Patent ID: 6728908
Filing Date: 2004-04-27
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
A method for handling communications between devices connected to an I2C bus, comprising:obtaining at least one message over an I2C bus; and performing a fail safe operation in response to messages transferred over the I2C bus at the devices connected to the I2C bus, said performing comprising: counting down a mute timeout period at a device connected to the I2C bus; restarting the timeout period in response to receiving a fail silent test message from the I2C bus; and disabling the device from transmitting messages to the I2C bus in response to the mute timeout period expiring; counting down an unmute timeout period in response to the mute timeout period expiring; and in response to the unmute timer expiring, transmitting a fail silent test message from a first I2C interface to the I2C bus in a master mode, and enabling the transmitter.