A distributed network (40, 40A, 60) system, comprising: a shared communication bus (44, 44A) that operates in accordance with a communication protocol; and a plurality of devices coupled to the shared communication bus; wherein: the communication protocol sets a pre-configured time and a pre-determined order for each of the plurality of devices to actively transmit data on the shared communication bus such that only one of the plurality of devices actively transmits data on the shared communication bus at a time to a remaining number of the plurality of devices through the shared communication bus and the plurality of devices take turns transmitting data one at a time to the remaining number of the plurality of devices through the shared communication bus; when the remaining number of the plurality of devices are not actively transmitting data, the remaining number of the plurality of devices receive data via the shared communication bus so that bi-directional communication is established among the plurality of devices on the shared communication bus; and wherein the communication protocol is a round-robin communication protocol and within the round-robin communication protocol and after each of the plurality of devices has actively transmitted data on the shared communication bus (44, 44A) at the pre-configured time and at the pre-determined order, the process for actively transmitting data is repeated again for the plurality of devices in the same pre-determined order; characterized in that each of the plurality of devices comprises a state machine and a signal processor, wherein the signal processor is configured to, based on one or more control signals from the state machine, perform processing on an input signal to generate an output signal to an electrical node other than the shared communication bus. a shared communication bus (44, 44A) that operates in accordance with a communication protocol; and a plurality of devices coupled to the shared communication bus; wherein: the communication protocol sets a pre-configured time and a pre-determined order for each of the plurality of devices to actively transmit data on the shared communication bus such that only one of the plurality of devices actively transmits data on the shared communication bus at a time to a remaining number of the plurality of devices through the shared communication bus and the plurality of devices take turns transmitting data one at a time to the remaining number of the plurality of devices through the shared communication bus; when the remaining number of the plurality of devices are not actively transmitting data, the remaining number of the plurality of devices receive data via the shared communication bus so that bi-directional communication is established among the plurality of devices on the shared communication bus; and wherein the communication protocol is a round-robin communication protocol and within the round-robin communication protocol and after each of the plurality of devices has actively transmitted data on the shared communication bus (44, 44A) at the pre-configured time and at the pre-determined order, the process for actively transmitting data is repeated again for the plurality of devices in the same pre-determined order; characterized in that each of the plurality of devices comprises a state machine and a signal processor, wherein the signal processor is configured to, based on one or more control signals from the state machine, perform processing on an input signal to generate an output signal to an electrical node other than the shared communication bus. the communication protocol sets a pre-configured time and a pre-determined order for each of the plurality of devices to actively transmit data on the shared communication bus such that only one of the plurality of devices actively transmits data on the shared communication bus at a time to a remaining number of the plurality of devices through the shared communication bus and the plurality of devices take turns transmitting data one at a time to the remaining number of the plurality of devices through the shared communication bus; when the remaining number of the plurality of devices are not actively transmitting data, the remaining number of the plurality of devices receive data via the shared communication bus so that bi-directional communication is established among the plurality of devices on the shared communication bus; and wherein the communication protocol is a round-robin communication protocol and within the round-robin communication protocol and after each of the plurality of devices has actively transmitted data on the shared communication bus (44, 44A) at the pre-configured time and at the pre-determined order, the process for actively transmitting data is repeated again for the plurality of devices in the same pre-determined order; characterized in that each of the plurality of devices comprises a state machine and a signal processor, wherein the signal processor is configured to, based on one or more control signals from the state machine, perform processing on an input signal to generate an output signal to an electrical node other than the shared communication bus.