an internal power supply means; (a2) an internal power control switching means connected to regulate and to switch said internal power supply means; (b) said master power logic unit means connected for sensing the power status of each of said modules and for transmitting control -instructions for regulating and for switching the power status of a selected module, or modules, or all of said modules, said master unit means including: (bl) means for generating control instructions; (c) slave power logic unit means for receiving said control instructions and for regulating the power status of each of said modules, said slave logic power unit means including: (cl) a plurality of slave logic units each of which is connected to said master logic unit means and wherein each of said modules is provided with an individual slave unit residing therein; and wherein (bla) each said slave logic unit is identified by a unique address; (d) program means for instructing said master power logic unit means to generate an address for a selected one slave unit or selected plurality of slave units to establish a line of communication for subsequent transfer of power control instructions to their associated digital modules.

Claim 11

The communication system of claim 8, wherein said program means includes the steps of: (a) returning the received address by the properly addressed slave unit to said master unit means; (b) comparing, by said master unit means, of the returned address with the generated address; (c) establishing a communication line for instruction data transfer when said returned address and said generated address are found to coincide; (d) transferring instruction data from said master unit to said addressed slave unit.

Claim 12

A protocol system for establishing communication and for power control instruction data transfer between a master power logic unit and a plurality of slave power logic units wherein each slave unit has an unique address and said master unit can generate addresses and power control instruction data, the communication and data transfer method comprising the steps of: (a) generating a unique slave unit address by said master unit for transmission to all slave units; (b) re-transmission of said unique address by said properly addressed slave unit back to said master unit; (c) comparison by said master unit of said generated address with said-re-transmitted address; (d) enabling the generation of power control instruction data by said master unit to said addressed slave unit when said generated and re-transmitted addresses are in perfect match; (e) re-transmission of said power control instruction data received by said addressed slave unit to said master unit; (f) comparison by said master unit of the generated instruction data with the re-transmitted instruction data from said addressed slave unit; (g) enabling the execution of said power control instruction data by said addressed slave unit when said generated power control instruction data and said re-transmitted instruction data are in perfect match.

Claim 13

A protocol system for establishing communication and for power control instruction data transfer between a master power logic unit and a plurality of slave power logic units wherein each slave unit has an unique address and said master unit can generate addresses and power control instruction data, the communication and data transfer method comprising the steps of: (a) generating a unique slave unit address by said master unit for transmission to all slave units; (b) re-transmission of said unique address by said properly addressed slave unit back to said master unit; (c) comparison by said master unit of said generated address with said-re-transmitted address; (d) enabling the generation of power control instruction data by said master unit to said addressed slave unit when said generated and re-transmitted addresses are in perfect match; (e) re-transmission of said power control instruction data received by said addressed slave unit to said master unit; (f) comparison by said master unit of the generated instruction data with the re-transmitted instruction data from said addressed slave unit; (g) enabling the execution of said power control instruction data by said addressed slave unit when said generated power control instruction data and said re-transmitted instruction data are in perfect match.

Claim 14

In a network of interconnected digital modules, wherein each module includes internal power control switching means and an associated internal power supply means, and wherein each of said power control switching means can execute power status control instructions received from an associated slave power-logic unit means which is connected to a master power-logic unit means, a communications-protocol for a master-slave unit communications system comprising the steps of: (a) generating a unique slave unit address by said master unit; (b) re-transmitting to said master unit, the unique address received by the addressed slave unit; (c) comparing said generated address with said re-transmitted address and enabling said master unit for instruction generation when said addresses match; (d) generating power control instruction data by said master unit; (e) transmitting said instruction data to said addressed slave unit; (f) re-transmitting said generated instruction data from said slave unit to said master unit; (g) comparing said generated instruction data with said re-transmitted instruction data; (h) enabling said addressed slave unit to execute said instruction data when said generated and said re-transmitted instruction data match.

Claim 15

In a network of interconnected digital modules, wherein each module includes internal power control switching means and an associated internal power supply means, and wherein each of said power control switching means can execute power status control instructions received from an associated slave power-logic unit means which is connected to a master power-logic unit means, a communications-protocol for a master-slave unit communications system comprising the steps of: (a) generating a unique slave unit address by said master unit; (b) re-transmitting to said master unit, the unique address received by the addressed slave unit; (c) comparing said generated address with said re-transmitted address and enabling said master unit for instruction generation when said addresses match; (d) generating power control instruction data by said master unit; (e) transmitting said instruction data to said addressed slave unit; (f) re-transmitting said generated instruction data from said slave unit to said master unit; (g) comparing said generated instruction data with said re-transmitted instruction data; (h) enabling said addressed slave unit to execute said instruction data when said generated and said re-transmitted instruction data match.

Claim 18

The method of claim 12 which further includes: (a) transmitting said generated instruction data to said addressed slave logic unit by said master logic unit; (b) receiving said instruction data by said addressed slave logic unit and retransmitting said instruction data back to said master logic unit; (c) comparing, in said master logic unit, the originally generated instruction data with the instruction data retransmitted back from said addressed slave logic unit; (d) enabling the re-generation of the said instruction data, and transmitting said instruction data to said addressed slave logic unit; (e) enabling the said addressed slave logic unit to execute the said re-generated instruction data.

Claim 19

The method of claim 13 which includes: (a) generating of information status data by said addressed slave logic unit and transmitting said information status data to said master logic unit.