Eletronic device with exclusive control type communication function and its communication system

Claim 2

An electronic device (4, 5, 6) having an exclu­sive control type of communication function in a communi­cation system having at least two electronic devices connected to a predefined signal transmission line (1), comprising: a communication section (7, 8, 9) for trans­mitting or receiving a message, said communication section having a communication control function to establish or release a primary logical communication channel (2, 3) between communication sections of respective electronic devices at transmission side and reception side; and control sections (10-16) of respective sub-­devices included in said electronic device, each of said control sections having a function to process and execute the contents of information described in data fields of said message, and each of said control sections having a communication control function to establish or release a secondary logical communication channel (2.1-2.4) between control sections of respective electronic devices at transmission side and reception side; wherein said communication section and control section each including means for transferring substan­tially all or a part of said message between said communication section and control section within the same electronic device.

Claim 3

An electronic device of claim 1, wherein any one of said control sections of a first electronic device which requests for an establishment of said secondary logical channel designates, in a single establishment request, a plurality of control sections of second electronic devices to be connected to the same secondary logical channel.

Claim 4

An electronic device of claim 1, wherein said communication section of said electronic device which was requested to establish said secondary logical communication channel has, as the information on said electronic device which requested to establish said secondary logical communication channel on said primary logical communication channel established via said communication section, the discrimination information on said electronic device, discrimination information (such as address on said signal transmission line) on said communication section, discrimination information (logical number or logical address) on said control section, and as the establishment completion information at said electronic device which was requested to establish said secondary logical communication channel, the discrimination information (logical number or logical address) on one or more of said control sections occupied by said control section of another electronic device.

Claim 5

An electronic device of claim 1, wherein said communication section of said electronic device which was requested to establish said secondary logical communication channel supervises and holds, as the information on said electronic device which requested to establish said secondary logical communication channel on said primary logical communication channel established via said communication section, the discrimination information on said electronic device, discrimination information (such as address on said signal transmission line) on said communication section, discrimination information (logical number or logical address) on said control section, and each of said control sections of said electronic device which was requested to establish said secondary logical communica­tion channel supervises and holds, as the establishment completion information at said electronic device which was requested to establish said secondary logical communication channel, the information on whether there is any control section which is occupied by said control section of another electronic device.

Claim 6

A communication system having a plurality of said electronic devices having an exclusive control type of communication function according to claim 1, and connected in a common signal transmission line.

Claim 7

A communication system having a plurality of said electronic devices having an exclusive control type of communication function according to claim 2, and connected in a common signal transmission line.

Claim 8

A communication system having a plurality of said electronic devices having an exclusive control type of communication function according to claim 3, and connected in a common signal transmission line.

Claim 9

A communication system having a plurality of said electronic devices having an exclusive control type of communication function according to claim 4, and connected in a common signal transmission line.

Claim 10

An electronic device (4, 5, 6) having an exclusive control type of communication function in a communication system having at least two electronic devices connected to a predefined signal transmission line (1), wherein: each of said electronic device comprises a communication section (7-9) of a device level for transmitting/receiving a message, and a control section (10-16) of a sub-device level having a function to process and execute the contents of information described in a data field of a frame of said message, and said communication section and control section each including means for transferring substantially all or a part of said message between said communication section and control section within the same electronic device; and wherein for transferring said message from said electronic device at the transmission side to said electronic device at the reception side by establishing a logical communication channel therebetween, each of said control section has a communica­tion control function to establish or release a secondary logical communication channel (2.5-2.7) at sub-device level between said control sections of said transmission side electronic device and said reception side electronic device, without establishing a primary logical communication channel between said communication sections of said transmission side electronic device and said reception side electronic device; whereby the establishment/release of said secondary logical communication channel is executed to transfer data or commands between said control sections, and when said communication section repeats the contents of said message transferred via said signal transmission line from said control section connected to said communication section, said communication section transparently transfers said contents of said message without imposing any restriction on the contents of a data field of said message.

Claim 11

An electronic device (4, 5, 6) having an exclusive control type of communication function in a communication system having at least two electronic devices connected to a predefined signal transmission line (1), wherein: each of said electronic device comprises a communication section (7-9) of a device level for transmitting/receiving a message, and a control section (10-16) of a sub-device level having a function to process and execute the contents of information described in a data field of a frame of said message, and said communication section and control section each including means for transferring substantially all or a part of said message between said communication section and control section within the same electronic device; and wherein for transferring said message from said electronic device at the transmission side to said electronic device at the reception side by establishing a logical communication channel therebetween, each of said control section has a communica­tion control function to establish or release a secondary logical communication channel (2.5-2.7) at sub-device level between said control sections of said transmission side electronic device and said reception side electronic device, without establishing a primary logical communication channel between said communication sections of said transmission side electronic device and said reception side electronic device; whereby the establishment/release of said secondary logical communication channel is executed to transfer data or commands between said control sections, and when said communication section repeats the contents of said message transferred via said signal transmission line from said control section connected to said communication section, said communication section transparently transfers said contents of said message without imposing any restriction on the contents of a data field of said message.

Claim 12

An electronic device of claim 9, wherein if said control section of said electronic device which was requested to establish said secondary logical communication channel has already another secondary logical communication channel established, an establish­ment rejection response is sent back to said control section of said electronic device which requested to establish said secondary logical communication channel.

Claim 13

An electronic device of claim 9, wherein when one of said control sections of a first electronic device which requests the establishment of said secondary logical communication channel designates a plurality of control sections of a second electronic device which is requested to establish said secondary logical communication channel, said one of said control sections describes and designates said plurality of control sections at the same time when a single establish­ment request is issued by said one of said control sections.

Claim 14

An electronic device of claim 9, wherein if said control section of said electronic device which was requested to establish said secondary logical communication channel has already another secondary logical communication channel established, said communication section connected to said control section which received said establishment request determines whether or not an establishment rejection response is sent back to said control section of said electronic device which requested to establish said secondary logical communication channel.

Claim 15

An electronic device of claim 9, wherein if said control section of said electronic device which was requested to establish said secondary logical communication channel has already another secondary logical communication channel established, said communication section connected to said control section which received said establishment request holds the establishment information (establishment completion/­not-established) on each of said control sections at said secondary logical communication channel necessary for determining whether or not an establishment rejection response is sent back to said control section of said electronic device which requested to establish said secondary logical communication channel, or in the case where said other secondary logical communication channel is not still established, holds the additional information on said electronic device together with said establishment information.

Claim 16

A communication system having a plurality of said electronic devices having an exclusive control type of communication function according to claim 9, and connected in a common signal transmission line.

Claim 17

A communication system having a plurality of said electronic devices having an exclusive control type of communication function according to claim 10, and connected in a common signal transmission line.

Claim 18

A communication system having a plurality of said electronic devices having an exclusive control type of communication function according to claim 11, and connected in a common signal transmission line.

Claim 19

A communication system having a plurality of said electronic devices having an exclusive control type of communication function according to claim 12, and connected in a common signal transmission line.

Claim 20

A communication system having a plurality of said electronic devices having an exclusive control type of communication function according to claim 13, and connected in a common signal transmission line.