Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
186 words
A system for providing data communications between a plurality of measurement data generating/receiving modules connected to a common serial communication bus, and for assigning access priority for message data structures generated by each module, comprising: a master station connected to said serial communication bus, said master station generating one or more predefined message statements with a predefined priority for transmission to said modules, said predefined priority identifying to each connected module an access priority for each message data structure which is generated or received by a connected module; means at each module for receiving said message statement(s) and decoding said message statement(s), said message statement(s) including priority and identification information which defines for a module the priority of a message data structure which is to be transmitted or received by said module over said serial communication bus, and identifies to other modules which may receive the message data structure the priority of said message data structure; and, transmission means at each module for obtaining access to said serial communication bus at said priority each time a respective module unit needs to transmit said message data structure.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
186 words
A system for providing data communications between a plurality of measurement data generating/receiving modules connected to a common serial communication bus, and for assigning access priority for message data structures generated by each module, comprising: a master station connected to said serial communication bus, said master station generating one or more predefined message statements with a predefined priority for transmission to said modules, said predefined priority identifying to each connected module an access priority for each message data structure which is generated or received by a connected module; means at each module for receiving said message statement(s) and decoding said message statement(s), said message statement(s) including priority and identification information which defines for a module the priority of a message data structure which is to be transmitted or received by said module over said serial communication bus, and identifies to other modules which may receive the message data structure the priority of said message data structure; and, transmission means at each module for obtaining access to said serial communication bus at said priority each time a respective module unit needs to transmit said message data structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said master station can reassign via a message statement a new access priority for each message data structure of each module.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 2, wherein said reassignment message statement has a priority higher than any other message statement and forces all of said transmit/receive modules into a receive state.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said modules transmission means delays transmission of a message data structure depending on the priority of said message data structure, said delay being initiated following the transmission of a previous message data structure on said communication bus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 4, wherein said transmission means includes a memory for storing different delays for different data structures having different communication bus access priorities.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
62 words
The system for providing data communications between a plurality of measurement data generating/receiving means of claim 1, wherein said master station is computer controlled to generate priority reassignment message statements for changing the priority of message data structures to be transmitted or received by said modules when changes in the system require different priorities to be assigned to said message data structures.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system according to claim 6, wherein said computer controlled master station initiates said priority assignment message statements during a start-up operation and/or during an operation phase of the system comprising said modules, and in response to a message received via a data structure transmitted by one of said modules.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprising said modules enters a start-up phase when said master station issues a message statement which commands said modules to inhibit transmission, and which places said modules in a receive mode to decode said message statement which assigns priorities to said message structure(s) originated by said modules.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system of claim 8, wherein each of said modules includes a memory identifying message data structures which can be transmitted on said bus, and include a priority indication of said message structure(s) which is updated each time said master unit reassigns priorities to said message data structure(s).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system according to claim 9, wherein said statement for assigning priority includes a message statement for indicating to said modules a set of priorities to be established for said module message data structure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system according to claim 9, wherein said message statement identifies a sequence for redistributing priority assignments.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said master station provides in said message statement for assigning priority the identity of a message structure, and a new priority for said message structure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said message statement comprises a global command for all modules which transmit or receive a specific data structure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system according to claim 1, wherein said message structures include a field containing said message structure priority.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
114 words
A system for providing data communications between a plurality of measurement data generating/receiving modules connected to a common serial communication bus the system, comprising: a master station connected to said serial communication bus for controlling a transmit priority of said modules to transmit a message data structure over said serial communication bus, said master station including message generating means for transmitting a delay time to each module for one or more message structures generated by said modules; and, transmission means at each of said modules for transmitting a message structure formed at said module following said delay time which is initiated at the conclusion of a previous message transmission over said serial communication bus.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
114 words
A system for providing data communications between a plurality of measurement data generating/receiving modules connected to a common serial communication bus the system, comprising: a master station connected to said serial communication bus for controlling a transmit priority of said modules to transmit a message data structure over said serial communication bus, said master station including message generating means for transmitting a delay time to each module for one or more message structures generated by said modules; and, transmission means at each of said modules for transmitting a message structure formed at said module following said delay time which is initiated at the conclusion of a previous message transmission over said serial communication bus.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
49 words
The system of claim 15, wherein said transmission means includes a clock mechanism for initiating a time interval corresponding to said delay time when a previous message structure has been sent on said serial communication bus and generating a transmission enable signal at the end of the time interval.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system according to claim 16, further comprising means for inhibiting transmission of said transmission enable signal when a higher priority message structure is on said serial communication bus.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 17, wherein each message structure transmitted over a priority for said serial communications bus includes a field identifying said message structure.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system according to claim 15, wherein said delay time is related to a priority of a respective message structure which is to be sent on the bus by a module.