# US 2014/0156831 A1 · Apparatus and method for monitoring signals transmitted in bus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0156831 A1 - Document ID: US20140156831A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/945,107 - Filed: 2013-07-18 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-04 - Assignees: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.; HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD. - Applicants: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.; HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd - Inventors: KANG-BIN WANG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156831A1 ## CPC - H04L 43/12: Network monitoring probes - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A signal monitor includes a signal collecting unit, a register, a processing unit, and a Reduced Media Independent Interface (RMII). The signal collecting unit collects real-time signals from a bus, converts the real-time signals into accessible data, and stores the accessible data in the register. The processing unit retrieves the accessible data from the register and determines status of the real-time signals by examining the accessible data. The RMII converts the status of the real-time signals into Ethernet frame packets and transmits the Ethernet frame packets to a control terminal via an Ethernet interface. A method for monitoring signals transmitted in a bus is also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A signal monitor, comprising: a signal collecting unit adapted to collect real-time signals from a bus, to convert the real-time signals into accessible data; a register adapted to store the accessible data; a processing unit adapted to retrieve the accessible data from the register, and to determine status of the real-time signals by examining the accessible data; a Reduced Media Independent Interface (RMII) adapted to convert the status of the status of the real-time signals into Ethernet frame packets; and an Ethernet interface adapted to transmit the Ethernet frame packets to a control terminal ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The signal monitor of claim 1, further comprising a data Write/Read (W/R) controller adapted to set the register to a write-protected state when the register is full. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The signal monitor of claim 2, wherein the register is adapted to send an out-of-space signal to the data W/R controller when the register is full. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The signal monitor of claim 2, wherein the signal collecting unit is adapted to suspend collecting the real-time signals from the bus when the register is in the write-protected state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The signal monitor of claim 2, wherein the data W/R controller is further adapted to set the register to a write-permitted state when the processing unit has finished reading the accessible data from the register. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The signal monitor of claim 3, wherein the register is further adapted to send an out-of-space signal to the processing unit when the register is full, the processing unit is adapted to start reading the accessible data from the register in response to the out-of-space signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The signal monitor of claim 6, wherein the processing unit is adapted to enter a standby state when the register is empty and to exit the standby state when receiving the out-of-space signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The signal monitor of claim 1, wherein the register is a First Input First Output (FIFO) register. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The signal monitor of claim 1, further comprising an indicating lamp adapted to flicker while the processing unit is examining the accessible data. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The signal monitor of claim 1, wherein the Ethernet interface is adapted to establish an Ethernet connection with the control terminal and to transmit the Ethernet frame packets to the control terminal via the wireless connection. ### Claim 11 A method for monitoring signals transmitted in a bus, the method comprising: collecting real-time signals from a bus and converting the real-time signals into accessible data by a signal collecting unit; storing the accessible data in a register by the signal collecting unit; retrieving the accessible data from the register and determining status of the real-time signals by examining the accessible data by a processing unit; converting the status of the status of the real-time signals into Ethernet frame packets by an RMII; and transmitting the Ethernet frame packets to a control terminal by an Ethernet interface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising setting the register to a write-protected state by a data W/R controller when the register is full. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising sending an out-of-space signal to the data W/R controller by the register when the register is full. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising suspending collecting the real-time signals from the bus when the register is in the write-protected state. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising setting the register to a write-permitted state by the data W/R controller when the processing unit has finished reading the accessible data from the register. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising sending an out-of-space signal to the processing unit by the register when the register is full, wherein the processing unit starts reading the accessible data from the register in response to the out-of-space signal ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: instructing the processing unit to enter a standby state when the register is empty; and instructing the processing unit to exit the standby state when the processing unit receives the out-of-space signal from the register. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the register is an FIFO register. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising controlling an indicating lamp to flicker while the processing unit is examining the accessible data. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising establishing an Ethernet connection with the control terminal and transmitting the Ethernet frame packets to the control terminal via the Ethernet connection by the Ethernet interface.