EP0505006A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Local communication bus system and apparatus for use in such a system
Assignee: D2B Systems Co Ltd
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Filing: 1992-03-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-03-18
Abstract
Abstract A number of domestic audio/video apparatuses (10-14) are connected to a serial control bus (D2B, 16). Each apparatus is addressable via the bus as a device and contains functional elements addressable on subdevices. One apparatus (14) includes an on-screen display subdevice (41) and a first control subdevice (24). Device information messages are defined whereby the first control subdevice can request a second control subdevice (22) in a second apparatus (12) to compose and return a status message in user-readable form. Thus the user can be informed about status in the second apparatus in an optimum manner, and further can be informed automatically of any change in status without the need for continuous polling of subdevices. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Harm Jan Welmer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 16:47
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B1/00; H04B1/06; H04B1/16; H04B1/20; H04B1/205; G; G11; G11B; G11B20/00; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/47; H04N21/478; H04N5/00; H04N5/44; H04N5/445; H04N21/45; H04N21/462; H04N21/4622
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A local communication bus system comprising a serial control bus attached to a plurality of addressable devices, each device including at least one functional element addressable via the bus as a subdevice, the subdevices in the system including a user output subdevice for displaying status information to a user of the system and a first control subdevice for initiating the display of such status information, characterized in that the first control subdevice includes means for generating a device information request message addressed to a device different from the device which contains the first control subdevice, and in that the addressed device includes a second control subdevice responsive to such a request message for determining the required status information, for composing a user-readable message ("the user message") and for transmitting the user message directly or indirectly to the user output subdevice for display.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the second control subdevice transmits the composed user message to the first control subdevice, and wherein the first control subdevice relays the user message to the user output subdevice.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A system as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the device information request message includes a field specifying a format for the user-readable message and wherein the second control subdevice is responsive to the said field to compose the user-readable message in accordance with the specified format.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
A system as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the said field in the device information request message specifies the format of the desired user message by a number and length of lines of characters, and by reference to a specific character set.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
46 words
A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the second control subdevice further includes means responsive to a change in status within the system for composing and transmitting an updated user message without the need for a further information request from the first control subdevice.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the device information request message includes a field specifying whether or not updated user messages are desired.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
A system as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the first control subdevice includes means for generating a verification request addressed to the second control subdevice, the second control subdevice being responsive to the verification request message to generate a message advising whether updated user messages will be generated.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
A system as claimed in Claim 3 or 4 wherein the first control subdevice includes means for generating an available formats request message addressed to the second control subdevice, the second control subdevice being responsive to such a request to return a list of user message formats that can be composed by the second control subdevice.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
94 words
An apparatus for use in a system as claimed in any preceding claim, the apparatus including an interface to a serial control bus and at least one functional element, the functional element being addressable via the bus as a control subdevice and including means for acting as the second control subdevice of the system to: receive a device information request message; determine certain status information for communication to a user; compose a user-readable message conveying the said status information; and transmit the user message directly or indirectly to a user output subdevice for display.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the functional element further includes means for acting as the first control subdevice of the system to generate a device information request message addressed to a control subdevice in a different apparatus.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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