Bi-directional bus topology
AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
InventorsDavid D. Brandt, Scott T. Griffiths, Dayin Xu, Yutao Wang, Wojciech Koczwara
Life of this patent
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Abstract
For a bi-directional bus topology, a node connection includes two select line connections for a select line of a serial network. The select line is broken at the node connection. A bus direction module configures a first select line connection for an input line and a second select line connection for an output line in response to detecting a selection event. At least a portion of the bus direction module includes one or more of hardware and executable code, the executable code stored on a memory.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a node connection comprising two select line connections for a select line of a serial network, wherein the serial network is an Ethernet network and the select line is discontinuous at the node connection;
- a bus direction module that listens at the two select line connections for a selection signal, wherein the selection signal is an Ethernet network signal, and in response to detecting a selection event of receiving the selection signal at a first select line connection, the bus direction module configures the first select line connection for an Ethernet network input select line and a second select line connection for an Ethernet network output select line, and outputs the selection signal on the second select line connection to a second node connection;
- wherein at least a portion of the bus direction module comprises one or more of hardware and executable code, the executable code stored on a memory.
A method comprising:
- detecting a selection event at a node connection comprising two select line connections for a select line of a serial network, wherein the serial network is an Ethernet network and the select line is discontinuous at the node connection;
- listening at the two select line connections for a selection signal, wherein the selection signal is an Ethernet network signal;
- in response to detecting a selection event of receiving the selection signal at a first select line connection, configuring the first select line connection for an Ethernet network input select line and a second select line connection for an Ethernet network output select line;
- and
- outputting the selection signal on the second select line connection to a second node connection.
A system comprising:
- an originator device that originates a selection signal;
- a node device comprising two select line connections for a select line of a serial network, wherein the serial network is an Ethernet network and the select line is discontinuous at the node connection, and the node device listens at the two select line connections for a selection signal, wherein the selection signal is an Ethernet network signal, and in response to detecting a selection event of receiving the selection signal at a first select line connection, configures the first select line connection for an Ethernet network input select line and a second select line connection for an Ethernet network output line, and outputs the selection signal on the second select line connection to a second node connection;
- wherein at least a portion of the originator device and the node device comprises one or more of hardware and executable code, the executable code stored on a memory.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.