Patent ID: 7158046
Filing Date: 2007-01-02
Classification: G05B,G06K,G07C,G08C

Abstract:
1. A systems for selecting a subset of slaves that satisfy a selection criterion and then isolating the selected subset from further participation in a selection and isolating process, said system comprising: a master unit for communicating a selection criterion command to a plurality of slaves, the selection criterion command representing the selection criterion; each slave of said plurality of slaves being in one of three or more different possible states during the selection and isolating process; a memory in said each slave containing at least one information value for use in evaluation of a selection criterion; a receiving unit in said each slave for receiving the selection criterion command from the master unit; a processing unit in said each slave that processes the selection criterion command by moving the slave from a first state to a second state if and only if the slave is already in the first state and the at least one information value satisfies the selection criterion; whereby said each slave is deemed to be selected if said each slave is in the second state after the processing unit in said each slave has processed the selection criterion command; and moving slaves in the second state to a third state so as to be unaffected by further selection criterion commands.