Expandable computer processor and communication system

Claim 2

Communication apparatus for use with data in a serial multiplexed time slot format comprising, in combination: processor means; a plurality of terminal unit and associated devices means wherein at least one of said devices has a different data handling capability from others of said plurality of devices and each terminal unit means being adapted for processing data at a rate commensurate with its Associated device; synchronizing means; and means connecting said processor means, said terminal unit means and said synchronizing means in a closed communication loop for continuous circulation of data therearound; the data in some of the different multiplex time slots having different periodicities from data in other time slots, at least one terminal unit means retrieving data at a different periodicity than another terminal unit means, and said synchronizing means comprising a variable delay means for each data rate occurring on the loop for use with data successively occurring at different periodic rates.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of devices includes at least one data storage device means external to said processor means.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising in addition: loop coupling means connected to said closed communication loop, said loop coupling means comprising a plurality of load means and associated terminal unit means; means connecting said associated terminal unit means of each of said load means as a part of said closed communication loop through said loop coupling means for transmission therethrough of said data in a time slot channel in a serial multiplexed format.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said processor includes a plurality of serially connected devices connected thereto and forming a time division multiplex loop.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said processor means comprises a plurality of processor units at least one of which is connected to a plurality of serially connected devices forming a time division multiplex loop separate from said closed communication loop and wherein said plurality of serially connected devices of said time division multiplex loop includes processor error detection means connected to the remaining processor units for providing an indication to said one processor unit of improper operation of said remaining processor units.

Claim 7

A communication system incorporating a plurality of devices at least two of which have different data handling rates and comprising, in combination: a plurality of devices each of which may extract data on a predetermined periodically successively occurring basis from channel divided serial multiplexed data passing therethrough and each of which devices may supply exchange data, at a recurring data time period associated with that device, to be inserted in substitution for the data extracted the predetermined periodically successively occurring for at least one device being different from remaining devices; synchronizing means including variable delay means; and means connecting said plurality of devices and said synchronizing means in a closed communication loop; said variable dealy means operating, for each data rate, to delay data circulating in said loop an integral number of time periods for completion of a circuit around the closed communication loop where a time period is equivalent to the time between successive occurrences of data in a given channel for a given device.

Claim 8

A communication system incorporating a plurality of devices at least two of which have different data handling rates and comprising, in combination: a plurality of devices each of which may extract data on a predetermined periodically successively occurring basis from channel divided serial multiplexed data passing therethrough and each of which devices may supply exchange data, at a recurring data time period associated with that device, to be inserted in substitution for the data extracted the predetermined periodically successively occurring for at least one device being different from remaining devices; synchronizing means including variable delay means; and means connecting said plurality of devices and said synchronizing means in a closed communication loop; said variable dealy means operating, for each data rate, to delay data circulating in said loop an integral number of time periods for completion of a circuit around the closed communication loop where a time period is equivalent to the time between successive occurrences of data in a given channel for a given device.

Claim 9

Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 comprising in addition: loop coupling means including a second loop and associated devices connected to said colosed communication loop for extracting data from a given channel of said multiplexed data for transmission to devices on said second loop and for substituting in place of the extracted data further data for circulation in said closed communication loop.

Claim 10

Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means connecting said plurality of devices is a single cable.

Claim 13

Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the time slot encompasses a single bit of information and wherein said plurality of devices includes processor means.

Claim 14

A communication system incorporating a plurality of time addressable devices, at least two of which have different data handling rates, and a minimum of physical connections comprising, in combination: means comprising a single cable for connecting each of the devices in a closed loop wherein the data may continuously circulate in a serial data multiplex format divided into data channels; means for receiving data at each of said devices in accordance with an assignable time division address associated therewith and for substituting data in the time slot corresponding to said time division address on a periodic basis in replacement for the received data, the periodic basis for at least one device being different from remaining devices; and means for providing a variable delay for each data rate in the communication system such that the total delay around the closed loop is a time interval equal to an integral number of time periods between successive occurrences of data for a given device and for a given data channel and associated data handling rate.

Claim 15

A communication system incorporating a plurality of time addressable devices, at least two of which have different data handling rates, and a minimum of physical connections comprising, in combination: means comprising a single cable for connecting each of the devices in a closed loop wherein the data may continuously circulate in a serial data multiplex format divided into data channels; means for receiving data at each of said devices in accordance with an assignable time division address associated therewith and for substituting data in the time slot corresponding to said time division address on a periodic basis in replacement for the received data, the periodic basis for at least one device being different from remaining devices; and means for providing a variable delay for each data rate in the communication system such that the total delay around the closed loop is a time interval equal to an integral number of time periods between successive occurrences of data for a given device and for a given data channel and associated data handling rate.