Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
289 words
A communication method for enabling a plurality of devices to communicate with each other through a bi-directional bus, communication among said devices being made with a frame being a transmission unit, wherein each frame comprises: a master address field provided for an address of a master device which sends transmit data having a total quantity x of data; a slave address field provided for an address of a slave device which receives said transmit data sent from said master device; a control field provided for a control data to indicate whether said slave device should be locked or unlocked, said slave device accepting communication only from a first master device if said first master device locks said slave device; and a data field provided for said transmit data, said data field having predetermined capacity n of data, said communication method comprising the steps of: transmitting said transmit data having said total quantity x of data in a plurality of frames through said bi-directional bus when said x is greater than said n, the number of said plurality of frames being the minimum number necessary to transmit said total quantity x of data, wherein said control data of the first frame of said plurality of frames is set to indicate that said slave device should be locked and wherein said control data of the last frame of said plurality of frames is set to indicate that said slave device should be unlocked; and transmitting said transmit data having said total quantity x of data in a single frame through said bi-directional bus when said x is not greater than said n, wherein said control data of said single frame is set to indicate that said slave device should be unlocked.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
289 words
A communication method for enabling a plurality of devices to communicate with each other through a bi-directional bus, communication among said devices being made with a frame being a transmission unit, wherein each frame comprises: a master address field provided for an address of a master device which sends transmit data having a total quantity x of data; a slave address field provided for an address of a slave device which receives said transmit data sent from said master device; a control field provided for a control data to indicate whether said slave device should be locked or unlocked, said slave device accepting communication only from a first master device if said first master device locks said slave device; and a data field provided for said transmit data, said data field having predetermined capacity n of data, said communication method comprising the steps of: transmitting said transmit data having said total quantity x of data in a plurality of frames through said bi-directional bus when said x is greater than said n, the number of said plurality of frames being the minimum number necessary to transmit said total quantity x of data, wherein said control data of the first frame of said plurality of frames is set to indicate that said slave device should be locked and wherein said control data of the last frame of said plurality of frames is set to indicate that said slave device should be unlocked; and transmitting said transmit data having said total quantity x of data in a single frame through said bi-directional bus when said x is not greater than said n, wherein said control data of said single frame is set to indicate that said slave device should be unlocked.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
The communication method according to claim 1, wherein when a second master device tries to communicate with said slave device while said slave device is locked by said first master device, said slave device informs said second master device through said bi-directional bus that said slave device is locked.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
292 words
A bi-directional bus system comprising: a bi-directional bus; and a plurality of devices to communicate with each other through said bi-directional bus, each of said plurality of devices comprising: transmit signal formation means for forming a transmit signal having a total quantity x of data in a frame structure comprising: a master address field provided for an address of a master device which sends said transmit signal; a slave address field provided for an address of a slave device which receives said transmit signal sent from said master device; a control field provided for a control data to indicate whether said slave device should be locked or unlocked, said slave device accepting communication only from a first master device if said first master device locks said slave device; and a data field provided for said transmit signal, said data field having predetermined capacity n of data; and bus output means for outputting said transmit signal having said total quantity x of data to said bi-directional bus, said bus output means outputting said transmit signal in a plurality of frames when said x is greater than said n, the number of said plurality of frames being the minimum number necessary to transmit said total quantity of data, wherein said control data of the first frame of said plurality of frames is set to indicate that said slave device should be locked and wherein said control data of the last frame of said plurality of frames is set to indicate that said slave device should be unlocked, and outputting said transmit signal in a single frame when said x is not greater than said n, wherein said control data of said single frame is set to indicate that said slave device should be unlocked.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
292 words
A bi-directional bus system comprising: a bi-directional bus; and a plurality of devices to communicate with each other through said bi-directional bus, each of said plurality of devices comprising: transmit signal formation means for forming a transmit signal having a total quantity x of data in a frame structure comprising: a master address field provided for an address of a master device which sends said transmit signal; a slave address field provided for an address of a slave device which receives said transmit signal sent from said master device; a control field provided for a control data to indicate whether said slave device should be locked or unlocked, said slave device accepting communication only from a first master device if said first master device locks said slave device; and a data field provided for said transmit signal, said data field having predetermined capacity n of data; and bus output means for outputting said transmit signal having said total quantity x of data to said bi-directional bus, said bus output means outputting said transmit signal in a plurality of frames when said x is greater than said n, the number of said plurality of frames being the minimum number necessary to transmit said total quantity of data, wherein said control data of the first frame of said plurality of frames is set to indicate that said slave device should be locked and wherein said control data of the last frame of said plurality of frames is set to indicate that said slave device should be unlocked, and outputting said transmit signal in a single frame when said x is not greater than said n, wherein said control data of said single frame is set to indicate that said slave device should be unlocked.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
The bi-directional bus system according to claim 3, wherein when a second master device tries to communicate with said slave device while said slave device is locked by said first master device, said slave device informs said second master device through said bi-directional bus that said slave device is locked.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
277 words
A communication device for communicating with other devices through a bi-directional bus, comprising: transmit signal formation means for forming a transmit signal having a total quantity x of data in a frame structure comprising: a master address field provided for an address of a master device which sends said transmit signal; a slave address field provided for an address of a slave device which receives said transmit signal sent from said master device; a control field provided for a control data to indicate whether said slave device should be locked or unlocked, said slave device accepting communication only from a first master device if said first master device locks said slave device; and a data field provided for said transmit signal, said data field having predetermined capacity n of data; and bus output means for outputting to said bi-directional bus said transmit signal having said total quantity x of data, said bus output means outputting said transmit signal in a plurality of frames when said x is greater than said n, the number of said plurality of frames being the minimum number necessary to transmit said total quantity x of data wherein said control data of the first frame of said plurality of frames is set to indicate that said slave device should be locked and wherein said control data of the last frame of said plurality of frames is set to indicate that said slave device should be unlocked, and outputting said transmit signal in a single frame when said x is not greater than said n, wherein said control data of said single frame is set to indicate that said slave device should be unlocked.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
277 words
A communication device for communicating with other devices through a bi-directional bus, comprising: transmit signal formation means for forming a transmit signal having a total quantity x of data in a frame structure comprising: a master address field provided for an address of a master device which sends said transmit signal; a slave address field provided for an address of a slave device which receives said transmit signal sent from said master device; a control field provided for a control data to indicate whether said slave device should be locked or unlocked, said slave device accepting communication only from a first master device if said first master device locks said slave device; and a data field provided for said transmit signal, said data field having predetermined capacity n of data; and bus output means for outputting to said bi-directional bus said transmit signal having said total quantity x of data, said bus output means outputting said transmit signal in a plurality of frames when said x is greater than said n, the number of said plurality of frames being the minimum number necessary to transmit said total quantity x of data wherein said control data of the first frame of said plurality of frames is set to indicate that said slave device should be locked and wherein said control data of the last frame of said plurality of frames is set to indicate that said slave device should be unlocked, and outputting said transmit signal in a single frame when said x is not greater than said n, wherein said control data of said single frame is set to indicate that said slave device should be unlocked.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
The communication device according to claim 5, wherein when a second master device tries to communicate with said slave device while said slave device is locked by said first master device, said slave device informs said second master device through said bi-directional bus that said slave device is locked.