Daisy-chained master-slave communication system and its operation method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a daisy-chained master-slave communication system and a method of operation thereof, the system including a master and a concatenation of N slaves linked in a chain, the master being connected to each of the N slaves by a communication line, the system being configured to use the communication lines for serial data communication from the master to the N slaves, the nth slave being connected to the (n+1)th slave by a chain line, n being an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than N, the master including a communication port connected to a first slave of the N slaves by a first chain line, the system being configured to use the chain line for serial data communication from the slaves to the communication port of the master.

Description

Technical Field

[0003]

[0001] The present invention relates to a daisy-chain connected master-slave communication system including a master and a connection of N slaves linked in a chain. Further, the present invention relates to a method of communicating data between a connection of N slaves arranged in a daisy chain and interconnected by chain links and a master connected to each of the N slaves by a communication line. Further, the present invention relates to a master device of a daisy-chain connected master-slave communication system. The present invention also relates to an apparatus including a daisy-chain connected master-slave communication system. Further, the present invention relates to a battery system including a plurality of battery cells.

Background Art

[0002] In various applications, it may be necessary to monitor and / or control a large number of units of a system or apparatus. The units can be, for example, electrical components. Some exemplary applications are fuel cells, battery cells, photovoltaic cells, window actuators, mirror actuators, tire pressure monitors, distributed sensor systems, lighting systems, and the like. In these applications, individual monitors and / or actuators, which can be called slaves, are linked via a serial bus for data transfer to a master control unit. Each monitor and / or actuator node on the bus can be linked to a physical location (e.g., front / rear, left / right tire, location within a battery, etc.), and it can be important to know, for example for diagnosis, which data is coming from which location.

[0003] In some cases, this can be achieved by identifying each node circuit with a unique address before installation and recording its location. This can create production and logistical difficulties because all nodes are different and each node must be installed in the appropriate location, or require individual commissioning of each node. Modbus nodes on RS-485 (also known as TIA-485(-A) or EIA-485) employ such a method. RS-485 is a standard that defines the electrical characteristics of drivers and receivers used in serial communication systems.

[0004] Another, more efficient known method involves an additional wire daisy-chain. Here, additional wires are added to allow nodes to acquire location information after installation and during the initial boot process. While this method is efficient, it requires additional cabling that is not used during normal operation. For example, the LIN bus uses this technique to determine physical location.

[0005] For example, if full-duplex communication is desirable or required because the amount of data received by the master is relatively large, additional communication wires may be provided: a first communication wire to enable serial data communication between the master and slave in a first direction (e.g., master to slave) and a second communication wire to enable serial data communication between the master and slave in a second direction opposite to the first direction (e.g., slave to master). However, such techniques, which are implemented in various applications in this field, have significant drawbacks. In some cases, it is necessary to provide an additional communication port for each slave. Furthermore, incorporating such additional wiring can be cumbersome and impractical, especially in systems with a large number of slaves (e.g., a battery system with a relatively large number of battery cells coupled to slaves). Moreover, such additional wiring to slaves can also introduce a higher risk of failure.

[0006] In a half-duplex daisy-chained master-slave communication system with a single communication line, for example, the first slave sends data to the master, and the master must first wait until it receives data from the first slave, and then, once the communication line becomes available, the second slave can send data to the master. Data transfer from slaves occurs one at a time; that is, the next slave must wait until the previously queried slave returns data before it can send data to the master. Such a configuration with a single communication line can be overly restrictive and inefficient, especially when there are many slaves in a daisy-chained master-slave communication system.

[0007] There is a great need to provide a master-slave communication system that can offer bidirectional simultaneous communication (see full-duplex) between a master and a slave in a cost-effective and robust manner. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for avoiding at least one of the above-mentioned drawbacks.

[0009] Additionally or alternatively, an object of the present invention is to improve the design of a master-slave communication system.

[0010] Additionally or alternatively, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for communicating data between a master and a slave in a master-slave communication system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] Therefore, the present invention provides a daisy-chained master-slave communication system comprising a master and a chain of N slaves linked together, wherein the master is connected to each of the N slaves by a communication line, the system is configured to use the communication line for serial data communication from the master to the N slaves, the nth slave is connected to the (n+1)th slave by a chain line, where n is an integer between 1 and N, and the master includes a communication port connected to the first slave of the N slaves by a first chain line, the system is configured to use the chain line for serial data communication from the slaves to the master's communication port.

[0012] A first chain line, usable as a serial communication line, provides a cost-effective and robust method for achieving simultaneous bidirectional communication between the master and slaves. The slaves are arranged in a daisy-chain, and after configuration (see address assignment), the chain line available for configuration can be effectively used for serial data transfer between the slaves and the master, in addition to the communication line providing direct data coupling between the master and slaves. Advantageously, the system can be used for simultaneous bidirectional communication between the master and N slaves with limited additional cabling. In practical situations, the impact of the first chain line on design complexity can be limited. Therefore, it is possible to avoid having to provide an additional communication line providing direct coupling between the master and N slaves in order to provide simultaneous bidirectional communication between the master and N slaves.

[0013] The system described herein provides a configuration that can offer significantly higher bandwidth. Cables can be made shorter, resulting in lower parasitic capacitance, which enables higher bit rates. Furthermore, each transmitter only needs to drive one receiver, enabling even higher bit rates. The data line does not need to switch directions, and therefore does not require any resulting delay.

[0014] Optionally, the chaining circuit is used for slave configuration and / or address assignment. This configuration and / or address assignment may relate to initial configuration and / or address assignment, or further (re)configuration and / or address assignment.

[0015] Optionally, each slave has at least two ports.

[0016] Optionally, each slave includes at least a first port and a second port, and the second port of the nth slave is connected to the first port of the (n+1)th slave. Thus, the slaves are connected in a chain by chain links that connect the second port of one slave to the first port of a subsequent slave. The last slave in the chain cannot be connected to a subsequent slave. Therefore, its second port may be connected to ground. Additionally or alternatively, the second port of the last slave may be connectable to the master. In this way, the direction of configuration (see configuration mode) and / or communication (see communication mode) can be easily adapted. For communication, the chain link may be a communication line. The master's ports connected to the chain link may be configured to enable data communication. The first slave is connected to the master via a first chain link that connects the master's communication port to the first port of the first slave.

[0017] In some examples, each slave includes a first port (see downstream port) that can connect to a downstream (adjacent / neighboring) slave and a second port (see upstream port) that can connect to an upstream (adjacent / neighboring) slave. The first port of the first slave may be connectable to the master's communication port via a first chain line. The second port of the last slave in a daisy-chain configuration may be grounded or connectable to the master. Additionally or alternatively, each slave has a logic unit that can operate to determine whether an upstream device is connected to the upstream port. In some examples, the upstream port receives an address assignment command from the upstream device, which includes a first device address. A slave directly connected to the master may be considered a first slave and may be assigned a first address. The downstream port may send an (updated) address assignment command to the downstream device.

[0018] By connecting the second port of the last slave in a daisy-chain configuration to the master via a chain link, the system design can be significantly simplified. In this case, the communication lines providing data communication between the master and each slave can be optionally omitted. Two-way (bidirectional) communication can be obtained through the chain link loop. This system can operate easily in full-duplex mode with significantly less wiring.

[0019] Full-duplex communication can be achieved without requiring a dedicated communication line connecting each slave to the master. This can be achieved by providing a communication line (see the last chain line) between the last slave and the master. The master's second communication port (to which the last slave is connected via the last chain line) allows for a communication line in the reverse direction.

[0020] Optionally, the upstream port is connected to an upstream device (e.g., a slave) via a single wire, and the downstream port is connected to a downstream device (e.g., a slave) via a single wire. For example, the downstream port of the first slave may also be connected to the master (the downstream device of the first slave).

[0021] Optionally, each slave has a dedicated port connected to the communication line.

[0022] A chain line may be placed between each successive slave to connect all the slaves and form a slave chain. The first slave is connected to the master's communication port via the first chain line. In some cases, the first slave can be changed, for example, to change the configuration direction and / or the direction of communication.

[0023] Optionally, the communication port is a serial data port, and the chain link forms a serial communication link between the N slaves and the master to transfer sensor and / or status data of one or more of the N slaves to the master.

[0024] The communication line may be configured to enable bidirectional communication. However, the communication line does not have to enable simultaneous bidirectional communication. In such a case, during a certain period, the master can send data (e.g., request / query messages) to N slaves, or the slaves can send data back over the same communication line. Instead of using the communication line in half-duplex mode (bidirectional, but not simultaneously in both directions), the system according to the present invention is configured to enable additional serial communication of data over a chain of lines. In this way, full-duplex communication can be achieved in an advantageous manner.

[0025] Optionally, the master is configured to output, process, and / or transmit information related to received data from one or more slaves. In some cases, the data is pre-processed before the information related to the received data from one or more slaves is output and / or transmitted.

[0026] Optionally, the system is configured to enable full-duplex communication between the master and N slaves, the system is configured to use a communication line for unidirectional communication from the master to one or more of the N slaves, and the system is configured to use a chain line for unidirectional communication from one or more of the N slaves to the master and / or vice versa.

[0027] In some cases, a large amount of data is collected by the master from the N slaves and / or a large number of slaves are arranged within the system, so that it is highly desirable to use the system in full-duplex instead of performing half-duplex communication.

[0028] Optionally, the system is configured to be switchable between a configuration mode in which address assignment for daisy-chain communication is performed using a chain line (e.g., the chain line can be used as an address line) and a communication mode in which master-slave data communication is performed. In the communication mode, simultaneous two-way communication (refer to full-duplex communication) between the master and the slave can be realized in an advantageous manner.

[0029] Optionally, the master is configured to selectively configure (e.g., change the logical state) the first data port of the first slave in the configuration process / mode.

[0030] Optionally, the master includes a control circuit. The system can selectively operate in the configuration mode and the communication mode.

[0031] Optionally, in configuration mode, the master is configured to allow the output of its communication port to switch between two logical states (e.g., "0" - "1", "low" - "high"). The communication port is connected to the first port of the first slave via a first chain line, so that the state of the first port can be easily switched during configuration. Address distribution may be performed in configuration mode. Information regarding the (physical) location of the slaves and / or devices associated with them (e.g., sensors and actuators) can be determined during the configuration process. In communication mode, the master's communication port can be used for serial data communication (e.g., receiving serial data from chained slaves).

[0032] In some cases, all slaves are queried to send their data to the master (if possible). For example, in a battery system application, data related to each monitored battery cell (e.g., temperature, voltage, etc.) can be transferred from the slave to the master. The communication process may begin with each slave sending its own information downstream.

[0033] Chain lines placed between slaves can be used as configuration wires when the system is operating in configuration mode. However, these chain lines can also be used as communication wires when the system is operating in communication mode. Serial data from a slave can be communicated to the master via a first chain line that provides a serial data communication connection between the first slave and the master.

[0034] A slave may be configured to receive data from an upstream neighboring slave and send that data to a downstream neighboring slave. This process may be repeated until all queried slaves have sent their data to the master.

[0035] Optionally, each of the N slaves is configured to forward the entire set of data signals received from a preceding slave in the chain to another slave in the chain via the chain line until the data signal set reaches the master.

[0036] In some examples, a slave is configured to receive data from the next slave (i.e., upstream) if it has no data to send to the master. For example, if the first slave has no data to send to the master, it may receive data from the second slave. For example, if the third slave has data to send to the master, the data can be sent via the first port of the third slave, then received by the second port of the second slave, and then the second slave can pass the data to the first slave via its first port, which is communicating with the second port of the first slave. The serial data received at the second port of the first slave can then be sent to the master via the first port of the first slave. In this way, data from the third slave can be received by the master. Meanwhile, the master can communicate with the slaves via the communication line and send data to the slaves. In this way, full-duplex communication can be achieved in an advantageous manner.

[0037] Optionally, each slave includes a memory module.

[0038] Optionally, each of the N slaves is configured to send its data to a downstream neighboring slave in the event of a broadcast request sent to a slave by the master, and the data is buffered and sent to the downstream neighboring slave as soon as the slave finishes sending its own data.

[0039] For example, a first slave may transmit its data to the master via a first port connected to the master's communication port via a first chain line. A second slave may be configured to be in standby mode, and when the first slave finishes, the second slave may pass its data to the first slave, which can then pass its data to the master. The master may be configured to receive data from the first slave first, then from the second slave, and so on. Thus, data from successive slaves is received in the correct order at the master's communication port.

[0040] Optionally, at least one set of N slaves is configured to process data received from an upstream slave before transferring the data to a downstream slave. Optionally, each slave is configured to perform such processing. In some examples, a communication driver is used for the above processing. Processing may involve, for example, reducing / mitigating noise, jitter, and / or distortion in the received data, and / or reconstructing the data. Various signal processing and / or modulation techniques may be employed.

[0041] Advantageously, this prevents small signal distortions from accumulating in each slave. Therefore, a long chain of slaves can be used to prevent distortion from growing downstream.

[0042] Optionally, each of the N slaves is configured to transmit data to a downstream neighboring slave in the event of a broadcast request sent by the master to a slave, and data is passed directly from one slave to another until all data transmitted by the slaves has been received by the master.

[0043] All messages from a slave can be initiated by the master. The slave can respond to a given message identifier. Since all communication is initiated by the master, collision detection may not be necessary.

[0044] For example, all slaves may be configured to forward their data directly to downstream neighboring / adjacent slaves. Data from successive slaves can then arrive at the master's communication port in the correct order.

[0045] Optionally, the system has a pre-configured first communication path from the master to all slaves, and a pre-configured second communication path from the chained slaves to the master.

[0046] Optionally, the master is configured to receive data packages in the order in which the slaves connect to each other in the daisy chain, and the master is configured to determine the position of the slaves in the daisy chain based on the above order.

[0047] The system may be configured to enable bidirectional data communication between a master and a slave. At least the master may be configured to instruct the slave to take some action, providing synchronization between the slaves when the slave measures, operates, or communicates data. According to the system of this disclosure, it is possible to construct a full-duplex system. A first slave input (i.e., a first port) to the master can be configured using the usual configuration procedure. Once configured, a daisy-chain wire (i.e., a chain line) is used for communication toward the master. This can be done, for example, by reconfiguring the slave's I / O pins into UART pins.

[0048] When slave ports (e.g., pins), i.e., the first and second ports, are configured for communication (normal operation), they are set to receive data from the upstream neighboring port and transmit data to the downstream neighboring port in the direction of the master. Therefore, for example, two UART pins (RX and TX) may not be connected point-to-point.

[0049] When a master requests data from a slave by issuing a broadcast request, all slaves send the data to their downstream neighboring slaves. Here, the data may optionally be buffered and sent as soon as the downstream slave finishes sending its own data.

[0050] The following table shows an exemplary system with four slaves.

[0051] [Table 1]

[0052] In the illustrative table above, S1 to S4 are the first to fourth slaves, respectively; D1 to D4 are data packages from the first to fourth slaves, respectively; and MA is the master. TX represents a transmit action, and RX represents a receive action.

[0053] Data packages (D1-D4) are received by the master in the order in which the slaves are connected to each other (the physical location is determined by the order of the cable routing).

[0054] N slaves are optionally associated with sensors and / or actuators.

[0055] In some examples, a slave may be associated with one or more sensors and / or (state) monitoring devices that monitor, for example, temperature, electrical values, etc. Additionally or alternatively, a slave may be associated with an actuator that receives data and can perform one or more actions based on that received data (for example, interior lighting of a vehicle).

[0056] In some examples, a slave is associated with both a sensor and an actuator. For example, in a battery system, a slave may be associated with one or more sensors that monitor sensor data (e.g., voltage, temperature, etc.) and one or more actuators (e.g., injecting a balanced current into a battery cell).

[0057] Advantageously, the slave's first and second ports are used not only in configuration mode but also in communication mode for transferring serial data from the slave to the master and / or vice versa. This allows for simultaneous bidirectional communication between the master and slave in a cost-effective and robust manner.

[0058] In some cases, data from a selected / queried slave is routed to the master through one or more chain lines. For example, if a third slave is queried to provide data to the master, the third slave can send data to the second slave via a chain line connecting the first port of the third slave to the second port of the second slave, and similarly, the second slave can send data to the first slave, and the first slave can send data to the master.

[0059] Optionally, each slave is associated with a sensor located on a battery cell.

[0060] In a battery system with multiple cells, it may be necessary to monitor one or more parameters of multiple cells. This may be done in a master-slave configuration, where at least one slave is associated with each of the cells being monitored. For example, such a battery system may contain more than 100 cells to be monitored. In such an example, there may be 100 slaves, each coupled to one battery cell. Setting up additional wires between the slaves and the master can be a difficult task, prone to errors, failures, etc. Furthermore, such additional wiring can lead to a significantly more complex design and increase costs. The system according to this disclosure can provide a cost-effective, effective, and reliable solution for obtaining simultaneous bidirectional communication (see full-duplex) between a master and N slaves.

[0061] The importance of high bandwidth, combined with a small number of wires, short wire lengths, and automated configuration, can be understood by observing large-scale battery systems. Battery systems may consist of hundreds of cells, each potentially requiring some form of monitoring (see sensor data). In some cases, these batteries may occupy an entire building, requiring large amounts of data to be transmitted to a master over considerable distances. When monitoring circuits are integrated into battery cells, each additional wire requires proper hermetically sealed connections. The system described herein offers significant advantages when applied to battery systems. However, it will be understood that this system can also be used in a variety of other systems.

[0062] In some examples, the system has more than 20 slaves, preferably more than 40 slaves, and even more preferably more than 80 slaves.

[0063] Selectively, N slaves are identical devices.

[0064] By using the same slave, the manpower required for system setup can be significantly reduced. The production process for this system can be simplified. Advantageously, daisy-chaining allows address assignment to be performed after installation via a configuration step. Even if the system setup changes (e.g., additional slaves are added), address assignment can be easily performed through the configuration process.

[0065] Optionally, the master is connected in parallel to each of the N slaves via a communication line, and this parallel connection provides direct communication between the master and the N slaves.

[0066] The communication line may be a physical communication line configured to allow one-way communication at a time. Therefore, simultaneous bidirectional communication over the communication line may not be possible.

[0067] Optionally, the master is connected in series with N slaves via a chain connection, and the series connection provides indirect communication between the master and at least a subset of the N slaves.

[0068] If one of the slaves malfunctions, in some cases no further data may be transmitted from the faulty slave (e.g., an output fault), and / or no further data may be received from upstream neighboring slaves. For example, if a third slave fails, the master may receive data only from the first and second slaves, and possibly from the third slave (e.g., if its first port is not faulty). In this way, it is easy to determine where the fault occurred (i.e., a malfunction at the input (first port) of the third slave, or a malfunction at the output (second port) of the third slave). Because the location of the malfunction can be effectively identified, a robust diagnosis can be performed.

[0069] Optionally, an additional chain link may be provided connecting the master's communication port to the last slave. The additional chain link may be connected to the second port of the last slave. In this way, the direction of configuration can be selected at configuration time. For example, if starting with the first slave, it is possible to start with the last slave. This can be done by appropriately setting the second port of the last slave to a predetermined state (e.g., "0" / "low" or "1" / "high" according to the convention used at configuration time). This provides increased flexibility at configuration time. However, advantageously, this can also provide a more robust system. For example, when one of the slaves is defective (e.g., fails), the location of the failure can be determined based on the data received from the master. However, if data can only be received in one direction from slave to master through the chain link, some data may be blocked by the defective slave. It is also possible to receive data in the reverse direction (e.g., by bypassing the failed / defective slave) by providing an additional chain link connected to the last slave. In this way, more data can be obtained even when one of the slaves fails.

[0070] Similar to the first chain link, the last chain link can be used for transferring serial data from the slave to the master. Both the first and last chain links can be connected to a communication port. In some examples, the first and last chain links are connected to the same or different communication ports on the master. However, it is also conceivable that the first and last chain links are connected to two different communication ports on the master.

[0071] When the first and last chain links are connected to the same communication port of the master, the system may include collision prevention measures configured to prevent data collisions during data transmission. In some examples, it is possible to prevent two slaves from transmitting data simultaneously using the same line. This can be done in various ways (e.g., time slots, priority systems, etc.). In some examples, data collisions are prevented by the protocol layer.

[0072] It will be understood that multiple daisy-chain lines can provide a communication path between a master and multiple chained slaves. Daisy-chain lines can be used for serial data communication between slaves and masters (see Communication Modes / Processes). However, these daisy-chain lines can also be used for configuring slaves (see Configuration Modes / Processes).

[0073] Optionally, the (re)configuration of a slave in configuration mode is performed in response to a command communicated by the master over at least one of the communication line or chain line.

[0074] Optionally, the master is configured to determine the total number of slaves connected to it. This can be done in configuration mode / process. This could be the case, for example, in a modular system where slaves can be added and / or removed.

[0075] In configuration mode, the master may be configured to initially send a command to initialize N slaves. In some examples, the system is configured so that once the initialization command is sent by the master, the first slave can detect the state of the first port.

[0076] Once the configuration is complete, the system can switch from configuration mode to communication mode. In this case, multiple chained lines are used as secondary communication lines. In this way, full-duplex communication between the master and slave can be achieved in a cost-effective and reliable manner. Advantageously, this system has a robust design. Chained lines can be used effectively in both configuration mode and communication mode.

[0077] Therefore, this system enables simultaneous two-way communication between the master and the slaves. The master's communication port is connected to the first port of the first slave, and the first slave is chained to the second slave via a chain link placed between the first and second slaves. For example, if the system has three or more slaves, the second port of the second slave is connected to the first port of the third slave via a chain link placed between the second and third slaves.

[0078] Optionally, the system may be configured to detect and / or identify a topology change, the topology change including at least one of the following: an additional slave being added to the system, the removal (and / or malfunction) of a slave in the system, the power-on of a slave, or the power-off of a slave in the system.

[0079] In one embodiment, the present invention provides a daisy-chained master-slave communication system comprising a master and a chain of N slaves linked in a chain, wherein the nth slave is connected to the (n+1)th slave by a chain line, where n is an integer between 1 and N, the master includes a first communication port connected to the first slave of the N slaves by a first chain line, and the master includes a second communication port connected to the last slave of the N slaves by a last chain line, and the system is configured to use chain lines for serial data communication between the slaves and the master.

[0080] Advantageously, this system configuration enables full-duplex communication without requiring a communication line connecting each slave to the master. The final chain line connecting the last slave to the master's second communication port allows for a significantly simpler system design. Thus, a more cost-effective system with fewer required wires and / or connections between slaves and masters can be obtained.

[0081] The master's second communication port (to which the last slave is connected via the last chain link) allows for a reverse communication link. The connection of the last slave to the master's second communication port enables reverse serial data communication. The chain link can be used for bidirectional communication between the master and slaves.

[0082] In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for communicating data between a master and a daisy-chained arrangement of N slaves interconnected by a chain line, wherein the nth slave is connected to the (n+1)th slave by a chain line, where n is an integer between 1 and N, and the master comprises a first communication port connected to the first slave of the N slaves by a first chain line, and the master comprises a second communication port connected to the last slave of the N slaves by the last chain line, and the system is configured to use the chain line for serial data communication between the slaves and the master.

[0083] In one embodiment, the present invention provides a master device for a daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to the present disclosure, the master device comprising at least two different communication ports, one of which is connectable to a communication line for transmitting serial data and the other port is connectable to a first chain line for receiving serial data.

[0084] The master can enable full-duplex connectivity with limited cabling. Daisy-chain connections can be used to establish the physical location of the slaves.

[0085] In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for communicating data between a daisy-chain of N slaves interconnected by a chain link and a master connected to each of the N slaves by a communication line, wherein the nth slave is connected to the (n+1)th slave by a chain line, where n is an integer between 1 and N, and the master has a communication port connected to the first slave of the N slaves by a first chain line, the communication line is used for serial data communication from the master to the N slaves, and the chain line is used for serial data communication from the slaves to the master's communication port.

[0086] Advantageously, the chain lines that can be used as configuration lines in configuration mode can be used as communication lines for transmitting and / or receiving serial data from the slave to the master (and / or vice versa).

[0087] Since the first chain line is connected to the communication port, serial information can be received from N slaves by the chain line connecting the slaves to form a chain network arrangement. The communication port may be configured to receive sequential bit data. The master may be configured to process and / or store the data. However, the same communication port can also be used to change the logical state of the first port of the first slave (e.g., switching between "low" / "0" and "high" / "1"), for example, when the system is configured.

[0088] Optionally, the communication process is initiated following the configuration process. During configuration, the master may be configured to set the appropriate state of the first port (e.g., the "0" / "low" state in the above example) via a first chaining circuit that provides a connection between the communication port and the first port of the first slave. Subsequently, successive slaves in the chain can be configured sequentially. Once the configuration is complete, the communication ports of the slaves can be used to receive (or transmit) serial data. Advantageously, the master can receive serial data from N slaves via multiple chaining circuits linking the master to the slaves in the chain.

[0089] In one embodiment, the present invention provides an apparatus including a system according to the present invention.

[0090] According to one embodiment, the present invention provides a battery system including a daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to the present invention.

[0091] According to one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for addressing the physical location of a system slave.

[0092] Batteries with multiple cells generally require monitoring of relatively large amounts of data. This invention provides an advantageous daisy-chained master-slave communication system that can operate in full-duplex mode (referring to simultaneous bidirectional communication between master and slave). This system can effectively handle data traffic from slave to master.

[0093] The master may periodically monitor sensor data associated with the battery cells. If one or more predetermined monitored parameters (e.g., cell voltage, temperature) are too high or too low, measures can be taken to ensure the safety of the battery system. For example, the main contacts of the battery may be shut off as a countermeasure.

[0094] For battery applications, the system may include means (e.g., galvanic isolation) configured to prevent high voltage from being applied to the communication port.

[0095] The systems and methods according to the present invention can be used in a variety of other applications, such as fuel cells, photocells, window actuators, mirror actuators, tire pressure monitors, distributed sensor systems, and lighting systems.

[0096] According to one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method for configuring a master-slave communication system.

[0097] According to one embodiment, the present invention relates to a vehicle detection system using a daisy-chained master-slave communication system. At least one slave set may be connected to sensors used by the vehicle detection system.

[0098] The terms “a” and “an” do not imply a limitation of quantity, but rather indicate the presence of at least one of the items mentioned. The term “or” is intended to be inclusive and means any or all of the listed items. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” herein, and their variations, is intended to encompass the items subsequently listed and their equivalents, as well as any additional items. The terms “connected” and “combined” are not limited to physical or mechanical connections or combinations, but may include electrical connections or combinations, whether direct or indirect. Furthermore, the terms “slave,” “master,” and “controller” may include either a single component or multiple components, which are active and / or passive and are connected (e.g., as one or more integrated circuit chips) or otherwise combined to provide the functions described.

[0099] In some examples, it will be understood that the communication lines providing direct (data) connections between the master and each slave may be optional. For example, full-duplex communication can also be achieved by placing a chained line between the last slave and the master. In such advantageous examples, the wiring of the system can be greatly simplified while still providing full-duplex communication between the master and slaves.

[0100] It will be understood that terms such as "upstream" and "downstream" may relate to the direction of data transfer. For example, data may be transmitted from an upstream unit to a downstream unit. Other conventions may also be used.

[0101] It will be understood that various methods can be used to assign (unique) device addresses to a set of slaves in a system. In configuration mode, the system can automatically discover and / or enumerate slaves interconnected in series (in a daisy-chain arrangement). Addresses may be assigned to each slave. Each slave in the system can be discovered, and each slave can be enumerated.

[0102] It will be understood that the communication ports of the master, as well as the first and second ports of the slave, may be configured to receive / transmit data in the form of bits. In some examples, data can only be transmitted when 8 bits (corresponding to 1 byte) are received. Various serial data communication configurations may be used.

[0103] Furthermore, when a feature or element is described as being “connected,” “attached,” or “joined” to another feature or element, it will be understood that it can be directly connected, attached, or joined to the other element, or that an intervening element may exist. In contrast, when a feature or element is described as being “directly connected,” “directly attached,” or “directly joined” to another element, there is no intervening element. Although one embodiment has been described or illustrated, the features thus described or illustrated may also apply to other embodiments.

[0104] The terms “first,” “second,” “further,” “additional,” and “final” are used herein to describe various components, but it will be understood that these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are used solely to distinguish one component from another. Thus, the first component described herein may be given a different name without departing from the teachings of the invention. Similar numbers refer to similar elements throughout this disclosure.

[0105] The terms used herein are for the sole purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. In this specification, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural form unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, as used herein, the terms “comprises” and / or “comprising” identify the presence of the described features, steps, actions, elements, and / or components, but are not intended to exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, actions, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. In this specification, the terms “and / or” include any combination of one or more of the related enumerated items.

[0106] It will be understood that any of the embodiments, features, and options described from a system perspective apply equally to the methods and the apparatus including the master device, system, and battery cell described. It will also be clear that any one or more of the above embodiments, features, and options can be combined.

[0107] The present invention will become even clearer based on the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings. These exemplary embodiments are provided by non-limiting examples. It should be noted that the drawings are merely schematic representations of embodiments of the present invention provided by non-limiting examples. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0108] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram of one embodiment of the system is shown. [Figure 2] A schematic diagram of one embodiment of the system is shown. [Figure 3] A schematic diagram of one embodiment of the system is shown. [Figure 4] A schematic diagram of one embodiment of the system is shown. [Figure 5] A schematic diagram of one embodiment of the system is shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0109] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a daisy-chained master-slave communication system 1, which includes a master 3 and a chain of N slaves 5a to 5N linked in a chain 7, where the master 3 is connected to each of the N slaves 5a to 5N by a communication line 9. System 1 is configured to use the communication line 9 for serial data communication from the master 3 to the N slaves 5a to 5N. The nth slave is connected to the (n+1)th slave by a chain line 11, where n is an integer between 1 and N. The master 3 includes a communication port 13 connected to the first slave 5a of the N slaves by a first chain line 11a. System 1 is configured to use chain lines 11a, 11 for serial data communication from the slaves 5a to n to the master's communication port 13. In this example, the master has an additional communication port 15 connected to the communication line 9.

[0110] Multiple slaves N can be connected in a chain via multiple chain lines 11 to enable communication. Furthermore, a first chain line 11a provides a communication connection of the first slave to the master. A second chain line 11 connects the first slave 5a to a second slave 5b (e.g., a neighboring slave of the first slave), a third chain line 11 connects the second slave 5b to a third slave 5c (not shown), and so on for all N slaves.

[0111] Master 3 may have one or more processing units. In some examples, the master is connected to one or more other units or components, such as a control unit.

[0112] System 1 can be configured such that chain lines 11a and 11 are available as configuration lines. In the system's configuration mode, two-way configuration may be possible, for example, from the left outer slave (i.e., the first slave) to the right outer slave (i.e., the last slave N), or vice versa, from the right outer slave to the left outer slave (not shown in this illustrative diagram). In configuration mode, the master can determine the number of slaves in the network and their placement / configuration (see order in the chain) by assigning unique addresses. This can occur, for example, in a manner similar to that of a local interconnect network (LIN network).

[0113] For example, the logical state of the first port 21a of the first slave 5a may be "0" / "low" or "1" / "high", while the logical states of the first port 21a of other slaves (including the second slave) may still be "1" / "high" or "0" / "low", respectively. The first port 21a of the nth slave is connected to the second port 21b of the (n-1)th slave via the chain line 11. For example, initially, the first port 21a of the slaves following the first slave 5a in the chain (e.g., the second slave 5b, the third slave 5c, etc.) has a logical state of "1" / "high", while the first port 21a of the first slave 5a has the opposite logical state of "0" / "low". In this way, the first slave 5a can be identified as the first slave 5a in a chain of N slaves. Subsequently, the first slave 5a can be configured as, for example, "SLAVE1" (see Address Assignment). Then, the first slave 5a can change the logical state of its second port from "1" / "High" to "0" / "Low". When the master 3 next sends a command (e.g., a broadcast query), the first port 21a of the second slave is "0" / "Low" (i.e., due to the change in the second port of the first slave), while the other slaves still have the "1" / "High" state on their second ports. Similarly, the second slave 5b can be configured as, for example, "SLAVE2" (see Address Assignment), and the second port 21b of the second slave 5b can change from the logical state of "1" / "High" to the state of "0" / "Low". Slaves can be configured sequentially in this way. This process can be repeated for other slaves in the chain of slaves until the configuration of N slaves has been completed.

[0114] A slave may, for example, transmit measured temperatures (e.g., temperature, electrical quantity, voltage, etc.) to a master 3 for processing. This can generally be done in a communication mode following the configuration mode described above. In some examples, the master 3 may use the data from the slaves for processing, analysis, control, etc. Half-duplex communication between master and slave is often too restrictive (especially when the number of slaves is relatively large) because the master must request data from the slaves one at a time, and each slave must provide sufficient time to individually transmit data to the master. The system according to this disclosure provides full-duplex communication in an advantageous manner.

[0115] Advantageously, in some cases, the slave is configured to transfer data over the chain line 11 (see: available as a “configuration line” when the system is in configuration mode). For example, one slave can transfer data to a downstream neighbor slave, which then transfers it to a further downstream neighbor slave, and so on, until the data reaches the master. In this way, data from the slave can be communicated to the master much more efficiently. In this way, a cost-effective system is achieved. Furthermore, the location of the slave (e.g., its physical positioning within the system) can also play an important role. The slave may be coupled to a specific unit or component (e.g., a specific battery cell, sensor, actuator, etc.). By configuring, a location (e.g., address, positioning) can be assigned to the slave. When data from the slave is received in the correct order through the chain line, information about the slave's positioning can be obtained.

[0116] For example, in the case of a defect, it may be necessary to have information about the location of the slave so that the location of the defective device can be easily identified and the defective device can be replaced. After replacement, the system can be reconfigured (see configuration mode), and then the system can be used in communication mode.

[0117] Generally, configuration is performed during system initialization. For example, in a system used in a battery system, slaves can be linked to battery cells, and during configuration, it can be determined which slave is linked to which battery cell (see location). For example, the first slave can be linked to the first battery cell, the second slave to the second battery cell, and so on. In communication mode, the master can then easily query the slaves. For example, master 3 needs data from the third battery cell and can query the third slave.

[0118] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a daisy-chained master-slave communication system 1. In this example, four slaves 5a to 5d are arranged in a chain configuration. The last slave, 5d, is connected to or can be connected to the master 3 by a chain line 11x. This chain line 11x may be used to select the direction of configuration (in configuration mode) and / or the direction of communication (in communication mode). More specifically, in this example, the direction of configuration can be from left to right using the first chain line 11a, or from right to left using the chain line 11x. Similarly, the direction of communication through the chain line can be selected in this way. In this example, the chain line 11x is connected to a communication port 19. Alternatively, in some examples, instead of the two communication ports 13 and 19, one communication port is used to supply the chain line to the first slave and the last slave.

[0119] System 1 may be used in configuration modes in which (unique) addresses can be assigned to multiple slaves (N), and in communication modes in which serial data communication may occur between the master and the slaves.

[0120] The chain line 11 can be configured to provide at least one interconnection between each pair of adjacent slaves in a daisy-chain configuration. A slave may have at least two data ports, namely a first data port 21a and a second data port 21b configured to communicate over the chain line. The first data port 21a and the second data port 21b may be serial data ports configured to enable a serial communication link.

[0121] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a daisy-chained master-slave communication system 1. The slaves are arranged in a daisy-chain configuration. In this example, the first slave 5a and the last slave 5d are connected to the master's communication port 13 by a first chain line 11a. This provides a simple way to select the configuration direction and / or the direction of communication.

[0122] This system provides a favorable method for data communication between multiple slaves arranged in a daisy-chain configuration. Highly efficient full-duplex communication between the master and slaves can be achieved with minimal additional wiring.

[0123] If the first and last chain links are connected to the same communication port of the master, the system may include collision avoidance measures configured to prevent data collisions during data transmission. In some examples, it is possible to prevent two slaves from transmitting data simultaneously using the same link. This can be done in various ways (e.g., time slots, priority systems, etc.). In some examples, data collisions are prevented by the protocol layer.

[0124] Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a daisy-chained master-slave communication system 1. Slaves 5a to 5N are interconnected together in a daisy chain. The chain link 11 may be a communication link configured to connect multiple slaves 5a to 5N together. The chain link 11 may be located between the first data port and the second data port of a slave. Each of the multiple slaves 5a to 5N is coupled to a sensor and / or actuator 10a to 10N. It will be understood that various alternative circuit configurations may be used.

[0125] In some examples, System 1 according to this disclosure may be configured to provide communication between multiple components within a vehicle. System 1 can effectively provide a cost-effective high-bandwidth communication network.

[0126] In some examples, the slave is a unit integrated into a battery cell. In such cases, a small number of wires is highly desirable. Advantageously, the daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to this disclosure provides a robust and cost-effective method for achieving simultaneous bidirectional communication (see full-duplex mode communication) between a master and a slave.

[0127] The master and slave may be microcontrollers. Various types of hardware can be used as masters and slaves. For example, the master and slave may be microcontrollers. In some examples, the master and / or slave are ASICs.

[0128] This system will be understood to provide a cost-effective communication network capable of supporting remote applications within vehicle networks. For example, it can be used in mechatronics nodes for distributed automotive applications. However, this system is also applicable to other deployments or systems, such as industrial applications.

[0129] Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a daisy-chained master-slave communication system 1. The slaves are arranged in a daisy-chain configuration. In this example, the first slave 5a and the last slave 5N are connected to the master's first communication port 13 and second communication ports 15 and 19, respectively. Chain lines 11a, 11, and 11x provide loop connections between the master and slaves. This provides a simple way to select the configuration direction and / or the direction of communication.

[0130] The system 1 shown in Figure 5 is a daisy-chained master-slave communication system that includes a master and a chain of N slaves linked together, wherein the nth slave is connected to the (n+1)th slave by a chain line, where n is an integer between 1 and N, and the master 3 includes a first communication port 13 connected to the first slave 5a of the N slaves by a first chain line 11a, and the master 3 includes second communication ports 15, 19 connected to the last slave of the N slaves by a last chain line 11x, and the system 1 is configured to use chain lines 11a, 11, 11x for serial data communication between slaves 5a to N and the master 3.

[0131] In this example, data can be transmitted from the last slave 5N to the previous slave 5N-1, and so on, until all data from the slaves reaches the master via the first chain line 11a of the master's communication port 13. Thus, in this illustrative diagram, slave data can reach the master from right to left. However, the system can also be configured to transmit data from the master to slaves via further / secondary communication ports (15, 19). A slave can transmit relevant data to other slaves in the slave chain. Data from the master to a slave can be relayed by the slaves using the chain line. In this way, full-duplex communication can be achieved in an advantageous manner without requiring additional communication lines connecting the master to each slave.

[0132] Advantageously, the chain line 11x connecting the last slave to the master can provide a two-way configuration in configuration mode and two-way communication in communication mode. Using the chain line 11x for data communication also provides a significant advantage in achieving full-duplex communication with a simple and cost-effective design. In some examples, chain lines 11 and 11x can be used for serial data communication from master to slave, chain lines 11a and 11 can be used for serial data communication from slave to master, and / or vice versa.

[0133] It will be understood that this method may include computer implementation steps. All of the steps described above may be computer implementation steps. Embodiments may include computer devices in which the process is performed. The present invention also applies to computer programs, in particular computer programs on or within a carrier adapted for carrying out the present invention. The program may be in the form of source code or object code, or any other form suitable for use in carrying out the process according to the present invention. The carrier may be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. For example, the carrier may include a storage medium such as ROM, for example, semiconductor ROM or hard disk. Furthermore, the carrier may be a transmittable carrier such as an electrical signal or optical signal that can be transmitted via an electrical cable or optical cable, or wirelessly or by other means, for example, via the Internet or the cloud.

[0134] Some embodiments may be implemented, for example, using a machine or a tangible computer-readable medium or article that, when executed by a machine, can store instructions or sets of instructions that cause the machine to perform the methods and / or operations according to the embodiments.

[0135] Various embodiments may be implemented using hardware elements, software elements, or a combination of both. Examples of hardware elements may include processors, microprocessors, circuits, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), digital signal processors (DSPs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), logic gates, registers, semiconductor devices, chips, integrated circuits, and chipsets. Examples of software may include software components, programs, applications, computer programs, application programs, system programs, machine programs, operating system software, mobile apps, middleware, firmware, software modules, routines, subroutines, functions, computer implementation methods, procedures, software interfaces, application programming interfaces (APIs), methods, instruction sets, computing code, and computer code.

[0136] In this specification, the present invention will be described with reference to specific embodiments. However, it will be apparent that various modifications, alterations, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the essence of the invention. For clarity and conciseness, features are described in this specification as part of the same or distinct embodiments, but alternative embodiments having all or some combinations of the features described in these distinct embodiments are also conceived and understood to fall within the framework of the invention outlined by the claims. Accordingly, the specification, drawings, and examples should be taken as illustrative rather than restrictive. The present invention is intended to encompass all alternative forms, modifications, and alterations included in the appended claims. Furthermore, many of the elements described are functional entities that can be implemented as discrete or distributed components, or in combination with other components, in any appropriate combination and location.

[0137] In the claims, reference numerals placed in parentheses are not to be construed as limiting the claims. The word “comprising” does not preclude the existence of features or steps other than those enumerated in the claims. Furthermore, the words “a” and “an” are not to be construed as being limited to “only one,” but rather are used to mean “at least one,” and do not preclude multiples. The mere fact that certain means are described in different claims does not indicate that a combination of these means cannot be used advantageously. The following is a direct reproduction of the claims as originally filed. [C1] A daisy-chained master-slave communication system comprising a master and a chain of N slaves linked together, wherein the master is connected to each of the N slaves by a communication line, the system is configured to use the communication line for unidirectional serial data communication from the master to the N slaves, the nth slave is connected to the (n+1)th slave by a chain line, where n is an integer between 1 and N, and the master includes a communication port connected to the first slave of the N slaves by a first chain line, the system is configured to use the chain line for unidirectional serial data communication from the slaves to the communication port of the master, thereby enabling full-duplex data communication between the master and the N slaves. [C2] The daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to C1, wherein the communication port is a serial data port, and the chain line forms a serial communication link between the N slaves and the master in order to transfer sensor data of one or more of the N slaves to the master. [C3] The daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to C1 or 2, wherein each of the N slaves is configured to forward the entire set of data signals received from a preceding slave in the chain to another slave in the chain via the chain line until the set of data signals reaches the master. [C4] A daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to any one of C1 to C3, wherein each of the N slaves is configured to transmit data to a downstream neighbor slave in the event of a broadcast request transmitted to the slave by the master, and the data is buffered and transmitted to the downstream neighbor slave as soon as the slave has finished transmitting its own data. [C5] A daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to any one of C1 to C4, wherein each of the N slaves is configured to transmit data to a downstream neighboring slave in the event of a broadcast request transmitted to the slave by the master, and the data is passed directly from one slave to another until the data transmitted by all the slaves is received by the master. [C6] A daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to any one of C1 to C5, wherein the master is configured to receive data packages in the order in which the slaves are connected to each other in the daisy chain, and the master is configured to determine the position of the slaves in the daisy chain based on the order. [C7] A daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to any one of C1 to C6, wherein the N slaves are associated with sensors and / or actuators. [C8] A daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to any one of C1 to C7, wherein the master is connected in parallel to each of the N slaves by the communication line, and the parallel connection provides direct communication between the master and the N slaves. [C9] A daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to any one of C1 to C8, wherein the master is connected in series with the N slaves by the chain line, and the series connection provides indirect communication between the master and at least a subset of the N slaves. [C10] A method for communicating data between a daisy-chained arrangement of N slaves interconnected by a chain link and a master connected to each of the N slaves by a communication line, wherein the nth slave is connected to the (n+1)th slave by a chain line, where n is an integer between 1 and N, and the master has a communication port connected to the first slave of the N slaves by a first chain line, the communication line is used for unidirectional serial data communication from the master to the N slaves, and the chain line is used for unidirectional serial data communication from the slaves to the communication port of the master, thereby enabling full-duplex data communication between the master and the N slaves. [C11] A battery system including a daisy-chained master-slave communication system as described in any one of items C1 to C9.

Claims

1. A daisy-chained master-slave communication system comprising a master and a chain of N slaves linked together, wherein the master is connected to each of the N slaves by a communication line, the master-slave communication system is configured to use the communication line for unidirectional serial data communication from the master to the N slaves, the nth slave is connected to the (n+1)th slave by a chain line, where n is an integer between 1 and N, and the master includes a communication port connected to the first slave of the N slaves by a first chain line, the master-slave communication system is configured to use the chain line for unidirectional serial data communication from the slaves to the communication port of the master, thereby enabling full-duplex data communication between the master and the N slaves.

2. The daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to claim 1, wherein the communication port is a serial data port, and the chain line forms a serial communication link between the N slaves and the master in order to transfer sensor data of one or more of the N slaves to the master.

3. The daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to claim 1, wherein each of the N slaves is configured to transfer the entire set of data signals received from a preceding slave in the chain to another slave in the chain via the chain line until the set of data signals reaches the master.

4. The daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to claim 1, wherein each of the N slaves is configured to transmit data to a downstream neighbor slave in the event of a broadcast request transmitted to the slave by the master, and the data is buffered and transmitted to the downstream neighbor slave as soon as the slave has finished transmitting its own data.

5. The daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to claim 1, wherein each of the N slaves is configured to transmit data to a downstream neighboring slave in the event of a broadcast request transmitted to the slave by the master, and the data is passed directly from one slave to another until the data transmitted by all the slaves is received by the master.

6. The daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to claim 1, wherein the master is configured to receive data packages in the order in which the slaves are connected to each other in the daisy chain, and the master is configured to determine the position of the slaves in the daisy chain based on the order.

7. The daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to claim 1, wherein the N slaves are associated with sensors and / or actuators.

8. The daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to claim 1, wherein the master is connected in parallel to each of the N slaves by the communication line, and the parallel connection provides direct communication between the master and the N slaves.

9. The daisy-chained master-slave communication system according to claim 1, wherein the master is connected in series with the N slaves by the chain line, and the series connection provides indirect communication between the master and at least a subset of the N slaves.

10. A method for communicating data between a daisy-chained arrangement of N slaves interconnected by a chain link and a master connected to each of the N slaves by a communication line, wherein the nth slave is connected to the (n+1)th slave by a chain line, where n is an integer between 1 and N, and the master has a communication port connected to the first slave of the N slaves by a first chain line, the communication line is used for unidirectional serial data communication from the master to the N slaves, and the chain line is used for unidirectional serial data communication from the slaves to the communication port of the master, thereby enabling full-duplex data communication between the master and the N slaves.

11. A battery system including a daisy-chained master-slave communication system, wherein the daisy-chained master-slave communication system includes a master and a chain of N slaves linked together, the master being connected to each of the N slaves by a communication line, the master-slave communication system being configured to use the communication line for unidirectional serial data communication from the master to the N slaves, the nth slave being connected to the (n+1)th slave by a chain line, where n is an integer between 1 and N, the master including a communication port connected to the first slave of the N slaves by a first chain line, and the master-slave communication system being configured to use the chain line for unidirectional serial data communication from the slaves to the communication port of the master, thereby enabling full-duplex data communication between the master and the N slaves.

12. The battery system according to claim 11, wherein the communication port is a serial data port, and the chain line forms a serial communication link between the N slaves and the master in order to transfer sensor data of one or more of the N slaves to the master.

13. The battery system according to claim 11, wherein each of the N slaves is configured to transfer the entire set of data signals received from a preceding slave in the chain to another slave in the chain via the chain line until the set of data signals reaches the master.

14. The battery system according to claim 11, wherein each of the N slaves is configured to transmit data to a downstream neighbor slave in the event of a broadcast request transmitted to the slave by the master, and the data is buffered and transmitted to the downstream neighbor slave as soon as the slave has finished transmitting its own data.

15. The battery system according to claim 11, wherein each of the N slaves is configured to transmit data to a downstream neighboring slave in the event of a broadcast request transmitted to the slave by the master, and the data is passed directly from one slave to another until the data transmitted by all the slaves has been received by the master.

16. The battery system according to claim 11, wherein the master is configured to receive data packages in the order in which the slaves are connected to each other in the daisy chain, and the master is configured to determine the position of the slaves in the daisy chain based on the order.

17. The battery system according to claim 11, wherein the N slaves are associated with sensors and / or actuators.

18. The battery system according to claim 11, wherein the master is connected in parallel to each of the N slaves by the communication line, and the parallel connection provides direct communication between the master and the N slaves.

19. The battery system according to claim 11, wherein the master is connected in series with the N slaves by the chain line, and the series connection provides indirect communication between the master and at least a subset of the N slaves.

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