Patent ID: 6708239
Filing Date: 2004-03-16
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of addressing groups of data channels that are each adapted to communicate with a bus controller via a common digital bus, the method comprising:constructing an individual mask for each data channel, wherein the mask comprises a plurality of bits, wherein each bit of the mask represents a respective group to which the data channel may belong and has a first state indicating that the respective data channel is a member of the group and a second state indicating that the respective data channel is a nonmember of the group; transferring each mask to its respective data channel; and thereafter transmitting a first message from the bus controller to the data channels, wherein the first message identifies group of data channels that are designated to process the first message; determining, at each data channel, if the respective data channel is a member of the group identified in the first message by analyzing the mask associated with the respective data channel; and processing the first message only if the respective data channel is a member of the group identified in the first message.