Patent ID: 7151771

Claim:
A communication method for a communication system in which a plurality of electronic apparatuses are connected via a digital bus configured for transferring isochronous communication packets labeled with channel numbers and asynchronous communication packets in a certain communication cycle, wherein information signals are transmitted on said isochronous communication packets and control signals are transmitted on said asynchronous communication packets, and wherein each of said electronic apparatuses have digital output plugs which output said isochronous communication packets or digital input plugs which input said isochronous communications packets, said method comprising the steps of: controlling said digital output plugs implemented as registers to which respective addresses are allocated at a transmitting apparatus, wherein the register for said digital output plug includes a channel number field indicating a channel number; controlling said digital input plugs implemented as registers to which respective addresses are allocated at a receiving apparatus, wherein the register for said digital input plug includes a channel number field indicating a channel number; using a first counter included in the digital output plug control register at a transmitting apparatus to protect connections with receiving apparatuses; using a second counter included in the digital input plug control register at a receiving apparatus to protect connections with transmitting apparatuses; transmitting said information signals from one digital output plug at the transmitting apparatus onto one channel; and receiving said information signals on said one channel at each of digital input plugs in a plurality of receiving apparatuses.