Patent ID: 8037226

Claim:
A system, comprising: a communication bus; a plurality of modules connected to the communication bus; at least one of the plurality of modules further comprising: at least one actual clock; a scheduler coupled to the at least one actual clock, wherein the scheduler is configured to receive a virtual schedule comprising a time slot for sending a message to the communication bus, and wherein the scheduler is configured to determine an actual time for sending a message in relation to the virtual schedule and according to time kept in the at least one actual clock; wherein at least one of the plurality of modules is configured to send a message according to the actual time, wherein the at least one of the plurality of modules starts transmission of the message according to the actual time such that the message begins within an adjacent time slot on the communication bus; and wherein the at least one of the plurality of modules is configured to resend the message after receiving the end of a colliding message.