Communication Bus Addressing for Fast Multi-Slave Status Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication systems in host devices, such as image forming devices, require a lengthy process to determine the installation status of multiple slave devices, leading to slow response speeds and increased user wait times due to sequential polling, especially when numerous slave devices are connected.

Innovation Solution

Implement a communication method where a host device sends setting instructions with a common communication address to multiple slave devices, allowing them to respond simultaneously, forming comprehensive response information that indicates the installation status of all connected slave devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the host device sequentially polls each slave device at its preset communication address to determine installation status, then the host device can accurately detect the installation status of each slave device, but the detection time is extended and the response speed becomes slow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation status detection accuracyVSAvoiddetection time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple slave devices respond simultaneously to a single information acquisition request by using a common communication address, combining their individual response actions into one concurrent operation. This merges the sequential detection process into a parallel one, allowing the host device to obtain installation status information from multiple slave devices at the same time, thereby significantly reducing detection time while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The host device sends setting instructions in advance to configure the common communication address before the actual detection process. This preliminary configuration enables slave devices to be ready to respond simultaneously when the information acquisition request is sent, eliminating the need for sequential polling and reducing overall detection time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If the host device uses sequential polling to check slave device installation status, then the communication protocol remains simple, but the response speed of the host device becomes slow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication protocol complexityVSAvoidhost device response speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple individual communication transactions into a single concurrent transaction by using a common communication address. Instead of the host device sending separate requests to each slave device sequentially, it sends one request that all slave devices respond to simultaneously, thereby increasing response speed while adding only minimal complexity to the communication protocol.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The common communication address serves multiple functions: it identifies the group of slave devices, enables simultaneous responses, and simplifies the host device's query process. This universal address mechanism allows the same communication structure to handle multiple slave devices without requiring complex individual addressing schemes, thus improving speed with acceptable protocol complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple slave devices are connected to the communication bus, then the functionality of the host device is enriched, but the time required to detect installation status of all slave devices increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehost device functionalityVSAvoidinstallation status detection time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the detection of multiple slave devices into a single concurrent operation. Instead of the detection time increasing linearly with the number of slave devices (as in sequential polling), the system detects all slave devices simultaneously through the common communication address mechanism. This merging approach maintains the ability to support multiple slave devices while keeping detection time constant and independent of the number of devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20260003814A1Information processing device, consumables and communication method

Publication Date: 2026.01.01 ZHUHAI PANTUM ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

The present disclosure provides an information processing device, consumables and a communication method. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the host device sends a setting instruction including a common communication address through a preset communication address of a communication bus, and obtain comprehensive response information based on an information acquisition request sent on the communication bus toward the common communication address. According to the comprehensive response information, the installation status of at least two slave devices connected to the communication bus may be determined.