Serial broadcast reading in daisy chain network

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a serial communication network (300) having a plurality of network nodes (302) having a primary node (304) and a plurality of secondary nodes (306) connected in a daisy chain configuration wherein the network nodes (302) are configured to communicate according to a wired communication protocol for serial communication; wherein the primary node (304) comprises a control circuit (308) configured to: generate a broadcast read message (318) to cause the plurality of secondary nodes (306) to make a single response; and causing the broadcast read message (318) to be transmitted along the chain of secondary nodes (306); wherein each secondary node (306) comprises a communication circuit (314) configured to: receive a broadcast read message (318); and generating a response message (326) and causing the response message to be transmitted to the primary node (304) if a stop condition associated with the broadcast read command (318) at the secondary node (306) is satisfied.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to a daisy-chain network configured to implement serial broadcast reading of multiple secondary network nodes and methods thereof (e.g., a method for performing serial broadcast reading of multiple secondary network nodes in a daisy-chain network). Background Technology

[0002] Typically, many applications rely on the interaction of interconnected devices that work together to provide specific functions. An example of such systems is the so-called "smart surface," a novel type of human-machine interface (HMI), particularly prevalent in the automotive and industrial sectors. In a smart surface, hundreds of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are controlled to dynamically and adaptively display information to the user, while sensors and actuators allow for the capture of user input and commands. In systems comprising multiple interconnected devices, communication protocols can regulate data transmission between devices, ensuring reliable communication and avoiding potential conflicts. Particularly in systems including sensors, actuators, light-emitting devices, etc., data transmission between devices can occur via wired connections (e.g., via a single wire or multiple wires), allowing connected devices to communicate according to wired communication protocols that define data transmission rules. Therefore, improvements to communication strategies for wired communication are likely to be particularly relevant for the further development of several technologies. Attached Figure Description

[0003] In the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals generally refer to the same parts in different views. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but generally focus on illustrating the principles of the invention. In the following description, various aspects of the invention are described with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0004] Figure 1A and Figure 1B A serial network system with a daisy-chain topology is illustrated in schematic form according to various aspects;

[0005] Figure 2A The network nodes are illustrated in schematic form according to various aspects;

[0006] Figure 2B An exemplary configuration of network nodes based on various aspects is illustrated in schematic form;

[0007] Figure 2C An exemplary configuration of the input / output ports of a network node is shown in schematic form, according to various aspects;

[0008] Figure 2D An exemplary configuration of conductive lines connected to network nodes is shown in schematic form, according to various aspects.

[0009] Figures 3A to 3C The method of "serial reading with a single response" is illustrated in the form of a diagram, according to various aspects.

[0010] Figures 4A to 4C A schematic message flow diagram is shown, relating to the "serial read with single response" method according to various aspects;

[0011] Figures 5A to 5C The diagram illustrates, in terms of various aspects, the "serial read with multiple responses" method; and

[0012] Figure 6A and Figure 6B A schematic message flow diagram is shown that is associated with the "serial read with multiple responses" method according to various aspects. Detailed Implementation

[0013] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, in an illustrative manner, specific details and aspects in which the invention can be practiced. These aspects are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other aspects and structural, logical, and electrical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The various aspects are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as some aspects can be combined with one or more other aspects to form new aspects. The aspects are described in conjunction with methods, and the aspects are described in conjunction with devices (e.g., daisy-chain networks, network nodes, communication circuits). However, it should be understood that aspects described in conjunction with methods can be similarly applied to devices, and similarly, aspects described in conjunction with devices can be applied to methods.

[0014] Typically, interconnected networks of devices, linked by wires and communicating with each other according to wired communication protocols, play a vital role in various applications, such as lighting systems and sensor systems. In this context, numerous communication protocols have been defined over the years to control data transmission between networked devices. Broadly speaking, communication protocols can be divided into two main categories: parallel or serial. Parallel interfaces allow the parallel transmission of multiple bits, while serial interfaces (e.g., considering scenarios with the same clock frequency) operate at a lower data rate (e.g., transmitting one bit at a time).

[0015] Compared to parallel architectures, serial communication in wired networks can be implemented with a simpler setup (e.g., using a single wire, or typically fewer wires than in parallel communication), thus costing only a fraction of the cost. Therefore, serial communication can be particularly advantageous for wired network systems involving a large number of interconnected devices.

[0016] There are various choices for serial network topologies, such as the physical and / or logical arrangement of nodes used to form a communication network. Therefore, a network topology can describe one or more available paths for signal transmission through a network of interconnected nodes. In this context, the term "network node" can describe an electronic device that is part of a network. Thus, a "network node" can be an electronic device that includes communication circuitry that enables communication with other electronic devices (other nodes) that are part of the network. A "network node" can also include any suitable circuitry to implement additional functions, such as performing specific functions or operations. As an example, considering a lighting device network, a network node can include light-emitting circuitry configured to emit light. As another example, considering a sensor device network, a network node can include sensing circuitry configured to sense (or detect) specific physical quantities (e.g., temperature, light, mechanical vibration, etc.). Hereinafter, "network node" may also be simply referred to as "node." It should be understood that aspects described herein in conjunction with "network node" can be applied to the electronic device constituting that network node, and similarly, aspects described with respect to the electronic device constituting that network node can be applied to the "network node."

[0017] A simple network topology is the so-called "point-to-point topology," where exactly two nodes are directly connected to each other (in other words, linked). Another example could be a "star topology," where each peripheral network node is connected to the central network node via a separate transmission line. Another example could be a "bus topology," where network nodes are connected to a common transmission line (exemplarily, a common bus). In a "bus topology," multiple network nodes are connected to the same line, providing parallel connectivity between network nodes. Other examples could be "tree topology" or "mesh topology." A so-called "hybrid topology," combining two or more topology types, can also be provided.

[0018] In this context, an advantageous network topology for interconnecting electronic devices is the so-called "daisy-chain topology" (see also...) Figure 1A and Figure 1B In a daisy-chain configuration, network nodes can be connected to form a series of nodes, where each network node can be connected to one or two other network nodes via a point-to-point connection, for example, to the preceding and / or following node in a serially connected chain of nodes.

[0019] A daisy-chain topology can be linear, where the first node connects to the second, the second to the third, the third to the fourth, and so on, until the final node in the series is reached. Therefore, a linear configuration can be a bidirectional network configuration where each network node connects to the next node in the series (exemplarily, in a straight line or chain), and communication occurs through a series of connected nodes and then returns along the same path. In this configuration, the first and last nodes are not directly connected.

[0020] As another example, a "daisy-chain topology" can have a "ring configuration" such that the first node is connected to the second node, the second node is also connected to the third node, the third node is also connected to the fourth node, and so on, with the final node in the series connected back to the first node. Therefore, a "ring configuration" can define a loop-loop network where network nodes are connected in series, and the last node connects back to the first node, allowing communication to proceed in one direction through the node sequence and then loop back to the first node. In a ring topology, each network node can therefore connect to two other nodes, and the first and last nodes are interconnected.

[0021] The daisy-chain topology enables a cost-effective and scalable architecture for providing networks configured for serial communication. In particular, compared to other configurations, the daisy-chain topology can be implemented with fewer terminals and cables, thus providing a cost-effective and resource-efficient implementation.

[0022] Therefore, wired networks with daisy-chain topologies and based on serial communication are attractive for applications where space and economic considerations may play a significant role. Within this framework, improvements to the communication strategies for such networks can achieve more cost-effective and resource-efficient operation, thereby facilitating the integration of such systems into a variety of application scenarios.

[0023] Typically, there are multiple communication protocols for managing wired serial communication. As a common feature of these protocols, wired serial communication may involve one network node acting as the "master node" and one or more other network nodes acting as "secondary nodes".

[0024] In this context, the term "primary" can be used to describe a network node (exemplarily, a corresponding electronic device) configured to control the operation of other network nodes. Thus, a "primary node" can be configured to manage data transmission and reception in the network; for example, a "primary node" can be configured to transmit data to one or more other "secondary nodes" and can be configured to request data transmission from one or more other "secondary nodes." A "primary node" can be understood as a device configured to instruct the operation of one or more "secondary nodes" (e.g., providing instructions to cause the execution of one or more operations). The term "primary node" may also be referred to herein as a "master node," "controller node," "dominant node," or "host node." In some aspects, the term "primary node" may also be referred to herein as an electronic control unit (ECU). As an example, a "primary node" may include a microcontroller or any other suitable control circuitry (e.g., a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.) to control other nodes, for example, to transmit instructions to other nodes.

[0025] The term "secondary" can be used to describe a network node configured to be instructed by another network node (exemplarily, the "master node"). A "secondary node" can be a network node configured to receive instructions and respond to those instructions (e.g., not performing any active data transmission without prompting from the master node). In some respects, such as at the request of the master node, a "secondary node" can be configured to transmit data (e.g., various types of information). A "secondary node" may also be referred to herein as a "slave node," "peripheral node," "follower node," or "responder node."

[0026] Typically, wired communication protocols for serial communication define a set of rules for controlling data transmission between network nodes. Therefore, wired communication protocols for serial communication can define the types of commands that can be sent / received, the response types to different commands, the timing of data transmission (e.g., synchronous or asynchronous), the communication layer, the encoding type of data transmission, etc. As is generally known in the art, the type of node-to-node connection and the communication circuitry of the nodes can be adapted according to the communication protocol configured for the nodes.

[0027] Examples of communication protocols based on wired serial communication can include internal integrated circuit buses (I... 2 C) Protocols (e.g., according to the I2C bus specification and user manual version 7.0 dated October 1, 2021), Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) protocol, 1-wire or one-wire protocol, Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol, Ethernet protocol and / or microwire protocol.

[0028] Recently, a new communication protocol, the so-called Open Systems Protocol (OSP), has been defined for wired serial communication. OSP can be implemented in various ways and has broad applicability. In common implementations, OSP can be used in scenarios with a single microprocessor (as the "master node") and multiple smart light-emitting diode (LED) devices (as "secondary nodes"). OSP defines tailored system architectures, command and data structures for devices interconnected in a daisy-chain network topology, thus enabling robust and efficient data transmission in such networks.

[0029] In serial communication, reading information from a secondary node typically requires an arbitration mechanism to avoid collisions. However, arbitration mechanisms add significant overhead to communication and limit communication speed. Furthermore, arbitration mechanisms may rely on at least two buffers to allow upstream and downstream messages to pass each other, increasing circuit area and cost. Therefore, while wired communication protocols may include arbitration features to effectively avoid collisions, the added overhead is significant and prohibitive for some relevant applications.

[0030] As a further consideration, serial chain protocols used in lighting applications (e.g., OSP protocols) are typically master-slave protocols without collision prevention mechanisms, designed to achieve efficient and low-cost communication within a chain of network nodes (e.g., RGB LEDs). To read data from all nodes, each node is sent individually. Only after receiving a response from the previous node can a request be sent to the next node. For example, to prevent collisions, allowing direct reading from a single node at a time, the master node sends a read request to the target secondary node and waits to receive a response from that secondary node before sending another request to another secondary node. This adds significant latency and limits the applicability of these protocols.

[0031] This disclosure relates to a read strategy for retrieving data from secondary nodes in a daisy-chain network without relying on an arbitration mechanism or incurring additional latency. The read strategy proposed herein can be based on controlling the response behavior of secondary nodes to ensure conflict avoidance, while allowing data to be sent to nodes without waiting for the master node to receive a response from the previous node.

[0032] More specifically, the proposed reading strategy can be based on an ordered stream of responses from secondary nodes. Organizing the responses of secondary nodes into an ordered sequence allows them to be sent to all secondary nodes at once, and then the secondary nodes decide when to send their own response messages. Therefore, in the proposed reading scheme, message propagation and timing on the chain are not centrally coordinated by the master node, but are the responsibility of the secondary nodes in the chain.

[0033] Therefore, a serial chain read command can be sent to secondary nodes, allowing all secondary nodes in the chain to be read with a single command from the master node. Reads can be individual reads of each node or merged reads of the entire chain. These two possible reads are referred to in this paper as "serial broadcast with multiple responses" and "serial broadcast with a single response," respectively. The serial chain read command can also be referred to in this paper as a broadcast read command.

[0034] Therefore, the proposed strategy provides flexible response configuration (e.g., message flow along the upstream or downstream direction of the chain) and offers the possibility of merged reads. A "merged read" can include a single response message contributed by multiple sub-nodes (e.g., each sub-node). For example, a "merged read" can be used to determine the minimum or maximum value of an operational parameter in the chain, such as minimum / maximum temperature, minimum / maximum voltage, etc.

[0035] Therefore, the read scheme described in this paper allows all units in the chain to be read using a single command from the master node, thereby reducing communication time compared to other schemes (e.g., reducing...). (where N is the number of secondary nodes in the chain). As another example, the proposed read scheme enables convenient collection of minimum / maximum values ​​on the chain. As yet another example, considering that the proposed read scheme requires no additional buffers and anti-collision mechanisms, the network can be implemented with a space-saving and cost-effective configuration while achieving time-efficient communication. As an exemplary application, a daisy-chain network configured to implement the proposed read scheme can be integrated into a "smart surface".

[0036] In the preferred configuration, the network nodes of the daisy chain network can be configured according to open systems protocols (e.g., according to OSIRE, July 6, 2023). ® E3731i-Open Systems Protocol 1.0 Application Note AN162) communicates with each other. The OSP protocol may be particularly well-suited for managing communication in daisy-chain networks (e.g., daisy chains of light-emitting elements), and therefore constitutes the most relevant application scenario for the proposed read strategy.

[0037] Therefore, in this disclosure, reference may be made in particular to daisy-chain networks, where network nodes are configured to communicate with each other according to Open Systems Protocol (OSP). Concepts and terminology relevant to the OSP context may be used hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the aspects described herein can be broadly applied to other types of wired serial communication protocols. Furthermore, some examples may relate to specific wired communication protocols (e.g., specific versions or releases of wired communication protocols), but it should be understood that the examples provided herein can be similarly applied to a wide variety of other wired communication protocols or other versions / releases of wired communication protocols, whether existing or not.

[0038] Furthermore, in a preferred configuration, the network nodes of the daisy-chain network may include one or more light-emitting elements (e.g., one or more light-emitting diodes, LEDs). Exemplarily, the proposed readout strategy may be particularly advantageous for efficiently reading data from all nodes in an RGB LED daisy-chain. For example, this arrangement could be used for "smart surfaces" (e.g., in vehicles). However, it should be understood that the configuration proposed herein can be applied to any suitable type of network node, for example, to network nodes configured to perform any suitable function.

[0039] Figure 1A and Figure 1B A serial communication network 100 is illustrated schematically according to various aspects. Typically, the serial communication network 100 may include a plurality of network nodes 102 arranged in a daisy-chain configuration. Exemplarily, the network nodes 102 may be connected to form a series of network nodes, such that each network node 102 is connected to one or two other network nodes 102, and data transmission within the network may include the propagation of data from one network node 102 to the next node in the chain. In this respect, the serial communication network 100 may have, for example... Figure 1A The "linear" daisy-chain topology shown in configuration 100a, or having a topology like... Figure 1B The configuration 100b shows a "ring" daisy chain topology.

[0040] According to the "linear" daisy-chain topology, the first node 104 can be connected to the second node 106a, the second node 106a can be connected to the third node 106b, and so on, until the final node 106d is reached. As mentioned above, in this configuration, the final node 106d and the first node 104 are not directly connected, and communication between nodes can be bidirectional, allowing information to flow from the first node 104 to the final node 106d, and similarly, information can flow from the final node 106d to the first node 104.

[0041] According to the "ring" daisy-chain topology, the first node 104 can connect to the second node 106a, the second node 106a can connect to the third node 106b, and so on, until the final node 106d is reached. As mentioned above, in this configuration, the final node 106d and the first node 104 can be directly connected, forming a loop arrangement. In this configuration, communication between nodes can be unidirectional, allowing information to flow from the first node 104 to the final node 106d, and then loop back from the final node 106d to the first node 104.

[0042] Serial communication networks with linear daisy-chain topology and serial communication networks with ring daisy-chain topology can be collectively referred to as serial communication networks. In this article, "serial communication network" may also be referred to as "wired communication network", "daisy-chain network", or simply "communication network" or "network".

[0043] Figure 1A and Figure 1B The exemplary configuration shown in the document illustrates a network 100 with five nodes 102, but it should be understood that network 100 may include any suitable number of nodes. As an example, the strategy proposed herein may be particularly advantageous for networks that include a larger number of nodes, such as network 100 which may include 100 to 5000 network nodes 102, such as 200 to 2000, or even 300 to 1000.

[0044] Depending on various aspects, network node 102 may include a master node 104 and one or more slave nodes 106a-106d (exemplarily, master node 104 and one or more slave nodes 106a-106d), for example, multiple slave nodes 106a-106d. As previously described, master node 104 may manage communication within network 100. For example, master node 104 may include control circuitry 108 configured to control communication within network 100, for example, configured to control data transmission through a daisy chain of network nodes 102. Exemplarily, control circuitry 108 may be configured to cause messages to be transmitted along the chain of slave nodes 106a-106d and to prompt one or more slave nodes 106a-106d to respond. Master node 104 may also include communication circuitry 112 for sending data to / receiving data from the chain of slave nodes 106a-106d. As an exemplary implementation, master node 104 may be or include a microcontroller, such as a microcontroller unit (MCU). In some aspects, master node 104 may be the only node within network 100. In some aspects, master node 104 may also be connected to a backbone network.

[0045] Typically, each network node 102 may have a corresponding associated address. The "address" of node 102 can be a unique identifier for that node 102 and can allow messages to be passed to that node 102. For example, a message propagating along the chain of nodes 102 may include an address field containing the address of the node 102 to which the message is sent. Upon receiving a message, node 102 can compare the message's address field with its own address. If the message is destined for node 102, it executes the instructions contained in the message; if the message is destined for another node 102, it continues propagating the message along the chain.

[0046] Depending on various factors, each network node 102 can know its corresponding position within the sequence of network nodes 102. Referring to secondary nodes 106a-106d, secondary node 106a connected to primary node 104 can be the initial node of the secondary node sequence, secondary node 106d can be the final node of the secondary node sequence (exemplarily, an end-of-line (EOL) node), while other secondary nodes 106b, 106c can be intermediate nodes between the initial node and the final node. Each secondary node 106a-106d can know its own position in the sequence, for example, at position one, two, three, etc., up to the final position.

[0047] Depending on various aspects, adjacent network nodes 102 can be interconnected via wired connection 110. In this regard, the terms "adjacent" or "nearby" can be used to describe network nodes 102 that are in consecutive positions in the sequence of network nodes 102, exemplarily logically adjacent network nodes 102, without implying a spatial relationship between network nodes 102. Within this framework, considering a node 102 as a reference point, the term "next" or "successor" can be used to describe another node 102 that is adjacent to the reference node and located downstream along the chain relative to the data transmission direction. Thus, a message can propagate from the reference node to the next node, then to another next node, and so on. Correspondingly, the term "previous" or "preceding" can be used to describe another node 102 that is adjacent to the reference node and located upstream along the chain relative to the data transmission direction. Thus, a message can propagate from the preceding node to the reference node.

[0048] Wired connection 110 may include one or more wires that electrically connect one network node 102 to one or more adjacent network nodes 102. Exemplarily, wired connection 110 may include one or more conductive lines (e.g., conductive wires or conductive traces). Wired connection 110 may exemplary be a serial bus to which network nodes 102 are connected in a chain. The number of conductive lines in wired connection 110 may be adapted to the communication protocol employed by the network nodes 102. In a preferred configuration, wired connection 110 between adjacent nodes 102 may include exactly two conductive lines. A configuration with two conductive lines allows for the implementation of the OSP protocol and may therefore be particularly suitable for data transmission in a daisy-chain network 100. However, it should be understood that wired connection 110 may generally include any suitable number of conductive lines, such as one, two, three, four, etc. In some aspects, wired connection 110 may include up to four conductive lines.

[0049] Depending on various aspects, network nodes 102 can be configured to communicate with each other according to a wired communication protocol for serial communication (also referred to herein as the underlying communication protocol). For example, network nodes 102 can be configured to transmit data along a chain of nodes according to rules and parameters defined by the wired communication protocol.

[0050] As previously stated, in a preferred configuration, network nodes 102 can be configured to communicate with each other according to an Open Systems Protocol (OSP), because such a specific protocol enables robust communication in a daisy-chain network, particularly for daisy-chained emitters. However, it should be understood that the aspects described herein can be broadly applied to configurations where network nodes 102 communicate according to other types of wired communication protocols used for serial communication.

[0051] Generally, the details of Open Systems Protocol (OSP) are known in the art. This document provides a brief overview to introduce aspects relevant to this disclosure. The OSP protocol may include a five-layered architecture: the application software layer, the application-specific protocol layer, the network layer, the data link layer (DLL), and the physical (PHY) layer. The network layer defines the command conventions used to parse data. The DLL describes the message frame format and encoding according to the OSP protocol. The PHY layer manages the actual transmission over the physical medium (exemplarily, communication via a wired connection).

[0052] The OSP protocol can include three communication modes: Low Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) mode; Line-End (EOL) mode or Microcontroller (MCU) mode; and USE mode. Considering the configuration of network nodes communicating according to the OSP protocol, aspects of this disclosure can be applied to all possible communication modes. In the OSP protocol, communication is message-based, and messages can have a frame format. A frame can include different fields: a preamble, address, Payload Size Indicator (PSI), command, payload, and Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC). The fields of the frame can have different lengths (in bits), and the message length can be variable (e.g., up to 12 bytes). For example, the preamble length can be 4 bits. The address length can be 10 bits and can indicate the address of the target node to which the message is sent. The PSI length can be 3 bits and can indicate the byte length of the payload. The command length can be 7 bits, and the command can be device-specific. The payload can have a variable length, from 0 to 64 bits, as indicated by the PSI. The CRC length can be 8 bits and can include a checksum calculated on the complete message excluding the CRC field. The message “field” can also be referred to as the message “part” in this article.

[0053] According to the OSP protocol, the master node can identify the device type of each node in the chain. In this regard, each node can have a corresponding read-only identifier (e.g., 32 bits long). This read-only identifier can contain information representing the node / device, such as device type (e.g., light-emitting circuit, sensor, etc.), manufacturer, component identifier, and component version.

[0054] Figure 2A The network node 200 is illustrated schematically according to various aspects. For example, Figure 2A An electronic device configured to function as a network node in a serial communication network is shown. Therefore, network node 200 can be a configuration of network node 102 of the serial communication network 100 (e.g., secondary nodes 106a-106d). It should be understood that the representation of network node 200 may be simplified for illustrative purposes, and network node 200 (electronic device) may include additional components besides those shown. "Electronic device" may also be referred to herein as an electronic module.

[0055] Typically, network node 200 may include communication circuitry 202 configured to enable network node 200 to communicatively couple with other electronic devices (exemplarily, other network nodes). Communication circuitry 202 may be configured to control the voltage level at the wired connection between network node 200 and other network nodes, enabling data encoding through voltage level modulation. Communication circuitry 202 may include communication hardware 238 and processor 240. Processor 240 may be configured to control communication hardware 238 to implement physical-layer communication, e.g., to control / define the voltage level at the wired connection. Processor 240 may also be configured to parse (e.g., decode) messages received at network node 200 and generate appropriate response messages for transmission using communication hardware 238. References herein to the configuration of communication circuitry 202 of network node 200 may refer accordingly to the configuration of communication hardware 238 (at the physical layer) and / or processor 240 (at the logical layer), as appropriate. As an exemplary implementation, processor 240 may be a microprocessor.

[0056] In some respects, a first voltage level (e.g., a high voltage level) at a wired connection can be associated with logic "1", while a second voltage level (e.g., a low voltage level) at a wired connection can be associated with logic "0". However, it should be understood that the definitions of logic "1" and logic "0", and the associated signal modulation type, can be arbitrary (e.g., other examples of modulation may include signal amplitude, signal frequency, signal period, etc.). A high voltage level can be understood as a signal having a voltage above a voltage threshold. A low voltage level can be understood as a signal having a voltage below a voltage threshold. As a numerical example only, a high voltage level can be 1 V, and a low voltage level can be 0 V. Considering the configuration according to the OSP protocol, network node 200 can support 3.3 V and 5 V logic levels.

[0057] As an exemplary implementation, communication circuitry 202 may include (as part of communication hardware 238) one or more switching elements (e.g., one or more transistors) to selectively connect or disconnect the conductive path between the wired connection and ground, and / or selectively connect or disconnect the conductive path between the wired connection and the power supply voltage. Processor 240 may be configured to control one or more switching elements to define the voltage level at the wired connection.

[0058] Depending on various aspects, network node 200 may include multiple input / output ports 206, 208, and communication circuitry 202 may be coupled to input / output ports 206, 208. In operation, network node 200 may receive data through first input / output ports 206, 208 and output data through second input / output ports 206, 208. The direction of data propagation may vary depending on the daisy-chain network configuration and the nodes to which the data is sent. Exemplarily, each input / output port 206, 208 may be configured to be coupled to a wired connection (e.g., to one or more conductive wires), and communication circuitry 202 may be coupled to the wired connection through input / output ports 206, 208. Figure 2C The exemplary configuration of input / output ports 206 and 208 is described in the document.

[0059] Network node 200 may also include functional circuitry 204 configured to perform the main functions of network node 200. For example, network node 200 may typically be designed to perform specific operations, and communication circuitry 202 may allow network node 200 to interconnect with other network nodes to collaborate with other devices in its operation.

[0060] The functional circuit 204 can have any suitable configuration and include any suitable components depending on the intended use of the network node 200. In a preferred configuration, such as Figure 2BAs shown, network node 200b may include (as functional circuit 204b) a light-emitting circuit, such as a driving circuit 210 and one or more light-emitting elements 212. The driving circuit 210 may be configured to control the light emission of one or more light-emitting elements 212.

[0061] In principle, the light-emitting element 212 can be of any suitable type. Given the context of integrated circuits, the light-emitting element can be or includes a light-emitting diode (LED), for example, one or more light-emitting elements 212 may include at least one LED. As another example, the light-emitting element 212 can be or includes a laser diode, such as an edge-emitting laser diode or a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diode.

[0062] The light-emitting element 212 (e.g., an LED) can be configured to emit light with a predefined wavelength, such as in the visible light range (e.g., from about 380 nm to about 700 nm), the infrared and / or near-infrared range (e.g., from about 700 nm to about 5000 nm), or the ultraviolet range (e.g., from about 100 nm to about 400 nm). In some aspects, the light-emitting element 212 can be configured to emit light in different wavelength ranges. For example, a first light-emitting element 212 can be configured to emit light in a first wavelength range (e.g., a first color, such as blue), a second light-emitting element 212 can be configured to emit light in a second wavelength range (e.g., a second color, such as red), a third light-emitting element 212 can be configured to emit light in a third wavelength range (e.g., a third color, such as green), and so on.

[0063] It should be understood that, in other respects, electronic devices used as nodes in a daisy-chain network may include different types of functional circuitry 204. As another example, network node 200 may include (as functional circuitry 204) sensor circuitry configured to sense physical quantities such as temperature, humidity, light, vibration, etc. It should also be understood that functional circuitry 204 (e.g., light-emitting element 212) may be integrated within network node 200, or, in other respects, network node 200 may be configured to couple with functional circuitry 204 disposed externally to network node 200. Exemplarily, in other scenarios, network node 200 may include one or more terminals configured to allow network node 200 to couple with functional circuitry 204 (e.g., light-emitting element 212) coupled externally to network node 200. For example, network node 200 may include circuitry configured to drive external functional circuitry, such as driving circuitry for driving externally connected light-emitting element 212 to emit light.

[0064] Functional circuit 204 can be communicatively coupled to communication circuit 202. Therefore, communication circuit 202 (e.g., processor 240) can be configured to transmit instructions (received from the network's master node) to functional circuit 204 and / or receive information from functional circuit 204. For example, communication circuit 202 can receive status information from functional circuit 204, such as operating parameters, current operating state (e.g., active, idle), results of sensing processes, etc.

[0065] Depending on various aspects, network node 200 may also include a memory (not shown). The memory can be configured to store data and instructions for operation of network node 200. For example, the memory can be configured to store communication parameters for communication circuitry 202 via a wired connection. As another example, the memory can be configured to store instructions for operating functional circuitry 204.

[0066] Figure 2C An exemplary configuration of input / output ports 206c and 208c of network node 200 is shown. Depending on various aspects, network node 200 may include two identical input / output ports 206c and 208c, each including two input / output pins 214, 216, 218, and 220. This configuration can be used for communication according to the OSP protocol. However, it should be understood that, in other respects, depending on the specific communication protocol used, input / output ports 206 and 208 of network node 200 may have different configurations.

[0067] Two configurations are available. The first configuration, 200c-1, provides a symmetrical arrangement, where the first input / output pin 214 of the first input / output port 206c can be coupled to the corresponding first input / output pin 218 of the second input / output port 208c, and the second input / output pin 216 of the first input / output port 206c can be coupled to the corresponding second input / output pin 220 of the second input / output port 208c. This symmetrical configuration is suitable for OSP protocols, for example, when inter-node connections are implemented via LVDS.

[0068] The second configuration 200c-2 can provide a crossover arrangement, where the first input / output pin 214 of the first input / output port 206c can be coupled to the second input / output pin 220 of the second input / output port 208c, and the second input / output pin 216 of the first input / output port 206c can be coupled to the first input / output pin 218 of the second input / output port 208c. Considering the OSP protocol, for example, when inter-node connections are implemented via USE mode, a crossover configuration can be provided.

[0069] Figure 2DAn exemplary configuration for connecting network node 200d to conductive lines 222, 224, 226, and 228 is shown. As shown, a first input / output pin 214 of a first input / output port can be connected to a first conductive line 222, a second input / output pin 216 of a first input / output port can be connected to a second conductive line 224, a first input / output pin 218 of a second input / output port can be connected to a third conductive line 226, and a second input / output pin 220 of a second input / output port can be connected to a fourth conductive line 228.

[0070] The conductors 222, 224, 226, and 228 associated with each of pins 214, 216, 218, and 220 can be connected to pull-up or pull-down resistors, as shown in 230, where the first transmission line 222 is connected to the pull-up resistor and the second transmission line 224 is connected to the pull-down resistor, and as shown in 232, where the third transmission line 226 is connected to the pull-up resistor and the fourth transmission line 228 is connected to the pull-down resistor. Of course, this configuration is given for illustrative purposes only, and the polarity of the pins and corresponding lines can be reversed according to the specific implementation requirements. The resistance values ​​of the various pull-up and pull-down resistors depend at least on the type of signal encoding used, the magnitude of the supply voltage, and the voltage range used for signal transmission. As a numerical example only, the pull-up and pull-down resistors can each be approximately 10 kΩ. These resistors can couple the conductive lines 222, 224, 226, 228 to the power supply voltage 234 (exemplarily, to a power supply terminal configured to be coupled to a power supply) and / or ground 236 (exemplarily, to a ground terminal), thereby enabling modulation of the voltage level at the conductive lines 222, 224, 226, 228.

[0071] As described above, aspects of this disclosure may relate to read strategies that emphasize the role of secondary nodes in a daisy-chain network rather than the centralized control of the master node. Therefore, the reads proposed herein may include configuring secondary nodes in the daisy chain such that, in response to a broadcast read command from the master node, an ordered (conflict-free) stream of response messages is obtained.

[0072] The proposed read can be adapted to obtain a single response message from all secondary nodes (e.g., as a merged read), or to obtain a response message from each of the secondary nodes. The two possible configurations will be described separately below to highlight the unique characteristics of each read type. In this regard, Figures 3A to 4C This involves the configuration of "serial broadcast with a single response," and Figures 5A to 6B This involves a "serial broadcast with multiple responses" configuration. However, it should be understood that these two types of reads are not mutually exclusive, and both configurations can be combined within a daisy-chain network; that is, depending on the command generated by the master node, the secondary node can respond according to the "single response" configuration and / or the "multiple responses" configuration.

[0073] Typically, a proposed read operation may involve a master node transmitting a broadcast read message to a chain of secondary nodes. This broadcast read message can cause the secondary nodes to react based on the instructions contained within it, either in a "single response" or "multiple response" configuration. For example, a broadcast read message may include a first broadcast read command to induce a single (unique) response from multiple secondary nodes, or a second broadcast read command to induce a separate response from each of the secondary nodes. The first type of broadcast read command may also be referred to herein as a "serial single response command" or "single response command." The second type of broadcast read command may also be referred to herein as a "serial multiple response command" or "multiple response command." Considering the exemplary OSP scenario, the "message" may be referred to as a "telegram."

[0074] The specific configuration of the broadcast read command itself can be freely adapted, for example, depending on the type of communication protocol used by the network nodes. Therefore, attributes such as encoding, bit length, and timing can be adapted to any suitable configuration. It is typically assumed that the secondary node (e.g., the processor corresponding to the communication circuit) can parse the broadcast read command and execute the appropriate process in response to receiving the broadcast read command.

[0075] Figures 3A to 3C A "serial broadcast with single response" method associated with a serial communication network 300 is illustrated. The serial communication network 300 can typically be configured as follows: Figure 1A and Figure 1B The serial communication network 100 may include multiple network nodes 302, each having a master node 304 and one or more secondary nodes 30 (e.g., multiple secondary nodes 306). The network nodes 302 may be arranged in a daisy-chain configuration and interconnected via wired connection 310. The master node 304 may include control circuitry 308 to control communication through the network 300, and control communication circuitry 312 to send / receive messages. The secondary nodes 306 may include communication circuitry 314 for communication via wired connection 310. Network nodes 302 may typically be configured as follows: Figures 2A to 2D The network node 200. "Serial broadcast with a single response" can be applied to both linear daisy-chain network 300a and ring daisy-chain network 300b. Furthermore, Figure 3A and Figure 3B The exemplary configuration shown in the figure illustrates a network 300 with five nodes 302, but it should be understood that network 300 may include any suitable number of nodes.

[0076] As previously mentioned, in the preferred configuration, network nodes 302 can be configured to communicate with each other according to the OSP protocol; however, the aspects discussed regarding "serial broadcast with a single response" can be broadly applied to other wired communication protocols used for serial communication. Furthermore, in the preferred configuration, at least one secondary node 306 (e.g., a subset of secondary nodes 306, such as each secondary node 306) can be configured to... Figure 2B Network node 200b may include, for example, driving circuitry and one or more light-emitting elements (e.g., one or more LEDs). However, it should be understood that the aspects discussed regarding “serial broadcast with a single response” can be broadly applied to other types of sub-nodes (e.g., sensors, actuators, etc.).

[0077] In this scenario, the communication circuit 314 of each secondary node 306 can be configured to execute the serial broadcast read method 320 after receiving the broadcast read message 318, such as... Figure 3C As shown. It should be understood that the aspects discussed regarding the configuration of the primary node 304 or the secondary node 306 can be applied to method 320 in a corresponding manner, and similarly, the aspects discussed regarding method 320 can also be applied to the configuration of the primary node 304 or the secondary node 306.

[0078] The control circuitry 308 of the master node 304 can generate a broadcast read message 318 and cause the broadcast read message 318 (via communication circuitry 312) to be transmitted along the daisy chain of the secondary nodes 306. The broadcast read message 318 may include a (first) broadcast read command. Considering a "single response" scenario, the broadcast read command may be of "first type" and can be configured to cause the secondary nodes 306 to make a single response. Exemplarily, the (first) broadcast read command can be configured such that the broadcast read message 318 propagates along the chain of secondary nodes 306, causing a single response message to return to the master node 304. Therefore, in response to the broadcast read message 318, multiple secondary nodes 306 will transmit a single response message to the master node 304. Considering the OSP protocol, the broadcast read command may be included in the command portion of the frame structure of the broadcast read message 318.

[0079] In this scenario, the address portion of the broadcast read message 318 may not contain a specific address. For example, the master node 304 may avoid indicating the address of the target secondary node in the address portion because the response is triggered based on the satisfaction of a “stop condition”, which will be discussed in further detail below.

[0080] The communication circuit 314 of each secondary node 306 (e.g., the corresponding processor) can be configured to execute method 320 upon receiving the broadcast read message 318. Therefore, the communication circuit 314 of the secondary node 306 can be configured to receive the broadcast read message 318 and perform any necessary operations to parse the broadcast read message 318 (e.g., decode the broadcast read message 318).

[0081] Communication circuit 314 can be configured to determine whether the stop condition 322 associated with the broadcast read message 318 is met. In other words, communication circuit 314 can evaluate whether the stop condition 322 associated with the broadcast read message 318 is satisfied. The stop condition 322 can include any suitable type of condition that causes the currently active secondary node 306 to stop forwarding the broadcast read message 318 and generate a response message 326. For example, the "stop condition" 322 can include a condition (state) of secondary node 306 that meets the stop criteria for interrupting the propagation of the broadcast read message 318 along the chain of secondary node 306.

[0082] For example, stopping condition 322 may include the end of the daisy chain leading to secondary node 306. Figure 3A and Figure 3B In the exemplary configuration, this "end of the line" condition can be satisfied at the final node 306d of the chain. As described above, the secondary node 306 can know its position in the sequence of secondary nodes 306, allowing it to determine whether it is at the "end of the line". In this case, if the secondary node 306 currently receiving and processing the broadcast read message 318 is the final node 306d of the chain, then the stop condition 322 is satisfied; if the secondary node 306 currently receiving and processing the broadcast read message 318 is another node 306a-306c in the chain (e.g., the initial node 306a or intermediate nodes 306b, 306c), then the stop condition 322 is not satisfied.

[0083] As another example, stop condition 322 may include a pending stop event at secondary node 306. A "pending event" may include any state change of secondary node 306 that the primary node 304 is interested in. Exemplarily, in this case, stop condition 322 may include a state change of secondary node 306. In this case, stop condition 322 is satisfied if a pending stop event exists at secondary node 306 that is currently receiving and processing broadcast read messages 318; if no pending stop event exists at that secondary node 306, stop condition 322 is not satisfied.

[0084] Examples of "pending events" could be fault flags activated on secondary node 306, such as flags indicating a fault in secondary node 306 (e.g., a fault in the node's functional circuitry). As another example, a "pending event" could be a diagnostic flag activated at secondary node 306, such as a flag indicating that one or more operating parameters are outside the expected range (without a fault yet). Examples of "diagnostic flags" could be "temperature above threshold" or "voltage above threshold," etc. Another example of a "pending event" could be a reporting flag activated at secondary node 306, such as a flag indicating that secondary node 306 needs to report information to primary node 304. This could be, for example, if a sensor attached to (or included in) secondary node 306 has completed a long-duration measurement or reported exceeding a threshold (e.g., the sensor detected a door was open, etc.).

[0085] Depending on various aspects, the broadcast read message 318 may specify an associated stop condition 322, exemplarily a stop condition 322 to be evaluated in the current iteration of a serial broadcast read with a single response. As an example, the broadcast read message 318 may include information representing the stop condition 322 in the command or data portion (e.g., the payload portion) of its frame structure. The control circuitry 308 of the master node 304 may select the type of stop condition 322 and provide the corresponding information in the broadcast read message 318.

[0086] The communication circuit 314 can also be configured to generate a response message 326 to be sent to the master node 304 if the stop condition 322 is met (at the currently active secondary node 306). Exemplarily, the satisfaction of the stop condition 322 can cause the communication circuit 314 (e.g., a processor) of the secondary node 306 to generate a corresponding response message 326 in response to a read request from the master node 304. For example, the communication circuit 314 can set the address of the master node 304 in the address portion of the response message 326.

[0087] The content of response message 326 may vary depending on the scenario, for example, depending on the type of stop condition 322. For instance, response message 326 may contain information representing a fault at sub-node 306, such as describing the possible causes of the fault, which components failed, etc. As another example, response message 326 may contain information representing one or more operating parameters of sub-node 306, such as temperature, voltage, current, etc. As yet another example, response message 326 may contain information representing the result of a process performed at sub-node 306, such as the result of a sensing process. The content of the response may be included in the data portion (e.g., the payload portion) of response message 326.

[0088] Communication circuit 314 can also be configured to transmit response message 326 to master node 304. Exemplarily, after response message 326 is generated, communication circuit 314 of the active secondary node 306 can initiate the transmission of response message 326 along a daisy chain until it reaches master node 304. Considering a linear daisy chain 300a, response message 326 can propagate backward along the chain, while in a circular daisy chain 300b, response message 326 can propagate forward and then loop back from the last node 306d to master node 304.

[0089] Therefore, the secondary node 306 that generates response message 326 can transmit response message 326 to its neighboring node 306 (via wired connection 310, according to a wired communication protocol, such as OSP). The neighboring node 306 can receive response message 326, determine that response message 326 was sent to the primary node 304, and forward response message 326 along the chain towards the primary node 304. Forwarding of response message 326 can be repeated until response message 326 reaches the primary node 304.

[0090] The communication circuit 314 can also be configured to forward the broadcast read message 318 to the adjacent secondary node 306 if the stop condition 322 is not met. For example, if the communication circuit 314 determines that the state of the secondary node 306 does not meet the stop condition 322, the communication circuit 314 does not generate a response message 326, but instead further propagates the broadcast read message 318 along the chain (to the adjacent secondary node 306). Therefore, the broadcast read message 318 can propagate along the chain until a certain condition is met, at which point the currently active node 306 stops forwarding and returns the response 326 to the master node 304.

[0091] From the perspective of method 320, method 320 may include receiving a broadcast read message 318 at a secondary node 306. The broadcast read message 318 may include a (first) broadcast read command configured to cause a single response from multiple secondary nodes 306. Method 320 may further include determining (e.g., evaluating) at the secondary node 306 whether a stop condition 322 associated with the (first) broadcast read command is met. Method 320 may further include generating a response message 326 by the secondary node 306 if the stop condition 322 is met (or forwarding the broadcast read message 318 to an adjacent secondary node 306 if the stop condition 322 is not met). The response message 326 may be sent to the primary node 304, and method 320 may further include the secondary node 306 causing the response message 326 to be transmitted to the primary node 304.

[0092] Depending on various aspects, a computer program product may be provided. This computer program product may store instructions that, when executed by a computer system (e.g., a processor of the communication circuitry of a secondary node), cause the computer system to perform the steps of method 320. For example, the computer program product may be a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as part of a secondary node.

[0093] Figures 4A to 4C Message flow diagrams 400a, 400b, and 400c are shown, illustrating the "serial read with single response" method, and related information. Figures 3A to 3C The described process may have other configurations or modifications. Therefore, regarding Figures 4A to 4C The described aspects may involve optional steps of "serial reads with a single response," exemplarily relating to possible configurations of communication circuitry 314 and possible steps of method 320. Message flow diagrams 400a, 400b, and 400c illustrate a scenario in which master node 404 transmits a broadcast read message 418 containing a broadcast read command to prompt multiple secondary nodes 406 to produce a single response message 426, and the operations that secondary nodes 406 may perform in this context. Message flow diagrams 400a, 400b, and 400c can be applied to both linear daisy-chain topologies and ring daisy-chain topologies.

[0094] Figure 4A The message flow diagram 400a in the document illustrates... Figures 3A to 3C The basic scenario described above. In short, the master node 404 generates and transmits a broadcast read message 418 to the secondary nodes 406 chain. The active secondary node 406 (exemplarily, the secondary node currently receiving / processing the broadcast read message 418) evaluates whether the stop condition associated with the broadcast read message 418 is met, and either performs a forwarding 424 of the broadcast read message 418 or generates a response message 426, which is then returned to the master node 404. Figure 4A In the exemplary scenario, (when the stopping condition is not met) the first node 406-1 can forward the broadcast read message 418 to the second node 406-2, the second node 406-2 can also forward the broadcast read message 418 along the chain (to the third node), and so on, until the Nth secondary node 406-N is reached, at which the stopping condition is met and a response message 426 is generated.

[0095] According to various aspects, such as Figure 4BAs shown in message flow diagram 400b, secondary node 406 can modify broadcast read message 418 before forwarding it to adjacent secondary node 406. For example, after determining that a stop condition at node 406 is not met, the communication circuitry of that secondary node 406 can be configured to change information contained in broadcast read message 418 or add information to broadcast read message 418 before forwarding the (modified) broadcast read message 418 to the next node 406.

[0096] Secondary node 406 can modify broadcast read message 418 based on any suitable information. As an example, modification of telegram 418 can enable automatic forwarding of the chain. In automatic forwarding, secondary node 406 can automatically generate its own unique identifier or address. Secondary node 406 can retrieve address information representing the address of its predecessor node 406 in the chain from broadcast read message 418, generate its own address information based on the predecessor node 406's address information (e.g., by incrementing the address by one unit), and insert its generated address information into broadcast read message 418 before forwarding it to subsequent node 406. The generated address can then be sent to primary node 404, for example, as part of response message 426.

[0097] This scene is in Figure 4B The message flow diagram 400b illustrates this. In short, the primary node 404 generates a broadcast read message 418 and transmits it to the chain of secondary nodes 406. An active secondary node 406 can modify the message 418 before forwarding it down the chain. Therefore, an active secondary node 406 can perform modification 430 on the broadcast read message 418 and forward the modified version of the broadcast read message 418. For example, the first node 406-1 can forward the first modified broadcast read message 418(1), the second node 406-2 can forward the second modified broadcast read message 418(1+2) (exemplarily, another modified version of the first modified broadcast read message 418(1)), and so on, until it reaches node 406-N, where the stopping condition is met and a response message 426 is generated.

[0098] According to various aspects, such as Figure 4C As shown in message flow diagram 400c, a broadcast read message 418 for a single response can prompt multiple secondary nodes 406 to produce a merged response. In this scenario, each secondary node 406 through which the response message 426 propagates can contribute to the final version of the response message 426 delivered to the primary node 404. This configuration may be particularly useful for retrieving absolute information from secondary nodes 406, such as identifying the minimum or maximum value of a parameter.

[0099] In this scenario, the secondary node 406 that initially generates response message 426 can be either the initial secondary node in a chain in a circular configuration or the final secondary node in a chain in a linear configuration, thus ensuring that each node can receive and adapt response message 426. However, it should be understood that in some respects, a subset of nodes can be considered, for example, to evaluate a portion of a chain that may be relevant in a particular scenario, so the secondary node 406 that initially generates response message 426 can also be an intermediate node in the chain.

[0100] Therefore, the communication circuitry of a secondary node can also be configured to receive a response message 426 from an adjacent secondary node (upstream relative to the direction toward the master node 404) and modify the response message 426 before forwarding the (modified) response message 426 to the master node 404 (e.g., to an adjacent secondary node 406). Specifically, the communication circuitry can replace the (first) information contained in the response message 426 (e.g., in the payload portion) with (second) self-information. The first information can be associated with another secondary node 406, such as an adjacent node 406 or another node 406 upstream in the chain. The second information can represent the active secondary node 406 performing the modification. Depending on various aspects, the active secondary node 406 can modify the information contained in the response message 426 if the corresponding replacement criteria are met. Exemplarily, the communication circuitry can determine whether its own (second) information meets the replacement criteria and perform the replacement if the replacement criteria are met.

[0101] In the preferred configuration, the information to be evaluated / replaced can represent the operating parameters of the secondary node 406, such as operating temperature, operating voltage, operating current, or any suitable quantifiable operating parameter of the secondary node 406 (e.g., the corresponding functional circuitry). In this scenario, the merged response allows for efficient, time-sensitive monitoring of the state of the entire chain. However, it should be understood that other types of information can also be considered in principle.

[0102] In this scenario, the (first) information associated with another secondary node 406 may include the (first) value of the operation parameters of that other secondary node 406, while the (second) information itself may include the (second) value of the operation parameters of the active secondary node 406. The substitution criterion can be used, for example, to determine the absolute minimum or absolute maximum value of the operation parameters in the chain.

[0103] For example, to determine the absolute minimum, satisfying the replacement criterion could include a (second) value of its own operating parameter being less than the (first) value indicated in response message 426. In this case, if its own value is less than the indicated value, the secondary node 406 can write its own value into response message 426 and forward the (modified) response message 426 to the primary node 404. If its own value is equal to or greater than the indicated value, the secondary node 406 does not modify response message 426 and forwards it without modification.

[0104] Accordingly, to determine the absolute maximum value, satisfying the replacement criterion may include a (second) value of its own operating parameter being greater than the (first) value indicated in response message 426. In this case, if its own value is greater than the indicated value, the secondary node 406 may write its own value into response message 426 and forward the (modified) response message 426 to the primary node 404. If its own value is equal to or less than the indicated value, the secondary node 406 does not modify response message 426 and forwards response message 426 without modification.

[0105] Therefore, node 406 receives a command (as part of response message 426), compares the parameter value with the value stored in message 426, and replaces the payload with its own reading if the parameter is larger or smaller. For example, each node may include an LED driver, and the maximum forward voltage of the LEDs on the chain is efficiently returned to the master node (MCU). This can be used to optimize the power consumption of the chain.

[0106] This scene is like Figure 4C The message flow diagram 400c is shown. In short, when the stopping criterion is met at the Nth node 406-N, this node generates a first response message 426(N), which contains information related to the Nth node 406-N (e.g., the operation parameter values ​​at the Nth node 406-N). The second node 406-2 can receive the first response message 426(N) and, if the replacement criterion is met, performs modification 432 on the response message 426(N) to obtain a modified response message 426(N+2), which takes into account the contributions of both the Nth node 406-N and the second node 406-2. The same operation can also be performed at the first node 406-1, which can pass another modified response message 426(N+2+1) as output, thus providing a merged response from all secondary nodes 406 in the chain.

[0107] Figures 5A to 5C This describes a "serial broadcast with multiple responses" method related to the serial communication network 500. The serial communication network 500 can be configured to... Figure 1A and Figure 1BThe described serial communication network 100 may include multiple network nodes 502, each having a master node 504 and one or more secondary nodes 506 (e.g., multiple secondary nodes 506). The network nodes 502 may be arranged in a daisy-chain configuration and may be interconnected via a wired connection 510. The master node 504 may include control circuitry 508 to control communication over the network 500, and communication circuitry 512 to send / receive messages. The secondary nodes 506 may include communication circuitry 514 to communicate via the wired connection 510. The network nodes 502 may typically be configured to communicate with respect to... Figures 2A to 2D The network node 200 is described. "Serial broadcast with multiple responses" can be applied to both linear daisy-chain network 500a and ring daisy-chain network 500b. Furthermore, Figure 5A and Figure 5B The exemplary configuration shown in the figure illustrates a network 500 with five nodes 502, but it should be understood that network 500 may include any suitable number of nodes.

[0108] As previously mentioned, in the preferred configuration, network nodes 502 can be configured to communicate with each other according to the OSP protocol; however, the aspects discussed regarding "serial broadcast with multiple responses" can be broadly applied to other wired communication protocols used for serial communication. Furthermore, in the preferred configuration, at least one secondary node 506 (e.g., a subset of secondary nodes 506, such as each secondary node 506) can be configured to... Figure 2B Network node 200b, for example, may include driving circuitry and one or more light-emitting elements, such as one or more LEDs. However, it should be understood that the aspects discussed regarding “serial broadcast with multiple responses” can be widely applied to other types of sub-nodes (e.g., sensors, actuators, etc.).

[0109] Although described separately, it should be understood that the aspects discussed regarding Network 500 and the "multiple responses" configuration can be combined with the aspects discussed regarding Network 300 and the "single response" configuration. For example, the primary and secondary nodes can be configured to perform only the "single response" method, only the "multiple responses" method, or both the "single response" and "multiple responses" methods.

[0110] According to the "multiple response method", each secondary node 506 can be configured to generate its own response message 526 for the primary node 504 only after each preceding secondary node in the chain has generated and transmitted its own response message 526. For example, in the "multiple response configuration", the communication circuit 514 of the secondary node 506 can be configured to generate and transmit its own response message 526 only after the node has forwarded the response messages 526 of all preceding nodes in the chain.

[0111] In the "multiple response" configuration, the communication circuit 514 of each secondary node 506 can be configured to perform the (second) method 520 of serial broadcast reading, such as... Figure 5C As shown. It should be understood that the aspects discussed regarding the configuration of the primary node 504 or the secondary node 506 can be applied to method 520 in a corresponding manner, and similarly, the aspects discussed regarding method 520 can also be applied to the configuration of the primary node 504 or the secondary node 506.

[0112] The control circuit 508 of the master node 504 can generate a (second) broadcast read message 518 and cause the broadcast read message 518 (via communication circuit 512) to be transmitted to the boundary secondary node 506 of the daisy chain, exemplarily, to the initial secondary node 506a or the final secondary node 506d of the chain. Exemplarily, the boundary secondary node 506 can be a node located at the boundary of the chain.

[0113] The initial secondary node 506a can be understood as the secondary node logically closest to the primary node 504. For example, in a linear configuration, it is the node from which the primary node 504 receives messages, or in a ring configuration, it is the node from which the primary node 504 transmits messages. Correspondingly, the final (or last) secondary node 506d can be understood as the secondary node logically furthest from the primary node 504 in message transmission. For example, it is the node that last receives a message originating from the primary node 504.

[0114] Broadcast read message 518 may include a (second) broadcast read command. Considering a "multiple response" scenario, the broadcast read command may be of "second type" and configured to cause each of the secondary nodes 506 to respond. For example, the (second) broadcast read command may be configured to cause each secondary node 506 to send its own response to the master node 504. Therefore, in response to the second type broadcast read message 518, multiple secondary nodes 506 will transmit multiple response messages to the master node 504. Considering the OSP protocol, the broadcast read command may be included in the command portion of the frame structure of the broadcast read message 518. Coordinating the transmission of multiple responses to avoid conflicts is discussed in further detail below.

[0115] In order to send the broadcast read message 518 to the target boundary nodes 506a and 506d, the control circuit 508 of the master node 504 can set the address of the target boundary nodes 506a and 506d in the address part of the broadcast read message 518, so that each other secondary node 506 forwards the broadcast read message 518, and the target boundary nodes 506a and 506d receive and process the broadcast read message 518.

[0116] In a linear daisy-chain configuration 500a, the target boundary node can be the last secondary node 506d in the chain. In a circular daisy-chain configuration 500b, the target boundary node can be the initial secondary node 506a in the chain. Exemplarily, the command can be sent to the secondary node that should first generate and transmit its own response, and then the response stream continues from each subsequent node in the chain until it reaches the secondary node that should last generate and transmit its own response (i.e., the first node 506a in the linear case and the final node 506d in the circular case).

[0117] In this configuration, each secondary node 506 (which knows its position in the chain) generates and transmits its own response only after all the responses of all preceding nodes in the chain (considering the message flow toward the master node 504, all upstream nodes) have been generated and forwarded to the master node 504.

[0118] The communication circuit 514 of the boundary node receiving the broadcast read message 518 can be configured to generate a response message 526 to be sent to the master node 504 in response to the broadcast read message 518, and to transmit the response message 526 along the chain of nodes 506 toward the master node 504. The content of the response message 526 can vary depending on the scenario and the type of information requested by the master node 504. (For example, regarding...) Figures 3A to 3C The content of response message 526 discussed herein may include the node's operation parameters, the node's operation status, and the results of the process executed by the node. Response message 526 may also be referred to as a "broadcast response message" in this document.

[0119] The communication circuit 514 of the boundary nodes 506a and 506d can also be configured to transmit the response message 526 to the master node 504. For example, the response message 526 propagates along the chain until it reaches the master node 504. Considering a linear daisy chain 500a, the response message 526 can propagate backward along the chain, while in a circular daisy chain 500b, the response message 526 can propagate forward and then loop back from the last node 506d to the master node 504.

[0120] In the "multiple response method", the communication circuit 514 (e.g., the corresponding processor) of each secondary node 506 can be configured to receive a response message 526 to be forwarded toward the primary node 504. The communication circuit 514 can determine (530) whether the response message 526 to be forwarded was generated by a directly adjacent node in the chain. If the response message 526 originates from a directly adjacent node, then after forwarding the response message 526, the communication circuit 514 can generate (534) its own response message 526(X) and transmit its own response message 526(X) to the primary node 504. If the response condition is not met, i.e., if the response message 526 originates from another node further upstream in the chain, then the communication circuit 514 can forward (532) the response message 526 only toward the primary node 504 without generating / transmitting its own response message 526(X).

[0121] The communication circuit 514 can evaluate whether the response condition is met based on information contained in the response message, such as address information indicating which secondary node 506 generated the response message 526. If the address information corresponds to the address of a directly adjacent node, the communication circuit 514 can determine that the response condition is met and generate / transmit its own response message 526(X).

[0122] In "bidirectional mode" 500a, command 518 can therefore be sent to the last unit 506d in the chain, which returns its response 526 to the master node 504. Each node 506 forwards the responses of all preceding nodes 506 until it has forwarded the response of its direct neighbor (address + 1). This triggers the generation of its own response 526(X), which is sent immediately after all other messages have been forwarded. In "loopback mode" 500b, command 518 can be sent to the first node 506a, which then forwards its response downstream. Once it has forwarded the response of its direct neighbor (address - 1), node 506 is triggered to send its own response telegram.

[0123] Considering the ring chain topology 500b, the communication circuit 514 of a secondary node can generate (534) its own response message 526(X) and transmit its own response message 526(X) to the primary node 504 while forwarding the broadcast read message 518 532 to the subsequent nodes. For example, the communication circuit 514 can generate / transmit its own response message 526(X) before forwarding the broadcast read message 518 to ensure that its own response message 526(X) has sufficient time to propagate before the subsequent nodes generate / transmit their own responses. As another example, the communication circuit 514 can generate / transmit its own response message 526(X) after forwarding the broadcast read message 518 to send it to all secondary nodes 506 more quickly.

[0124] In linear topology 500a, the broadcast read message 518 propagates throughout the chain before any response message 526 is generated. For example, the broadcast read message 518 may contain instructions that cause secondary nodes 506 to enter an operating mode in which they will execute method 520 when receiving / forwarding response message 526 from the preceding node 506.

[0125] From the perspective of method 520, method 520 may include receiving, at secondary node 506, a response message 526 generated by another secondary node 506 and to be forwarded toward primary node 504. Method 520 may also include determining (e.g., evaluating) at secondary node 506 whether the response message 526 to be forwarded was generated by a directly adjacent secondary node 506 in the chain of secondary nodes 506. Method 520 may further include, if the response message 526 to be forwarded was generated by a directly adjacent secondary node 506, then secondary node 506 generates its own response message 526(X) (or if the response message 526 to be forwarded was generated by a secondary node 506 other than a directly adjacent secondary node 506, then forwards the response message 526). The response message 526(X) may be sent to primary node 504, and method 520 may further include secondary node 506 transmitting its own response message 526(X) to primary node 504.

[0126] Depending on various aspects, a computer program product may be provided. This computer program product may store instructions that, when executed by a computer system (e.g., a processor of the communication circuitry of a secondary node), cause the computer system to perform the steps of method 520. For example, the computer program product may be a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as part of a secondary node.

[0127] Figure 6A and Figure 6B Message flow graphs 600a and 600b are shown, illustrating a "serial read with multiple responses". Message flow graphs 600a and 600b illustrate a scenario where the master node 604 transmits a broadcast read message 618 containing a broadcast read command, prompting multiple secondary nodes 606 to generate multiple response messages 626, and the operations that the secondary nodes 606 may perform in this context. Message flow graph 600a is associated with a linear daisy-chain topology, and message flow graph 600b is associated with a circular daisy-chain topology.

[0128] As shown in flow diagram 600a, in a linear topology, master node 604 can send multiple response messages 618 to the final node 606-N in the chain. The final node 606-N in the chain can generate (634) its own response message 626(N) and cause its own response message 626(N) to propagate along the daisy chain toward master node 604. Each secondary node 606 generates its own response message after forwarding the response messages of each preceding node (exemplarily, each node closer to the final node relative to the current node). Thus, second node 606-2 can generate / transmit its own response message 626(2) after forwarding the response messages of final node 606-N and every other node between second node 606-2 and final node 606-N. First node 606-1 can generate / transmit its own response message 626(1) after forwarding the response message of second node 606-2, and so on.

[0129] As shown in flow graph 600b, in the ring topology, master node 604 can send a multi-response message 618(1) to the first node 606-1 in the chain. The first node 606-1 in the chain can generate (634) its own response message 626(1) and transmit its own response message 626(1) to master node 604, and forward the multi-response message 618(2) to the second node 606-2. The second node 606-2 in the chain can generate (634) its own response message 626(2) and propagate its own response message 626(2) to master node 604, and forward the multi-response message 618(N) down the chain until it reaches the final node 606-N. The final node 606-N can generate (634) its own response message 626(N) and transmit its own response message 626(N) to master node 604.

[0130] The following examples relate to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0131] Example 1 is a serial communication network comprising: a plurality of network nodes including a master node and a plurality of secondary nodes, wherein the plurality of network nodes are connected in a daisy-chain configuration, wherein the plurality of network nodes are configured to communicate with each other according to a wired communication protocol for serial communication; wherein the master node includes control circuitry configured to: generate a broadcast read message containing a broadcast read command to cause a single response from the plurality of secondary nodes; and cause the broadcast read message to be transmitted along the daisy chain of the secondary nodes; wherein each of the plurality of secondary nodes includes communication circuitry configured to: receive the broadcast read message; and, if a stop condition associated with the broadcast read command is satisfied at that secondary node, generate a response message to be sent to the master node, and cause the response message to be transmitted to the master node through the daisy chain of the secondary nodes.

[0132] In Example 2, the serial communication network according to Example 1 may optionally also include a communication circuit of the secondary node that is configured to: if the stop condition associated with the broadcast read message (318) is not met at the secondary node, then not generate a response message and forward the broadcast read message to the adjacent secondary node in the daisy chain of the secondary node.

[0133] In Example 3, the serial communication network according to Example 2 may optionally also include a communication circuit of a secondary node configured to modify or add information to the broadcast read message before forwarding it to an adjacent secondary node.

[0134] In Example 4, the serial communication network according to any one of Examples 1 to 3 may optionally also include a communication circuit of the secondary node configured to: receive a response message sent to the master node; and forward the response message to the master node along the daisy chain of the secondary node.

[0135] In Example 5, the serial communication network according to Example 4 may optionally also include a communication circuit of the secondary node configured to modify the response message by replacing the first information contained in the response message and associated with another secondary node with the second information of itself associated with the secondary node before forwarding the response message to the primary node.

[0136] In Example 6, the serial communication network according to Example 5 may optionally further include: first information containing a first value of the operating parameters of another secondary node; and second information containing a second value of the operating parameters of the secondary node.

[0137] In Example 7, the serial communication network according to any one of Examples 1 to 6 may optionally also include a stopping condition comprising one or more of the following: the end of the daisy chain reaching the secondary node; and / or a stopping event pending at the secondary node.

[0138] In Example 8, the serial communication network according to any one of Examples 1 to 7 may optionally also include an Open Systems Protocol (OSP) as the wired communication protocol used for serial communication.

[0139] Example 9 is a method for serial broadcast reading in a serial communication network, wherein the serial communication network includes multiple network nodes, including a master node and multiple secondary nodes, wherein the multiple network nodes are connected in a daisy-chain configuration, and wherein the multiple network nodes are configured to communicate with each other according to a wired communication protocol for serial communication; wherein the method includes: receiving at a secondary node a broadcast read message generated by the master node, the broadcast read message containing a broadcast read command configured to cause a single response from the multiple secondary nodes; determining whether a stop condition associated with the broadcast read command is met at the secondary node; and if the stop condition is met, generating a response message by the secondary node and transmitting the response message to the master node.

[0140] Example 10 is a serial communication network comprising: multiple network nodes, including a master node and multiple secondary nodes, wherein the multiple network nodes are interconnected in a daisy-chain configuration, wherein the multiple network nodes are configured to communicate with each other according to a wired communication protocol for serial communication; wherein the master node includes control circuitry configured to: generate a broadcast read message containing a broadcast read command to cause each of the multiple secondary nodes to respond accordingly; and cause the broadcast read message to be transmitted to a boundary secondary node arranged at the boundary of the daisy chain of the secondary nodes; wherein each secondary node includes communication circuitry configured to: receive a response message generated by another secondary node in response to the broadcast read message, wherein the response message is to be forwarded to the master node; and if the response message to be forwarded is generated by a directly adjacent secondary node in the daisy chain of the secondary node, then after forwarding the response message of the directly adjacent secondary node, generate its own response message and transmit its own response message to the master node.

[0141] In Example 11, the serial communication network according to Example 10 may optionally also include a communication circuit of a secondary node that is configured to: if a response message is generated by a secondary node other than the directly adjacent secondary node, then it does not generate its own response message and forwards the response message toward the primary node.

[0142] In Example 12, the serial communication network according to Example 10 or 11 may optionally also include a daisy chain configuration having a linear topology, and the boundary secondary node being the last secondary node in the daisy chain of the secondary node; or a daisy chain configuration having a ring topology, and the boundary secondary node being the initial secondary node in the daisy chain of the secondary node.

[0143] In Example 13, the serial communication network according to any one of Examples 10 to 12 may optionally further include at least one secondary node comprising one or more light-emitting elements and a driving circuit for driving the one or more light-emitting elements.

[0144] In Example 14, the serial communication network according to any one of Examples 10 to 13 may optionally also include an Open Systems Protocol (OSP) as the wired communication protocol for serial communication.

[0145] Example 15 is a method for serial broadcast reading in a serial communication network, wherein the serial communication network includes multiple network nodes, including a master node and multiple secondary nodes, wherein the multiple network nodes are connected in a daisy chain configuration, and wherein the multiple network nodes are configured to communicate with each other according to a wired communication protocol for serial communication; wherein the method includes: receiving a response message at a secondary node in response to a broadcast read message from the master node generated by another secondary node and to be forwarded toward the master node; determining at the secondary node whether the response message to be forwarded was generated by a directly adjacent secondary node in the secondary node chain; and if the response message to be forwarded was generated by a directly adjacent secondary node, then the secondary node generates its own response message and, after forwarding the response message of the directly adjacent secondary node, transmits its own response message to the master node.

[0146] In this document, the terms "processor" or "control circuit" can be understood as any type of technical entity capable of processing data. Data can be processed according to one or more specific functions that the processor / control circuit can perform. Furthermore, the processor / control circuit used herein can be understood as any type of circuit, such as any type of analog or digital circuit. Therefore, a processor / control circuit can be or includes analog circuits, digital circuits, mixed-signal circuits, logic circuits (e.g., hard-wired logic circuits or programmable logic circuits), microprocessors, central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), digital signal processors (DSPs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), integrated circuits, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc., or any combination thereof. It should be understood that any two (or more) processors / control circuits detailed herein can be implemented as a single entity with equivalent functionality, and vice versa, any single processor / control circuit detailed herein can be implemented as two (or more) independent entities with equivalent functionality.

[0147] In this document, the term "connection" used to describe terminals, integrated circuit elements, devices, etc., can refer to an electrical connection, which may include direct or indirect connections. An indirect connection may only include additional structures in the current path that do not affect the basic function of the circuit or device. The term "conductive connection" used in this document to describe an electrical connection between one or more terminals, devices, areas, contacts, etc., can be understood as a conductive connection having, for example, ohmic behavior, provided by metal or degenerate semiconductor in a current path where a pn junction does not exist. In this document, the term "coupling" can be used in the same manner as the term "connection."

[0148] In this document, the term "terminal" may be used to describe a location (e.g., a point) or structure of a device or device element at which a signal (e.g., an analog signal, such as current or voltage) can be provided and / or connected to another device or element. Exemplarily, a terminal may be a location or structure that is electrically connected to a device or element. A terminal may also be referred to herein as a port, pin, contact, or contact point.

[0149] In this document, the terms "path," "electrical path," or "conductive path" are used to describe a conductive connection between two or more components. In some respects, a path can be understood as a conductive line (or trace) along which a signal (in some respects, current or voltage) can travel, for example, from a first component connected to the path to a second component connected to the path, and vice versa. The term path can describe a direct path or an indirect path, where an indirect path may only include additional structures in the path that do not affect the basic function of the circuit or device (exemplarily, do not affect the signal traveling along the path).

[0150] In this document, a signal that “indicates,” “represents,” or “represents” a value or other information (e.g., an instruction) may be a digital or analog signal that is encoded or otherwise conveyed in a manner that can be decoded by a component receiving the signal (e.g., in a slave device receiving an instruction from a master device, or in a master device receiving data from a slave device) and / or elicit a response action.

[0151] As used herein, “memory” is understood to be a computer-readable medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable medium) capable of storing data or information for retrieval. References to “memory” herein are therefore understood to refer to volatile or non-volatile memory, including random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, solid-state storage, magnetic tape, hard disk drive, optical disk drive, etc., or any combination thereof. Registers, shift registers, processor registers, data buffers, etc., are also included in the term memory herein.

[0152] In this document, the word "exemplary" is used to mean "as an example, instance, or illustration." Any embodiment or design described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as superior to other embodiments or designs.

[0153] The phrases “at least one” and “one or more” can be understood to include a numerical quantity greater than or equal to one (e.g., one, two, three, four, [...], etc.). The phrase “at least one” with respect to a group of elements can be used herein to mean at least one element from a group of these elements. For example, the phrase “at least one” with respect to a group of elements can be used herein to mean the following choices: one listed element, multiple one listed elements, multiple individually listed elements, or multiple multiple individually listed elements.

[0154] Unless otherwise stated, the term "subset" regarding a set of elements can be understood as including a numerical quantity equal to or greater than one and less than the total number of implicit elements. For example, consider a set of ten elements; a "subset" of this set could include one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine elements. Therefore, the term "subset" regarding a set can describe a "proper subset" of the set such that all elements of the subset belong to the set, but at least one element of the set does not belong to the subset.

[0155] All acronyms defined in the above description also apply to all claims contained herein.

[0156] Although the invention has been particularly shown and described in conjunction with specific aspects, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Therefore, the scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims, and all variations falling within the meaning and scope of the equivalents of the claims are thus intended to be included.

[0157] List of reference numerals

[0158] 100 Serial Communication Network

[0159] 100a Network Topology

[0160] 100b Network Topology

[0161] 102 network nodes

[0162] 104 Master Nodes

[0163] 106a secondary node

[0164] 106b secondary node

[0165] 106c secondary node

[0166] 106d sub-node

[0167] 108 control circuit

[0168] 110 Wired connection

[0169] 112 Communication Circuit

[0170] 200 network nodes

[0171] 200b network node

[0172] 200c-1 Network Node

[0173] 200c-2 Network Node

[0174] 200d network nodes

[0175] 202 Communication Circuit

[0176] 204 Functional Circuit

[0177] 204b Functional Circuit

[0178] 206 Input / Output Ports

[0179] 206c Input / Output Ports

[0180] 208 Input / Output Ports

[0181] 208c Input / Output Ports

[0182] 210 drive circuit

[0183] 212 Light-emitting element

[0184] 214 Input / Output Pins

[0185] 216 Input / Output Pins

[0186] 218 Input / Output Pins

[0187] 220 Input / Output Pins

[0188] 222 Conductive wire

[0189] 224 conductive wire

[0190] 226 Conductive wire

[0191] 228 Conductive wire

[0192] 230 resistor device

[0193] 232 Resistor Device

[0194] 234 Power Terminal

[0195] 236 Grounding terminal

[0196] 238 Communication Hardware

[0197] 240 processor

[0198] 300 Serial Communication Network

[0199] 300a Network Topology

[0200] 300b Network Topology

[0201] 302 Network Node

[0202] 304 Master Node

[0203] 306th node

[0204] 306a Sub-node

[0205] 306b secondary node

[0206] 306c secondary node

[0207] 306d secondary node

[0208] 308 control circuit

[0209] 310 Wired connection

[0210] 312 Communication Circuit

[0211] 314 Communication Circuit

[0212] 318 Broadcast message reading

[0213] 320 method

[0214] 322 Stopping Conditions

[0215] 324 reposts

[0216] 326 Response Message

[0217] 400a Message Flow Diagram

[0218] 400b Message Flow Diagram

[0219] 400c Message Flow Diagram

[0220] 404 Master Node

[0221] 406th node

[0222] 406-1 First Node

[0223] 406-2 Second Node

[0224] 406-N, the Nth node

[0225] 418 Broadcast message reading

[0226] 418(1) First modified broadcast read message

[0227] 418(1+2) Second modified broadcast message reading

[0228] 424 forwards

[0229] 426 Response Message

[0230] 426(N) First Response Message

[0231] 426(N+2) Second Response Message

[0232] 426(N+2+1) Nth response message

[0233] 428 Generate Response

[0234] 430 Modify broadcast message reading

[0235] 432 Modify response message

[0236] 500 Serial Communication Network

[0237] 500a Network Topology

[0238] 500b Network Topology

[0239] 502 Network Node

[0240] 504 Master Node

[0241] 506th node

[0242] 506a secondary node

[0243] 506b secondary node

[0244] 506c secondary node

[0245] 506d secondary node

[0246] 508 control circuit

[0247] 510 Wired connection

[0248] 512 Communication Circuit

[0249] 514 Communication Circuit

[0250] 518 Broadcast message retrieval

[0251] 520 Method

[0252] 526 Broadcast Response Message

[0253] 526(X)'s own broadcast response message

[0254] 530 Confirmed

[0255] 532 reposts

[0256] 534 Generate its own response message

[0257] 600a Message Flow Diagram

[0258] 600b Message Flow Diagram

[0259] 604 Master Node

[0260] 606th node

[0261] 606-1 First Node

[0262] 606-2 Second Node

[0263] 606-N, the Nth node

[0264] 618 Broadcast message reading

[0265] 618(1) First broadcast read message

[0266] 618(2) Second broadcast message reading

[0267] 618(N) Nth broadcast message read

[0268] 626 Response Message

[0269] 626(1) First Response Message

[0270] 626(2) Second Response Message

[0271] 626(N) Nth Response Message

[0272] 634 Generate its own response message

Claims

1. A serial communication network (300), comprising: Multiple network nodes (302), including a master node (304) and multiple secondary nodes (306). The multiple network nodes (302) are connected in a daisy-chain configuration. The plurality of network nodes (302) are configured to communicate with each other according to a wired communication protocol for serial communication; The master node (304) includes a control circuit (308), which is configured to: • Generate a broadcast read message (318) containing a broadcast read command to prompt a single response from the plurality of secondary nodes (306); and • This causes the broadcast read message (318) to be transmitted along the daisy chain of the secondary node (306); Each of the plurality of secondary nodes (306) includes a communication circuit (314), which is configured to: • Receive the broadcast read message (318); and If the stop condition associated with the broadcast read command (318) is met at the secondary node (306), a response message (326) is generated and sent to the primary node (304), and the response message is transmitted to the primary node (304) through a daisy chain of the secondary node (306). • The communication circuit (314) is also configured to receive a response message (326) sent to the master node (304); and forward the response message (326) along the daisy chain of the secondary node (306) toward the master node (304). • The communication circuit (314) is further configured to modify the response message (326) by replacing the first information associated with another secondary node (306) contained in the response message (326) with the second information of itself associated with the secondary node (306) before forwarding the response message (326) to the primary node (304).

2. The serial communication network (300) according to claim 1. in, The communication circuit (314) of the secondary node (306) is further configured to: if the stop condition associated with the broadcast read message (318) is not met at the secondary node (306), then the response message (326) is not generated, and the broadcast read message (318) is forwarded to the adjacent secondary node (306) in the daisy chain of the secondary node (306).

3. The serial communication network (300) according to claim 2. in, The communication circuit (314) of the secondary node (306) is further configured to modify or add information of the broadcast read message (318) before forwarding the broadcast read message (318) to the adjacent secondary node (306).

4. The serial communication network (300) according to any one of claims 1 to 3. in, The communication circuit (314) of the secondary node (306) is configured to modify the response message (326) by replacing the first information with the second information if the second information of the node itself meets the replacement criterion.

5. The serial communication network (300) according to any one of claims 1 to 4. in, The first information includes the first value of the operation parameter of the other secondary node (306); and The second information includes the second value of the operation parameters of the secondary node (306).

6. The serial communication network (300) according to claim 5. in, The replacement criteria include a first value of the operation parameter of the other secondary node (306) being greater than a second value of the operation parameter of the secondary node (306); or The replacement criteria include a first value of the operation parameter of the other sub-node (306) being less than a second value of the operation parameter of the sub-node (306).

7. The serial communication network according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in, The stopping conditions include one or more of the following: reaching the end of the daisy chain at the secondary node; and / or having a pending stopping event at the secondary node.

8. The serial communication network according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in, The wired communication protocol used for serial communication is the Open Systems Protocol (OSP).

9. A method for reading serial broadcasts in a serial communication network (320). in, The serial communication network includes multiple network nodes, which include a master node and multiple secondary nodes. The multiple network nodes are connected in a daisy-chain configuration and are configured to communicate with each other according to a wired communication protocol for serial communication. The method includes: At the secondary node, a broadcast read message generated by the primary node is received. The broadcast read message includes a broadcast read command, which is configured to cause the plurality of secondary nodes to make a single response. Determine whether the stop condition associated with the broadcast read command at the secondary node is met; and If the stopping condition is met, the secondary node generates a response message and transmits the response message to the primary node. The method further includes: The secondary node receives the response message destined for the primary node; and forwards the response message along the daisy chain from the secondary node to the primary node. Before forwarding the response message toward the primary node, at the secondary node, the response message is modified by replacing the first information associated with another secondary node contained in the response message with second information of itself associated with the secondary node.

10. A serial communication network (500), comprising: Multiple network nodes (502), including a master node (504) and multiple secondary nodes (506). The multiple network nodes (502) are interconnected in a daisy-chain configuration. The plurality of network nodes (502) are configured to communicate with each other according to a wired communication protocol for serial communication; The master node (504) includes a control circuit (508), which is configured to: • Generate a broadcast read message (518) containing a broadcast read command to prompt each of the plurality of secondary nodes (506) to respond accordingly; and • The broadcast read message (518) is transmitted to the boundary sub-nodes (506a, 506d) at the boundary of the daisy chain arranged in the sub-node (506). Each secondary node (506) includes a communication circuit (514), which is configured to: • Receive a response message (526) generated by another secondary node (506) in response to the broadcast read message (518), wherein the response message (526) is to be forwarded to the primary node (504); and • If the response message (526) to be forwarded is generated by the directly adjacent secondary node (506) in the daisy chain of the secondary node (506), then after forwarding the response message (526) of the directly adjacent secondary node (506), the primary node generates its own response message (526(X)) and transmits its own response message (526(X)) to the primary node (504). • The communication circuit (514) is further configured to: if the response message (526) is generated by a secondary node (506) other than the directly adjacent secondary node (506), then it does not generate its own response message (526(X)) and forwards the response message (526) to the direction of the main node (504).

11. The serial communication network (500) according to claim 10. in, The daisy chain configuration has a linear topology, and the boundary secondary node is the last secondary node (506d) of the daisy chain of the secondary node (506); or The daisy chain configuration has a ring topology, and the boundary secondary node is the initial secondary node (506a) of the daisy chain of the secondary node (506).

12. The serial communication network (500) according to claim 10 or 11. in, At least one secondary node (200b, 506) includes one or more light-emitting elements (212) and a driving circuit (210) for driving the one or more light-emitting elements (212).

13. The serial communication network (500) according to any one of claims 10 to 12. in, The wired communication protocol used for serial communication is the Open Systems Protocol (OSP).

14. A method for reading serial broadcasts in a serial communication network (520). in, The serial communication network includes multiple network nodes, which include a master node and multiple secondary nodes. The multiple network nodes are connected in a daisy-chain configuration and are configured to communicate with each other according to a wired communication protocol for serial communication. The method includes: • Receive a response message at the secondary node, the response message being generated by another secondary node in response to a broadcast read message from the primary node and to be forwarded to the primary node; • Determine at the secondary node whether the response message to be forwarded was generated by the directly adjacent secondary node in the chain of the secondary node; If the response message to be forwarded is generated by the directly adjacent secondary node, then the secondary node generates its own response message, and after forwarding the response message of the directly adjacent secondary node, transmits its own response message to the primary node; and • If the response message is generated by a secondary node other than the directly adjacent secondary node, then the node does not generate its own response message and forwards the response message to the primary node.

15. A serial communication network (500), comprising: Multiple network nodes (502), including a master node (504) and multiple secondary nodes (506). The multiple network nodes (502) are interconnected in a daisy-chain configuration. The plurality of network nodes (502) are configured to communicate with each other according to a wired communication protocol for serial communication; The master node (504) includes a control circuit (508), which is configured to: • Generate a broadcast read message (518) containing a broadcast read command to prompt each of the plurality of secondary nodes (506) to respond accordingly; and • The broadcast read message (518) is transmitted to the boundary sub-nodes (506a, 506d) at the boundary of the daisy chain arranged in the sub-node (506). Each secondary node (506) includes a communication circuit (514), which is configured to: • Receive the broadcast read message (518) from the previous next node (506) in the daisy chain of the next node (506); • Generate its own response message (526(X)) in response to the broadcast read message (518), and cause the own response message (526(X)) to be transmitted to the master node (504); and • After transmitting its own response message (526(X)) to the master node (504), the broadcast read message (518) is forwarded to the next child node (506) in the daisy chain of the child node (506).

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