Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
242 words
A system for transmitting command signals generated by a host unit to a particular module in a group of modules (10, 14, 16, 20, 22, 23, 24), said modules being interconnected in a daisy chain arrangement, said system comprising: a first signal processor (12) contained in said host unit for generating said command signal and for transmitting said command signal to the first (10) of said modules in said-daisy chain arrangement, wherein the generated command signal comprises at least an address portion; and a second signal processor (11), contained within each of said modules (10, 14, 16, 20, 22, 23, 24), having a first input (26) and a first output (30), wherein said first input is connected to receive said command signal and wherein said first output is connected to transmit said command signal to the next module in said daisy-chain arrangement, said second signal processor (11) comprising a comparator (34) for comparing said address portion of said command signal to a reference signal, wherein similarity between said address portion and said reference signal signifies whether said command signal is operative for that module and said second signal processor further comprises a signal modifier (36) for modifying the address portion of said command signal and wherein a command signal with a modified address portion is transmitted from said first output to the next module in said daisy-chain arrangement when it is determined that said command signal is not operative for that module.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
242 words
A system for transmitting command signals generated by a host unit to a particular module in a group of modules (10, 14, 16, 20, 22, 23, 24), said modules being interconnected in a daisy chain arrangement, said system comprising: a first signal processor (12) contained in said host unit for generating said command signal and for transmitting said command signal to the first (10) of said modules in said-daisy chain arrangement, wherein the generated command signal comprises at least an address portion; and a second signal processor (11), contained within each of said modules (10, 14, 16, 20, 22, 23, 24), having a first input (26) and a first output (30), wherein said first input is connected to receive said command signal and wherein said first output is connected to transmit said command signal to the next module in said daisy-chain arrangement, said second signal processor (11) comprising a comparator (34) for comparing said address portion of said command signal to a reference signal, wherein similarity between said address portion and said reference signal signifies whether said command signal is operative for that module and said second signal processor further comprises a signal modifier (36) for modifying the address portion of said command signal and wherein a command signal with a modified address portion is transmitted from said first output to the next module in said daisy-chain arrangement when it is determined that said command signal is not operative for that module.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said reference signal is the same for each module.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 2, wherein the address portion of said command signal is representative of one element in a set of sequential elements and wherein said reference signal is representative of an element in said set of sequential elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 3, wherein said second signal processor (11) is operative to modify said address portion to the number next closest to the initial number in said sequence.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
95 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said second processor (11) is also operative to generate a reply signal, wherein the generated reply signal comprises at least a reply address and wherein said second processor (11) is connected to receive reply signals from other modules at a second input (28), wherein said signal modifier is operative to also modify the reply address portion of received reply signals and wherein said second signal processor transmits said reply signal with a modified reply address portion to the previous module in said daisy chain from a second output (32).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
78 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said second signal processor further comprises an analyzer (60) for analyzing at least a portion of said command signal to determine whether said command signal can be executed by that module, wherein the address portion of said command signal is modified only when said analyzer (60) determines that said command signal can be executed by that module and said comparator (34) determines that said command signal is not operative for that module.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
147 words
A method for transmitting command signals generated by a host unit (12) to a particular module in a group of modules, said modules being interconnected in a daisy chain arrangement, said system comprising the steps of: generating said command signal and transmitting said command signal from said host unit (12) to the first (10) of said modules in said daisy chain arrangement, wherein the generated command signal comprises at least an address portion; receiving said command signal, comparing at least a portion of said command signal to a reference signal, wherein similarity between said portion and said reference signal signifies whether said command signal is operative for that module and modifying the address portion of said command signal, prior to transmission of said command signal to the next module in said daisy-chain arrangement when it is determined that said command signal is not operative for that module.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
147 words
A method for transmitting command signals generated by a host unit (12) to a particular module in a group of modules, said modules being interconnected in a daisy chain arrangement, said system comprising the steps of: generating said command signal and transmitting said command signal from said host unit (12) to the first (10) of said modules in said daisy chain arrangement, wherein the generated command signal comprises at least an address portion; receiving said command signal, comparing at least a portion of said command signal to a reference signal, wherein similarity between said portion and said reference signal signifies whether said command signal is operative for that module and modifying the address portion of said command signal, prior to transmission of said command signal to the next module in said daisy-chain arrangement when it is determined that said command signal is not operative for that module.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 7, wherein a number of said modules define a sub-group, wherein said reference signal is identical for each module in said subgroup and wherein said reference signal for all other modules is different than the reference signal used for the modules in said sub-group.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
78 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the address portion of said command signal is representative of one element in a set of sequential elements, further comprising the steps of generating a universal command signal and transmitting said universal command signal to the first (10) of said modules in said-daisy chain arrangement, wherein the generated universal command signal comprises at least an address portion, said address portion not being representative of any element in said set of sequential elements.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
76 words
The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of generating a reply signal wherein the generated reply signal comprises at least a reply address, transmitting said reply signal to the module in said daisy chain next closest to said host unit, receiving said reply signal, modifying the reply address portion of the received reply signal and transmitting said received reply signal with a modified reply address portion to the next module in said daisy chain.