Patent ID: 7949837

Claim:
A method of resolving contention in addressed memory updating in which a memory location having a specific location identifier can be updated substantially simultaneously from a plurality of sources, said method comprising: utilizing an updating format for the signal or packet carrying out the updating, said format comprising the specific identifier of the memory location to be updated, the content with which said memory location is to be updated, and a resident updating count of the updating source, said count comprising a number indicative of the position of the updating message in the sequence of occasions on which the updating source has been updated inclusive of the current updating; storing for each receiving memory location the updating count of the previously received updating; comparing the updating count presently resident at the receiving memory location with the updating count of any currently received updating signal or packet, and if the currently received updating count is less than the presently resident updating count, not actioning the incoming signal or packet; or if the currently received updating count is greater than the currently resident updating count, actioning the incoming signal or packet; or if the currently received updating count is equal to the presently resident updating count, instituting a contention resolution procedure.