Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
80 words
In a serial interface system comprising a master unit, a plurality of slave units, and a serial interface for use in communication between at least two of said master and said slave units, the improvement wherein: said master unit comprises energizing means connected to said interface for energizing said interface when said energizing means is activated; said system further comprising activating means for controllably activating said energizing means when one of said master and said slave units begins said communication.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
80 words
In a serial interface system comprising a master unit, a plurality of slave units, and a serial interface for use in communication between at least two of said master and said slave units, the improvement wherein: said master unit comprises energizing means connected to said interface for energizing said interface when said energizing means is activated; said system further comprising activating means for controllably activating said energizing means when one of said master and said slave units begins said communication.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
A serial interface system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said activating means comprises a control path which is shared by said energizing means and said slave units and is always and selectively activated when said master unit and one of said slave units begin said communication, respectively, said control path activating, in turn, said energizing means when activated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
85 words
A serial interface system as claimed in Claim 2, said master unit further comprising a clock generator coupled to said interface, said control path, and said energizing means to supply a clock signal to said interface when said control path is activated, said communication being transmission of a data signal from said master unit to at least one of said slave units, wherein said energizing means is for energizing said interface by supplying said interface with said data signal in synchronism with said clock signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
183 words
A serial interface system as claimed in Claim 2, said master unit further comprising a clock generator coupled to said interface, said control path, and said energizing means, said slave units being assigned with identification numbers, respectively, said communication being transmission of a data signal of a duration from a particular slave unit of said slave units to said master unit, wherein said control path is activated by said particular slave unit, said energizing means being responsive to activation of said control path for energizing said interface with a polling signal for polling said particular slave unit by the identification number of said particular slave unit, said particular slave unit supplying said interface with an answer signal which indicates the identification number of said particular slave unit and a byte number representative of said duration, said energizing means being responsive to said answer signal for making said clock generator supply a clock signal to said interface during said duration, said particular slave unit being responsive to said clock signal for supplying said data signal to said interface in synchronism with said clock signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
209 words
A serial interface system as claimed in Claim 2, said master unit further comprising a clock generator coupled to said interface, said control path, and said energizing means, said slave units being assigned with identification numbers, respectively, said communication being transfer of a data signal of a duration from a first slave unit to a second slave unit, said first and said second slave units being different ones of said plurality of slave units, wherein said control path is activated by said first slave unit, said energizing means being responsive (Claim 5 continued) to activation of said control path for energizing said interface with a polling signal for polling said first slave unit by the identification mumber of said first slave unit, said first slave unit being responsive to said polling signal for supplying said interface with an answer signal which indicates the identification numbers of said first and said second slave units and a byte number representative of said duration, said energizing means being responsive to said answer signal for making said clock generator supply a clock signal to said interface during said duration, said first slave unit being responsive to said clock signal for supplying said data signal to said interface in synchronism with said clock signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
79 words
A serial interface system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said master unit further comprises first means for making said energizing means energize said interface with a first signal, said system further comprising second means coupled to each slave unit for supplying said interface with a second signal, either of said first and said second signals being for activating said energizing means, said first and said second means thereby collectively serving as said activating means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
A serial interface system as claimed in Claim 6, said slave units being assigned with identification numbers, respectively, wherein said energizing means is for energizing said interface with a signal of a format which always indicates the identification number of one of said slave units.