Patent ID: 7987303

Claim:
An interface system providing a communications interface between a processing unit and one or more sensor units including a first interface termination unit integrated with the processing unit, a second interface termination unit integrated with the sensor unit; a message channel being a communications channel carrying message data at a first data rate between the processing unit and the sensor unit, said message channel being active at least at substantially all times that the processing unit is active, a data channel being a communications channel carrying sensor data at a second data rate connecting the first and second interface termination units; said data channel being active substantially only when sensor data is required to be transmitted from the sensor unit to the processing unit; said second data rate being greater than said first data rate wherein the first interface termination unit is reconfigured in use to use a communication protocol and data rate appropriate for the sensor unit, this reconfiguration being triggered by information received from the sensor unit via the message channel.