US5892933A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Digital bus
Assignee: HP Inc
•
Filing: 1997-03-31
•
Granted: 1999-04-06
•
Expires: 2017-03-31
Abstract
Abstract A segmenting scheme and arrangement for digital serial busses such as an I 2 C bus is provided. The segments are broken apart from the master unit by a switch such as a low-impedance bidirectional analog multiplexer. The bus may be of various types such as an I 2 C, a Universal Serial Bus or other similar types of busses. The bus is bidirectional from the various slave or downstream units to the master unit and the various slave devices can operate at different speeds by allowing each segment to adjust the speed of that segment.
Inventors
- 👤 Christopher D. Voltz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 11:51
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F13/00; G06F13/38; G06F13/40; G06F13/4004; G06F13/4009; G06F13/4018
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
A serial digital bus segmentation system comprising: at least one serial digital bus master arranged to be coupled to serial digital devices along a serial digital bus, said serial digital bus master having an input; at least one switch coupled to said input of said serial digital bus master and having at least three connections, one connection for said at least one serial digital bus master, and at least two connections for other serial digital devices, wherein said switch comprises a multiplexer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
82 words
A serial digital bus segmentation system comprising: at least one serial digital bus master arranged to be coupled to serial digital devices along a serial digital bus, said serial digital bus master having an input; at least one switch coupled to said input of said serial digital bus master and having at least three connections, one connection for said at least one serial digital bus master, and at least two connections for other serial digital devices, wherein said switch comprises a multiplexer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said multiplexer comprises an analog multiplexer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as recited in claim 2, wherein said analog multiplexer comprises a bidirectional analog multiplexer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as in claim 3 further comprising: means to provide a control signal to said bidirectional analog multiplexer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system as in claim 4 wherein said means to provide said control signal to said bidirectional analog multiplexer further comprises: communication means to couple to said serial digital bus master.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
87 words
A serial digital bus segmentation system comprising: at least one serial digital bus master arranged to be coupled to serial digital devices along a serial digital bus, said serial digital bus master having an input; at least one switch coupled to said input of said serial digital bus master and having at least three connections, one connection for said at least one serial digital bus master, and at least two connections for other serial digital devices; and at least one digital serial device coupled to said switch.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
87 words
A serial digital bus segmentation system comprising: at least one serial digital bus master arranged to be coupled to serial digital devices along a serial digital bus, said serial digital bus master having an input; at least one switch coupled to said input of said serial digital bus master and having at least three connections, one connection for said at least one serial digital bus master, and at least two connections for other serial digital devices; and at least one digital serial device coupled to said switch.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as in claim 6 further comprising: at least one additional digital serial device coupled to said switch.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
88 words
A serial digital bus segmentation system comprising: at least one serial digital bus master arranged to be coupled to serial digital devices along a serial digital bus, said serial digital bus master having an input; at least one switch coupled to said input of said serial digital bus master and having at least three connections, one connection for said at least one serial digital bus master, and at least two connections for other serial digital devices, and wherein said serial digital bus is an I 2 C bus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
88 words
A serial digital bus segmentation system comprising: at least one serial digital bus master arranged to be coupled to serial digital devices along a serial digital bus, said serial digital bus master having an input; at least one switch coupled to said input of said serial digital bus master and having at least three connections, one connection for said at least one serial digital bus master, and at least two connections for other serial digital devices, and wherein said serial digital bus is an I 2 C bus.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
87 words
A computer based system including a serial digital bus segmentation system comprising: at least one serial digital bus master arranged to be coupled to serial digital devices along a serial digital bus, said serial digital bus master having an input; at least one switch coupled to said input of said serial digital bus master and having at least three connections, one connection for said at least one serial digital bus master, and at least two connections for other serial digital device, wherein said switch comprises a multiplexer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
87 words
A computer based system including a serial digital bus segmentation system comprising: at least one serial digital bus master arranged to be coupled to serial digital devices along a serial digital bus, said serial digital bus master having an input; at least one switch coupled to said input of said serial digital bus master and having at least three connections, one connection for said at least one serial digital bus master, and at least two connections for other serial digital device, wherein said switch comprises a multiplexer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system as recited in claim 9, wherein said multiplexer comprises an analog multiplexer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as recited in claim 10, wherein said analog multiplexer comprises a bidirectional analog multiplexer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as in claim 11 further comprising: means to provide a control signal to said bidirectional analog multiplexer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system as in claim 12 wherein said means to provide said control signal to said bidirectional analog multiplexer further comprises: communication means to couple to said serial digital bus master.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as in claim 11 further comprising: at least one digital serial device coupled to said bidirectional analog switch.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as in claim 14 further comprising: at least one additional digital serial device coupled to said bidirectional analog switch.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
92 words
A computer based system including a serial digital bus segmentation system comprising: at least one serial digital bus master arranged to be coupled to serial digital devices along a serial digital bus, said serial digital bus master having an input; at least one switch coupled to said input of said serial digital bus master and having at least three connections, one connection for said at least one serial digital bus master, and at least two connections for other serial digital device, wherein said serial digital bus is an I 2 C bus.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
92 words
A computer based system including a serial digital bus segmentation system comprising: at least one serial digital bus master arranged to be coupled to serial digital devices along a serial digital bus, said serial digital bus master having an input; at least one switch coupled to said input of said serial digital bus master and having at least three connections, one connection for said at least one serial digital bus master, and at least two connections for other serial digital device, wherein said serial digital bus is an I 2 C bus.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
37 words
A method for attaching slave devices to a digital serial bus comprising the steps of: segmenting the bus; and providing for connecting bus segments to a bus master through a switch, wherein said switch comprises a multiplexer.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
37 words
A method for attaching slave devices to a digital serial bus comprising the steps of: segmenting the bus; and providing for connecting bus segments to a bus master through a switch, wherein said switch comprises a multiplexer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 17, wherein said multiplexer comprises a bidirectional analog multiplexer. providing for connecting bus segments to a bus master through a switch, wherein said digital serial bus is an I 2 C bus.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
42 words
A method for attaching slave devices to a digital serial bus comprising the steps of: segmenting the bus; and providing for connecting bus segments to a bus master through a switch, wherein said digital serial bus is an I 2 C bus.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
42 words
A method for attaching slave devices to a digital serial bus comprising the steps of: segmenting the bus; and providing for connecting bus segments to a bus master through a switch, wherein said digital serial bus is an I 2 C bus.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
159 words
A serial digital bus segmentation system for providing serial data communications between a controller and a plurality of devices, wherein at least two of the plurality of devices communicate with the controller at different speeds, said serial digital bus segmentation system comprising: at least two serial digital bus sections; at least one serial digital bus master configured to receive control data and serial data from the controller and selectively output said serial data at a speed as identified by said control data, said speed being selected from a group comprising at least a first speed and a second speed, wherein said first speed and said second speed are different speeds; and at least one switch arranged to receive said control data from the controller and said serial data from said serial digital bus master and selectively provide said serial data to at least one of the plurality of devices through at least one of said serial digital bus sections.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
159 words
A serial digital bus segmentation system for providing serial data communications between a controller and a plurality of devices, wherein at least two of the plurality of devices communicate with the controller at different speeds, said serial digital bus segmentation system comprising: at least two serial digital bus sections; at least one serial digital bus master configured to receive control data and serial data from the controller and selectively output said serial data at a speed as identified by said control data, said speed being selected from a group comprising at least a first speed and a second speed, wherein said first speed and said second speed are different speeds; and at least one switch arranged to receive said control data from the controller and said serial data from said serial digital bus master and selectively provide said serial data to at least one of the plurality of devices through at least one of said serial digital bus sections.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
140 words
A computer system having the capability of supporting data communications at different speeds, said computer system comprising: a controller; a plurality of devices; at least two serial digital bus sections; at least one serial digital bus master configured to receive control data and serial data from said controller and selectively output said serial data at a speed as identified by said control data, said speed being selected from a group comprising at least a first speed and a second speed, wherein said first speed and said second speed are different speeds; and at least one switch arranged to receive said control data from said controller and said serial data from said serial digital bus master and selectively output said serial data to at least one of said plurality of devices through at least one of said serial digital bus sections.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
140 words
A computer system having the capability of supporting data communications at different speeds, said computer system comprising: a controller; a plurality of devices; at least two serial digital bus sections; at least one serial digital bus master configured to receive control data and serial data from said controller and selectively output said serial data at a speed as identified by said control data, said speed being selected from a group comprising at least a first speed and a second speed, wherein said first speed and said second speed are different speeds; and at least one switch arranged to receive said control data from said controller and said serial data from said serial digital bus master and selectively output said serial data to at least one of said plurality of devices through at least one of said serial digital bus sections.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
121 words
A method for attaching slave devices to a digital serial bus comprising the steps of: segmenting the digital serial bus into at least a first section and a second section, said first section being arranged between a first slave device and a switch, said second section being arranged between a second slave device and said switch, said switch being configured to selectively couple a master device to at least one of said sections; and controlling said switch, such that data from said master device having a first speed is provided to said first section and data from said master device having a second speed is provided to said second section, wherein said first speed and said second speed are different speeds.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
121 words
A method for attaching slave devices to a digital serial bus comprising the steps of: segmenting the digital serial bus into at least a first section and a second section, said first section being arranged between a first slave device and a switch, said second section being arranged between a second slave device and said switch, said switch being configured to selectively couple a master device to at least one of said sections; and controlling said switch, such that data from said master device having a first speed is provided to said first section and data from said master device having a second speed is provided to said second section, wherein said first speed and said second speed are different speeds.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-04-05 | 2002-10-05 | 2003-04-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-04-05 | 2006-10-05 | 2007-04-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-04-05 | 2010-10-05 | 2011-04-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |