Communication method and corresponding system and device

A device, comprising:

• a master device;
• a set of slave devices;
• and
• a bus, wherein the master device and the slave devices are configured to communicate via the bus;
• wherein the master device is configured to transmit:
• first messages carrying a set of operation data message portions indicative of operations for implementation by slave devices of the set of slave devices;
• and
• second messages addressed to slave devices in the set of slave devices, the second messages conveying identifiers identifying respective ones of the slave devices to which the second messages are addressed requesting respective reactions towards the master device within respective expected reaction intervals;
• and
• wherein the slave devices are configured to:
• receive over the bus the first messages transmitted from the master device;
• read respective operation data message portions in the set of operation data message portions;
• implement respective operations as a function of the respective operation data message portions read,
• receive over the bus the second messages transmitted from the master device;
• and
• react on the second messages within the respective expected reaction intervals by transmitting reaction messages over the bus towards the master device.

A master device configured to communicate with a set of slave devices via a bus, the master device comprising:

• a microcontroller configured to be coupled to the bus, the microcontroller configured to transmit:
• first messages carrying a set of operation data message portions indicative of operations for implementation by slave devices in the set of slave devices;
• and
• second messages addressed to slave devices in the set of slave devices, the second messages requesting respective reactions towards the master device within respective expected reaction intervals, the second messages conveying identifiers identifying respective ones of the slave devices to which the second messages are addressed.

A slave device for inclusion in a set of slave devices coupled to a master device via a bus, the slave device comprising:

• a transceiver to be coupled to the bus;
• a memory;
• and
• a controller coupled to the transceiver and the memory, the controller configured to:
• receive, over the bus, first messages carrying a set of operation data message portions indicative of operations for implementation by slave devices in the set of slave devices;
• read at least one respective operation data message portion in the set of operation data message portions;
• implement at least one respective operation as a function of the at least one respective operation data message portion read;
• receive, over the bus, respective second messages conveying identifiers identifying the device as the one of the slave devices to which the respective second messages are addressed, the respective second messages requesting respective reactions towards the master device within respective expected reaction intervals;
• and
• react on the respective second messages within the respective expected reaction intervals, wherein reaction messages are to be transmitted from the slave device over the bus towards the master device.