System and method for creating a slot table entry address for a communications device

A system for generating a slot table entry address for a communications device of a communications network, the system comprising:

• a first bit processing device configured to process a slot counter value according to a configuration setting value to produce a processed slot counter value, wherein the slot counter value identifies a time slot of data communications of the communications network;
• a bit masking device configured to mask a cycle counter value according to the configuration setting value to generate a masked cycle counter value, wherein the cycle counter value identifies a communications cycle containing the time slot;
• and
• a second bit processing device configured to process the processed slot counter value and the masked cycle counter value to generate a slot table entry address such that a corresponding slot table entry of the time slot of the communications cycle in a slot table is accessed by the communications device at the slot table entry address.

A method for generating a slot table entry address for a FlexRay-compatible communications device of a communications network, the method comprising:

• processing a slot counter value according to a configuration setting value to produce a processed slot counter value, wherein the slot counter value identifies a time slot of data communications of the communications network;
• masking a cycle counter value according to the configuration setting value to generate a masked cycle counter value, wherein the cycle counter value identifies a communications cycle containing the time slot;
• and
• processing the processed slot counter value and the masked cycle counter value to generate a slot table entry address such that a corresponding slot table entry of the time slot of the communications cycle in a slot table is accessed by the FlexRay-compatible communications device at the slot table entry address.