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EP0183273A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Serial interface system flexibly applicable to a one-to-plurality connection

Assignee: NEC Corp
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Filing: 1985-11-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-11-29
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Abstract

Abstract in a serial interface system wherein a master unit (21) selects one or more of slave units (26, 27) as a destination by an indentification number assigned to each slave unit and transmits a data signal to the destination in synchronism with a clock signal, a control path (34) is added to a serial interface (31-33). When one of the slave units acts as a source either in transmitting data to the master unit or in transferring data to one or more of other slave units selected as a destination, the source activates the control path to activate, in turn, the master unit. Activated, the master unit sends a clock signal to the interface to make the source transmit or transfer the data in synchronism with the clock signal. Alternatively, the control path is dispensed with. In this event, the master unit is activated either by command signal produced by the master unit or by a like command signal sent from a source to the interface in response to an interrogation from the master unit. Preferably, signals except for the clock signal are sent either from the master unit or from the source with an identification code included in each frame of the signals to indicate each of the slave units by the identification number that is concerned with the signals.

Inventors

  • 👤 Ikio Yoshida

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 21:12
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F13/00; G06F13/38; G06F13/42; G06F13/4282; G06F13/4291

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.

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