Method for ic communication system
AssigneesPanasonic Corporation, Panasonic Semiconductor Asia Pte., Ltd.
InventorsJan Pang Lim, Shao Shan Wu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of optimizing the usage of communication buses is disclosed. In this method, a slave may function, when necessary, as a ‘pseudo-master’. This allows direct communication between slaves, one of which functions as a ‘pseudo-master’. This hence relieves the Master device of the load required as an intermediary for the communication of said slaves.
Claims22
A method of optimizing the utilization of a first communication bus, comprising:
- establishing a second communication bus between a first slave device and a second slave device, upon instruction by the master device;
- designating said first slave device as a pseudo-master;
- enabling direct communications between said first slave device, now a pseudo-master, and said second slave device;
- disabling the pseudo-master status of said first slave device upon instruction by the master device;
- and
- regaining control over said first and second slave devices by the master device.
The method according to claim 17 wherein said first communication bus is connected to said second slave device via a switch.
A communication bus system comprising:
- a master device that controls all slave devices connected to a first communication bus;
- a first slave device that has the capability to act, as its secondary function, as a pseudo-master when required by said master device;
- a second slave device that has been pre-determined to be a device that is to be controlled by said first slave device;
- and
- a second communication bus that connects between said first slave device and second slave devices.
A method of optimizing the utilization of a communication bus, comprising:
- designating a first slave device as a pseudo-master;
- enabling the pseudo-master status of said first slave device upon instruction by the master device;
- disconnecting said communication bus between a master device and said first slave device, and between said master device and a second slave device;
- enabling direct communications between said first slave device, now a pseudo-master, and said second slave device;
- disabling the pseudo-master status of said first slave device upon instruction by the master device;
- and
- regaining control over said first and second slave devices by the master device.
A communication bus system comprising:
- a master device that controls all slave devices connected to a common communication bus;
- a first slave device that has the capability to act, as its secondary function, as a pseudo-master when required by said master device;
- a second slave device that has been pre-determined to be a device that is to be controlled by said first slave device;
- and
- a switch on said common communication bus that connects the master device to said first slave device and said second slave device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.