Patent ID: 8274920

Claim:
A token bus communication system comprising a multiplicity of nodes connected by a common bus, wherein each of the multiplicity of nodes is organized: (i) when in possession of a token and having data to transmit, to transmit a ‘token and data’ packet including a payload and having a header including a first address field identifying which node is to receive the token and a second address field identifying which node is to receive the payload; (ii) when in possession of a token and having no data to transmit, to transmit a ‘token only’ packet having said first and second address fields, wherein said first address field identifies which node is to receive the token and said second address field identifies none of said nodes; and (iii) to receive from other nodes ‘token & data’ and ‘token only’ packets and to determine whether a token and/or data is destined for that node; and wherein: (a) each of the nodes in the multiplicity thereof is operative to have a master state in which it determines the identity of all of the other nodes in operative connection with the common bus and broadcasts to all the other nodes a sequence table which specifies an order for the reception of the token; and (b) each of the nodes in the multiplicity thereof is operative to have at least one run state in which, in response to reception of the token, it transmits the token immediately to the node next following it in the sequence table.