# US 7,609,688 B2 · Serialized bus communication and control architecture > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,609,688 B2 - Document ID: US7609688B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/740,108 - Filed: 2003-12-17 - Published: 2004-07-08 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 1999-06-03 - Assignees: Fujitsu Limited - Inventors: Robert J. Dittmar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7609688B2 ## CPC - G06F 13/4291: {using a clocked protocol} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A serial bus communication system for communication across the backplane of a node includes a control unit having a serial bus controller operable to convert between parallel signals and serialized signals. A plurality of service units each include a serial bus terminator. A serial bus includes a discrete serial channel for each service unit. The serial channel connects the serial bus terminator to the serial bus controller. The serial bus controller is operable to direct a message for a service unit on the serial bus to only the serial channel of the service unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A serial bus communication system for communicating across a backplane of a node, comprising: a control unit including a serial bus controller and a processing unit; a plurality of service units each including a serial bus terminator; a serial bus including a discrete serial channel for each service unit, the serial channel connecting the serial bus terminator to the serial bus controller; the serial bus controller operable to convert parallel signals from the processing unit to a serial signal to be transmitted to one of the plurality of service units, and to convert a serial signal from one of the plurality of service units to parallel signals to be transmitted to the processing unit; and the serial bus controller further operable to direct a message for a service unit on the serial bus to only the serial channel of the service unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The serial bus communication system of claim 1, the serial bus controller operable to communicate messages to the serial unit without unit addressing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The serial bus communication system of claim 1, each serial channel comprising: a downstream link to communicate messages from the serial bus controller to the serial bus terminator; an upstream link to communicate messages from the serial bus terminator to the serial bus controller; and a clock link to communicate a clock signal from the serial bus controller to the serial bus terminator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The serial bus communication system of claim 1, each serial channel consisting of: a downstream link to communicate messages from the serial bus controller to a serial bus terminator; an upstream link to communicate messages from the serial bus terminator to the serial bus controller; and a clock link to communicate clock signals from the serial bus controller to the serial bus terminator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The serial bus communication system of claim 1, wherein the node is a telephony node and the service units are operable to receive and transmit traffic in a telecommunications network. ### Claim 6 A serial bus communication system for communicating across a backplane of a node, comprising: a control unit including a serial bus controller operable to convert between parallel signals and serialized signals; a plurality of service units each including a serial bus terminator; a serial bus including a discrete serial channel for each service unit, the serial channel connecting the serial bus terminator to the serial bus controller; the serial bus controller operable to direct a message for a service unit on the serial bus to only the serial channel of the service unit; a processor operable to generate linked-lists to perform multiple block data transfer operations and to generate direct requests to perform sole data transfer operations; a linked-list output system operable to perform block data transfer operations by processing linked-lists; a processor output system operable to perform sole data transfer operations by processing direct requests; and an arbitrator operable to allow both the linked-list and direct request processing systems to simultaneously perform data transfer operations so long as disparate service units are being accessed. ### Claim 7 A serial bus communication system for communicating across a backplane of a node, comprising: a control unit including a serial bus controller operable to convert between parallel signals and serialized signals; a plurality of service units each including a serial bus terminator; a serial bus including a discrete serial channel for each service unit, the serial channel connecting the serial bus terminator to the serial bus controller; the serial bus controller operable to direct a message for a service unit on the serial bus to only the serial channel of the service unit; a processor operable to generate low priority linked-lists for performing low priority data transfer operations and to generate high priority linked-lists for performing high priority data transfer operations; a linked-list processing system further comprising: a set of low priority registers operable to store processing information for low priority linked-lists; a set of high priority registers operable to store processing information for high priority linked-lists; a context controller operable to direct a linked-list controller to the set of high priority registers in response to a high priority linked-list identified by the set of high priority registers and to the set of low priority registers in response to a low priority linked-list identified by the low priority registers and in the absence of a high priority linked-list; and the linked-list controller operable to process a linked-list identified by the register indicated by the context controller. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The serial bus communication system of claim 1, wherein the message comprises data and address parity bits. ### Claim 9 A method for communicating messages between a control unit and a plurality of service units in a node, comprising: providing a serial bus between the control unit and the service units, the control unit operable to convert parallel signals from a processing unit to a serial signal to be transmitted to one of the plurality of service units, and to convert a serial signal from one of the plurality of service units to parallel signals to be transmitted to the processing unit, the serial bus including a discrete serial channel connecting each service unit to the control unit; generating at the control unit a request for a data transfer operation at a destination service unit; and transmitting the message on the serial bus to only the serial channel of the destination service unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting the message in a frame absent unit addressing. ### Claim 11 A method for communicating messages between a control unit and a plurality of service units in a node, comprising: providing a serial bus between the control unit and the service units, the control unit operable to convert between parallel signals and serialized signals, the serial bus including a discrete serial channel connecting each service unit to the control unit; generating at the control unit a request for a data transfer operation at a destination service unit; transmitting the message on the serial bus to only the serial channel of the destination service unit; generating a linked-list request for performing a series of specified data transfer operations at a first destination service unit; generating a direct access request for performing a specified data transfer operation at a second destination service unit; determining whether the first and second destination service units are disparate service units; and transmitting the linked-list and direct access request in response to determining the first and second destination service units comprise disparate service units. ### Claim 12 A method for communicating messages between a control unit and a plurality of service units in a node, comprising: providing a serial bus between the control unit and the service units, the control unit operable to convert between parallel signals and serialized signals, the serial bus including a discrete serial channel connecting each service unit to the control unit; generating at the control unit a request for a data transfer operation at a destination service unit; transmitting the message on the serial bus to only the serial channel of the destination service unit; wherein the request comprises a low priority linked-list request for performing a series of data transfer operations at the destination service unit, further comprising: generating a high priority linked-list request for performing a series of data transfer operations at a second service unit; interrupting transmission of the low priority linked-list request on the serial bus; transmitting the high priority linked-list request on the serial bus on only the serial channel of the second destination service unit; and resume transmitting the low priority linked-list request on only the serial channel of the destination service unit upon completion of the high priority linked-list request. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising interrupting transmission of the low priority linked-list request upon the completion of a current frame for the low priority linked-list request and resuming transmission of the low priority linked-list request at the next frame of the low priority linked-list request. ### Claim 14 A system for resetting remote resources for synchronization with a controller, comprising: a control unit; a plurality of service units; a serial bus including a discrete serial channel for each service unit, the serial channel connecting the service unit to the control unit and including a clock link operable to transmit a clock signal from the control unit to the service unit; the control unit operable to convert between parallel signals and serialized signals and to interrupt the clock signal on the clock link to a service unit in response to a reset event for the service unit; and the service unit including a clock detector operable to detect an interruption in the clock signal and in response to the interruption to reset at least a portion of the service unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, further comprising the service unit including a serial logic portion and the clock detector operable to reset the serial logic portion. ### Claim 16 A method for resetting remote resources for synchronization with a controller, comprising: providing a clock signal from a control unit to a remote service unit, the control unit operable to convert between parallel signals and serialized signals; in response to a reset event, interrupting the clock signal to the remote service unit for at least a defined period of time; and at the remote service unit, in response to interruption of the clock signal for the defined period of time, resetting at least a portion of the service unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising in response to interruption in the clock signal for the defined period of time, resetting a serial logic portion of the service unit.