Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
A communication system comprising: a plurality of appliances; a preselected appliance chosen from the plurality of appliances for managing communication between the plurality of appliances and transmitting a communication start signal to the plurality of appliances; and a communication bus for delivering blocks of data communicated between the plurality of appliances, wherein a maximum number of data blocks transmittable by an appliance in a given communication cycle is greater than a total number of data blocks that correspond to the given communication cycle, the data blocks transmitted in each communication cycle are transmitted as a packet, a maximum number of data blocks transmittable within a communication cycle is pre-established, each communication cycle is initiated by the communication start signal, and each communication cycle takes place within a pre-established time interval.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
130 words
A communication system comprising: a plurality of appliances; a preselected appliance chosen from the plurality of appliances for managing communication between the plurality of appliances and transmitting a communication start signal to the plurality of appliances; and a communication bus for delivering blocks of data communicated between the plurality of appliances, wherein a maximum number of data blocks transmittable by an appliance in a given communication cycle is greater than a total number of data blocks that correspond to the given communication cycle, the data blocks transmitted in each communication cycle are transmitted as a packet, a maximum number of data blocks transmittable within a communication cycle is pre-established, each communication cycle is initiated by the communication start signal, and each communication cycle takes place within a pre-established time interval.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
110 words
The communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a normal communication cycle is one in which data blocks are transmitted in a packet following a normal communication start signal, and when a communication start signal of a communication cycle is not received by an appliance data blocks corresponding to that communication cycle as well as data blocks received within a predetermined time duration are transmitted in subsequent normal communication cycles in first-in-first-out order such that the maximum number of data blocks is transmitted as a packet in each subsequent normal communication cycle until only data blocks corresponding to a given communication cycle are transmitted in the given communication cycle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The communication system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the predetermined time duration starts after the normal communication start signal, and the predetermined time duration is equal to N times the pre-established time interval, where N is an integer greater than 2.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The communication system as claimed in claim 2, wherein when a total number of data blocks received within the predetermined time duration exceeds the maximum number of data blocks transmittable within a communication cycle, data blocks are transmitted in first-in-first-out order such that an earlier-received data block is transmitted before a later-received data block.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The communication system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the maximum number of data blocks transmittable within a communication cycle is equal to 6, and the pre-established time interval is approximately equal to 125 microseconds.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The communication system as claimed in claim 5, wherein each packet of data blocks corresponds to one of a video signal and an audio signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
74 words
A communication method for transmitting a plurality of data blocks comprising the steps of: receiving a communication start signal; receiving data from an apparatus; arranging the received data as an array of data blocks, each data block having a predetermined size; numbering the data blocks; forming the numbered data blocks into packets of data blocks according to their data block numbers; outputting a packet of data blocks after a communication start signal is received.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
74 words
A communication method for transmitting a plurality of data blocks comprising the steps of: receiving a communication start signal; receiving data from an apparatus; arranging the received data as an array of data blocks, each data block having a predetermined size; numbering the data blocks; forming the numbered data blocks into packets of data blocks according to their data block numbers; outputting a packet of data blocks after a communication start signal is received.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The communication method of claim 7, wherein the numbering of data blocks is performed in a FIFO or first-in-first-out order such that an earlier received data block has a lower data block number than a later received data block.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
The communication method of claim 7, wherein, when a communication start signal of a communication cycle is not received, the data blocks corresponding to that cycle are transmitted in a packet during a subsequent communication cycle for which a communication start signal is received.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The communication method of claim 9, wherein the data blocks are processed according to a FIFO or first-in-first-out order in which an earlier received data block is processed before a later received data block.