System and method for communicating between a number of elements and a method for configuring and testing the system

A system for communicating between a number of elements via a data bus, the system comprising:

• a data bus,
• a first number, n1, of devices adapted to interchange data on the data bus by, repeatedly, a plurality of the devices forwarding data simultaneously to a next device on the data bus,
• a second number, n2, of elements each adapted to communicate with one of the devices, n1<n2,
• a number, n3, of input/output ports each adapted to communicate with one or more external computers or networks and to communicate with one of the second number of elements,
• means for identifying n4<n1 of the elements which are to be used, and
• first means for facilitating communication between n4 pairs of one of the n4 elements and one of the n1 devices,
• wherein a number of the n1 devices comprises:
• means for delaying data received from the data bus before transmission thereof on the bus, and
• means for circumventing the delaying means, and
• wherein the identifying means are adapted to have the circumventing means circumvent the delaying means in those of the n1 devices not forming part of the n4 pairs.

A testing system for testing a system comprising:

• a data bus,
• a first number, n1, of devices adapted to interchange data on the data bus,
• a second number, n2, of elements each adapted to communicate with one of the devices,
• a third number, n3, of input/output ports each adapted to communicate with one or more external computers or networks and to communicate with one of the second number of elements, n3<n2,
• means for identifying n4 of the elements which are to be used,
• first means for facilitating communication between pairs of one of the n4 elements and one of the n1 devices, and
• second means for facilitating communication between pairs of one of the n4 elements and one of the n3 I/O ports,
• the testing system comprising:
• means for providing power to the system,
• means for operating the identifying and facilitating means with n4=n3,
• means for determining whether communication is possible from each of the n3 ports to the data bus in the powered system, and
• means for, if not, operating the identifying and facilitating means with n4 being a value lower than n3.

A system comprising:

• a data bus,
• a first number, n1, of devices adapted to interchange data on the data bus,
• a second number, n2, of elements each adapted to communicate with one of the devices,
• a third number, n3, of input/output ports each adapted to communicate with one or more external computers or networks and to communicate with one of the second number of elements, n3<n2,
• means for identifying which of the elements are functional,
• means for determining which of a number of predetermined sets of ports may communicate with the bus via the functional elements,
• first means for facilitating communication between pairs of one of the functional elements and one of the n1 devices, and
• second means for facilitating communication between pairs of one of the functional elements and one of the I/O ports of the determined set of ports.

A system having

• a number, n2, of elements adapted to communicate with each other,
• a number, n3, of input/output ports each adapted to communicate with one or more external computers or networks and to communicate with one of the number of elements, n3<n2,
• means for facilitating communication between pairs of one of the elements and one of the I/O ports,
• means for defining:
• i. a first configuration having each of a first number, n5<n3, of the ports operable and wherein the facilitating means facilitate that:
• 1. each of a first number, n6, of the n5 ports can communicate with at least one element which can communicate with a plurality of the n5 ports and
• 2. each of a second number, n7, of the n5 ports can communicate with a plurality of elements which can communicate with only that of the n5 ports, and
• ii. a second configuration having each of a second number, n8<n5, of the ports operable and wherein the facilitating means facilitate that:
• 1. each of a first number, n9<n6, of the n8 ports can communicate with at least one element which can communicate with a plurality of the n8 ports and
• 2. each of a second number, n10>n7, of the n8 ports can communicate with a plurality of elements which can communicate with only that of the n8 ports.

A system comprising

• a number, n2, of elements adapted to communicate with each other,
• a number, n3, of input/output ports each adapted to communicate with one or more external computers or networks and to communicate with one of the number of elements, and
• a plurality of means each communicatively connected to a plurality of elements and a respective port and being adapted to facilitate communication between one of the respective elements and the respective I/O port,
• where the facilitating means comprise:
• means for selecting one of the plurality of respective elements communicatively connected thereto and for receiving data there from,
• means for receiving a clocking signal from the respective one of the plurality of elements communicatively connected thereto, and
• means for outputting the received data to the port in accordance with the clocking signal received.

A system comprising

• a number, n2, of elements adapted to communicate with each other,
• a number, n3, of input/output ports each adapted to communicate with one or more external computers or networks and to communicate with one of the number of elements, and
• a plurality of means each communicatively connected to a plurality of elements and a respective port and being adapted to facilitate communication between one of the respective elements and the respective I/O port,
• where the facilitating means comprise:
• means for selecting one of the plurality of respective elements communicatively connected thereto and for receiving data there from,
• means for receiving a clocking signal from the port and transmitting the clocking signal to the selected one of the plurality of respective elements, and
• means for outputting the received data to the port in accordance with the clocking signal transmitted.

A system comprising

• a number, n2, of elements adapted to communicate with each other,
• a number, n3, of input/output ports each adapted to communicate with one or more external computers or networks and to communicate with one of the number of elements, and
• a plurality of means each communicatively connected to a plurality of ports and a respective element and being adapted to facilitate communication between one of the respective elements and the respective I/O port,
• where the facilitating means comprise:
• means for selecting one of the plurality of respective ports communicatively connected thereto and for receiving data there from,
• means for receiving a clocking signal from the respective one of the plurality of ports communicatively connected thereto, and
• means for outputting the received clocking signal to the element as well as the received data in accordance with the clocking signal.

A system comprising

• a number, n2, of elements adapted to communicate with each other,
• a number, n3, of input/output ports each adapted to communicate with one or more external computers or networks and to communicate with one of the number of elements,
• a plurality of means each communicatively connected to a plurality of elements and a respective port and being adapted to facilitate communication between pairs of one of the elements and one of the I/O ports,
• means for providing power and a clocking signal to each element, and
• means for removing the clocking signal to one or more elements in order to render the element(s) non-functional.

A method of operating a system for communicating between a number of elements via a data bus, the system comprising:

• a data bus,
• a first number, n1, of devices adapted to interchange data on the data bus,
• a second number, n2, of elements each adapted to communicate with one of the devices, n1<n2,
• a third number, n3, of input/output ports each adapted to communicate with one or more external computers or networks and to communicate with one of the second number of elements, n3<n2,
• the method comprising:
• identifying n3 of the elements which are to be used, facilitating communication between pairs of one of the n3 elements and one of the n1 devices, and
• facilitating communication between pairs of one of the n3 elements and one of the n3 I/O ports.

A method of operating a system for communicating between a number of elements via a data bus, the system comprising:

• a data bus having a first number, n1, of devices adapted to interchange data on the data bus by, repeatedly, a plurality of the devices forwarding data simultaneously to a next device on the data bus,
• a second number, n2, of elements each adapted to communicate with one of the devices, n1≦n2,
• a number, n3, of input/output ports each adapted to communicate with one or more external computers or networks and to communicate with one of the second number of elements,
• wherein a number of the n1 devices comprises:
• means for delaying data received from the data bus before transmission thereof on the bus, and
• means for circumventing the delaying means,
• the method comprising:
• identifying n4<n1 of the elements which are to be used, facilitating communication between n4 pairs of one of the n4 elements and one of the n1 devices, and
• having the circumventing means circumvent the delaying means in those of the n1 devices not forming part of the n4 pairs.

A method of testing a system comprising:

• a data bus,
• a first number, n1, of devices adapted to interchange data on the data bus,
• a second number, n2, of elements each adapted to communicate with one of the devices,
• a third number, n3, of input/output ports each adapted to communicate with one or more external computers or networks and to communicate with one of the second number of elements, n3<n2,
• means for identifying n4 of the elements which are to be used,
• first means for facilitating communication between pairs of one of the n4 elements and one of the n1 devices, and second means for facilitating communication between pairs of one of the n4 elements and one of the n3 I/O ports,
• the method comprising:
• providing power to the system,
• operating the identifying and facilitating means with n4=n3,
• determining whether communication is possible from each of the n3 ports to the data bus in the powered system, and
• if not, operating the identifying and facilitating means with n4 being a value lower than n3.

A method of operating a system comprising:

• a data bus,
• a first number, n1, of devices adapted to interchange data on the data bus,
• a second number, n2, of elements each adapted to communicate with one of the devices,
• a third number, n3, of input/output ports each adapted to communicate with one or more external computers or networks and to communicate with one of the second number of elements, n3<n2,
• the method comprising:
• identifying which of the elements are functional,
• determining which of a number of predetermined sets of ports may communicate with the bus via the functional elements,
• facilitating communication between pairs of one of the functional elements and one of the n1 devices, and
• facilitating communication between pairs of one of the functional elements and one of the I/O ports of the determined set of ports.

A method for operating a system having

• a number, n2, of elements adapted to communicate with each other,
• a number, n3, of input/output ports each adapted to communicate with one or more external computers or networks and to communicate with one of the number of elements, n3<n2,
• means for facilitating communication between pairs of one of the elements and one of the I/O ports,
• the method comprising:
• defining:
• i. a first configuration having each of a first number, n5<n3, of the ports operable and wherein the facilitating means facilitate that:
• 1. each of a first number, n6, of the n5 ports can communicate with at least one element which can communicate with a plurality of the n5 ports and
• 2. each of a second number, n7, of the n5 ports can communicate with a plurality of elements which can communicate with only that of the n5 ports, and
• ii. a second configuration having each of a second number, n8<n5, of the ports operable and wherein the facilitating means facilitate that:
• 1. each of a first number, n9<n6, of the n8 ports can communicate with at least one element which can communicate with a plurality of the n8 ports and
• 2. each of a second number, n10>n7, of the n8 ports can communicate with a plurality of elements which can communicate with only that of the n8 ports.

A method of operating a system comprising

• a number, n2, of elements adapted to communicate with each other,
• a number, n3, of input/output ports each adapted to communicate with one or more external computers or networks and to communicate with one of the number of elements, and
• a plurality of means each communicatively connected to a plurality of elements and a respective port and being adapted to facilitate communication between one of the respective elements and the respective I/O port,
• the method comprising the steps of the facilitating means:
• selecting one of the plurality of respective elements communicatively connected thereto and receiving data there from,
• receiving a clocking signal from the respective one of the plurality of elements communicatively connected thereto, and
• outputting the received data to the port in accordance with the clocking signal received.

A method of operating a system comprising:

• a number, n2, of elements adapted to communicate with each other,
• a number, n3, of input/output ports each adapted to communicate with one or more external computers or networks and to communicate with one of the number of elements, and
• a plurality of means each communicatively connected to a plurality of elements and a respective port and being adapted to facilitate communication between one of the respective elements and the respective I/O port,
• the method comprising the steps of the facilitating means:
• selecting one of the plurality of respective elements communicatively connected thereto and receiving data there from,
• receiving a clocking signal from the port and transmitting the clocking signal to the one of the plurality of respective elements, and
• outputting the received data to the port in accordance with the clocking signal transmitted.

A method of operating a system comprising

• a number, n2, of elements adapted to communicate with each other,
• a number, n3, of input/output ports each adapted to communicate with one or more external computers or networks and to communicate with one of the number of elements, and
• a plurality of means each communicatively connected to a plurality of ports and a respective element and being adapted to facilitate communication between one of the respective elements and the respective I/O port,
• the method comprising the facilitating means:
• selecting one of the plurality of respective ports communicatively connected thereto and receiving data there from,
• receiving a clocking signal from the respective one of the plurality of ports communicatively connected thereto, and
• outputting the received clocking signal to the element as well as the received data in accordance with the clocking signal.

A method of operating a system comprising

• a number, n2, of elements adapted to communicate with each other,
• a number, n3, of input/output ports each adapted to communicate with one or more external computers or networks and to communicate with one of the number of elements,
• a plurality of means each communicatively connected to a plurality of elements and a respective port and being adapted to facilitate communication between pairs of one of the elements and one of the I/O ports,
• the method comprising:
• providing power and a clocking signal to each element, and
• removing the clocking signal to one or more elements in order to render the element(s) non-functional.