Monitor Unit Intercepts Polling Messages on Bus System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing data transmission systems with bus systems face inefficiencies due to periodic polling by master units, which block access for other units and introduce non-deterministic behavior through interrupt requests, leading to communication bottlenecks and resource interference.

Innovation Solution

A data transmission system with a monitor unit that intercepts polling messages from master units and only forwards them to slave units upon receipt of an interrupt request, preventing periodic polling and reducing interference, while maintaining compatibility with existing software and hardware.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If polling messages are periodically sent from master unit to slave unit via bus system, then the master unit can query slave status, but the bus system access is blocked for other master units and slave units

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveslave status query reliabilityVSAvoidbus system access efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a monitor unit as an intermediary component between the master unit and the bus system. The monitor unit intercepts polling messages from the master unit and selectively forwards them to slave units only when interrupt requests are pending, thereby mediating the conflict between reliable status querying and efficient bus access for multiple units

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Speed

If interrupt requests are used to notify master unit when data is ready, then data transmission speed is improved, but program execution becomes non-deterministic

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission speedVSAvoidprogram execution time predictability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the interrupt request handling from the time-critical data transmission path. By using the monitor unit to manage polling messages and block bus access during active communication, the system separates interrupt notification from the critical data path, maintaining both speed and determinism

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If master unit directly accesses bus system for polling, then polling messages can be sent, but communication bottlenecks and resource interference occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepolling message sending capabilityVSAvoidcommunication bottleneck and resource interference
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The monitor unit serves as a mediator that simplifies the master unit's operation by handling polling message management. The master unit simply sends polling messages to the monitor unit, which intelligently manages bus access and slave unit communication, thereby reducing complexity and preventing bottlenecks

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4147423B1Data transmission on a bus system
Publication Date: 2024.03.13 SIEMENS AG
  • EP4147423B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4147423B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a data transfer system (100) having: a bus system (101); a master unit (102); at least one slave unit (104 to 106), which is allocated to the master unit (102) and is designed to send interrupt requests directed to the master unit (102); and a monitor unit (108), which is connected between the master unit (102) and the bus system (101). The monitor unit (108) receives the messages sent by the master unit (102) and the interrupt requests sent by each slave unit (104 to 106) allocated to the master unit (102). Polling messages directed by the master unit (102) to a slave unit (104 to 106) allocated to it are not forwarded by the monitor unit (108) to the bus system until the slave unit (104 to 106) sends an interrupt request via the interrupt request line (109 to 111).