Patent ID: 7437494
Filing Date: 2008-10-14
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A system for establishing communication over a network bus comprising: an initial set of network devices in electrical communication with the network bus, wherein each of the network devices of said initial set of network devices has an assigned logical address identifying the network devices on the network bus; a bus controller in electrical communication with the network bus for establishing communication with network devices connected to the network bus using the logical address assigned to each network device; and at least one additional network device electrically connected to the network bus after said bus controller has established communication with said initial set of network devices, wherein said bus controller is capable of assigning a logical address to said additional network devices, wherein said bus controller after establishing communication with the network devices of said initial set of network devices via an exchange of operational commands and data, transmits a query on the network bus to all network devices at substantially the same time requesting that additional network devices connected to the network bus not having an assigned logical address respond to said bus controller, and thereafter said bus controller automatically and independent of user input assigns logical addresses to each of said additional network devices that do not currently have an associated logical address without reassigning logical addresses to the initial set of network devices with which the bus controller has already exchanged operational commands and data, wherein the bus controller is configured to communicate with the network devices connected to the network bus according to a command schedule that defines operational commands and corresponding timing for commands and data exchanged between the bus controller and the network devices, wherein the bus controller is configured to add the additional network device to the command schedule once the additional network device is assigned a logical address.