US 6,389,502 B1Granted

Synchronous communication setting method in bus network, bus network utilizing the method thereof and information provision medium

AssigneeSony Corporation

InventorKazunobu Toguchi

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A method of setting synchronous communication in a bus network, such as an IEEE-1394 bus network, in which plural buses are connected via abridge, a bus network utilizing the method and a medium of an information provider. An owner (a resource-possessing node), a talker (a sending node) and a listener (a receiving node) are connected to any of plural buses constituting an IEEE-1394 bus network. In a first step, a command to set synchronous communication is propagated from the owner to a portal of a bridge. In a second step, a command to set communication between portals of bridges on the same bus is propagated. In a third step, a command to set communication is propagated between portals of the same bridge. After the first step is executed, the second and third steps are suitably repeated. Therefore, a command for setting synchronous communication is sequentially propagated and synchronous communication is set for the bus and the bridge on a path from the talker to the listener.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method of setting an isochronous transaction in a bus network in which a plurality of buses are connected via a bridge including first communication means and second communication means, comprising:

a first step of setting an isochronous transaction for a first bus of the bus network by a resource-possessing node when a sending node or a receiving node exists on the first bus and on which the resource-possessing node also exists, sending a request for setting the isochronous transaction by the resource-possessing node to the first communication means of the bridge existing on the first bus when no sending node or no receiving node exists on the first bus, and passing a packet to the sending node or the receiving node not existing on the first bus;
a second step of sending a request for setting the isochronous transaction to the second communication means connected to the first communication means by the first communication means which receives the request for setting an isochronous transaction from the resource-possessing node, and setting the isochronous transaction for the first communication means when the first communication means exists on a path from the sending node to the receiving node;
and
a third step of setting the isochronous transaction for a second bus, when the sending node or the receiving node exists on the second bus on which the second communication means exists, by the second communication means which receives the request for setting the isochronous transaction, setting isochronous transaction for the second communication means when the second communication means exists on a path from the sending node to the receiving node, and sending a request for setting the isochronous transaction to the first communication means of the bridge existing on the second bus when no sending node or no receiving node exists on the second bus and passing a packet to the sending node or the receiving node not existing on the second bus.

1 more element

A bus network in which a plurality of buses are connected via a bridge including first communication means and second communication means,

wherein a resource-possessing node, a sending node and a receiving node are connected to the same bus or different buses of said plurality of buses, said resource-possessing node comprising:
means for setting an isochronous transaction for a first bus when said sending node or said receiving node exists on said first bus on which said resource-possessing node exists, and
means for sending a request for setting said isochronous transaction, when no sending node or no receiving node exists on said first bus, to said first communication means existing on said first bus and passing a packet to said sending node or said receiving node not existing on said first bus;
said first communication means of said bridge comprising:
means for sending a request for setting isochronous transaction to said second communication means connected to said first communication means itself when said first communication means receives a request for setting said isochronous transaction, and
means for setting said isochronous transaction for said first communication means itself if said first communication means exists on a path from said sending node to said receiving node when said first communication means receives said request for setting said isochronous transaction;
and
said second communication means of said bridge comprising:
means for setting said isochronous transaction for said second bus if said sending node or said receiving node exists on said second bus on which said second communication means exists when said second communication means receives a request for setting said isochronous transaction,
means for setting said isochronous transaction for said second communication means if said second communication means exists on a path from said sending node to said receiving node when said second communication means receives said request for setting said isochronous transaction, and
means for sending a request for setting an isochronous transaction to said first communication means of said bridge if no sending node or no receiving node exists on said second bus, said first communication means existing on said second bus and passing a packet to said sending node or said receiving node nor existing on said second bus, when said second communication means receives said request for said isochronous transaction.

8 more elements

An information provision medium for providing a computer program used in a bus network in which a plurality of buses are connected via a bridge including first communication means and second communication means for executing at least one of the following:

a step in which a resource-possessing node sets an isochronous transaction for a first bus of said plurality of buses when a sending node or a receiving node exists on the first bus on which the resource-possessing node exists and sends a request for setting the isochronous transaction to the first communication means or the bridge existing on the first bus when no sending node or no receiving node exists on the first bus, wherein the first communication means passes a packet to the sending node or the receiving node not existing on the first bus;
a step in which the first communication means of the bridge, which receives the request for setting the isochronous transaction, sends a request for setting isochronous transaction to the second communication means connected to the first communication means and sets the isochronous transaction for the first communication means when the first communication means exists on a path from the sending node to the receiving node;
and
a step in which the second communication means of the bridge, which receives the request for setting the isochronous transaction, sets the isochronous transaction for a second bus of said plurality of buses when the sending node or said receiving node exists on the second bus on which the second communication means exists, sets the isochronous transaction for the second communication means when the second communication means exists or a path from the sending node to the receiving node and further, sends a request for setting the isochronous transaction to the first communication means of the bridge existing on the second bus, when no sending node or no receiving node exists on the second bus, wherein the first communication means passes a packet to the sending node or the receiving rode not existing on the second bus.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.