Granted Patent B2

US 7,958,281 · App. 12/305,329 · Granted Jun 7, 2011

Abstract

Claims (53)

1. A method of transmitting data to a recipient comprising:

dividing the data into a plurality of groups;

providing a synchronising unit for each of the groups;

using the synchronising unit to synchronise the data in each group; and

transmitting the data to a recipient wherein the data is divided in accordance with its synchronisation requirements with the recipient.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the method comprises:

identifying configuration information in the data; and

transmitting the configuration information to the recipient without synchronisation therewith.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the method comprises:

identifying a command in the data;

comparing a plurality of instruction lines of the command with a no-operation instruction;

setting a flag when the instruction lines do not match the no-operation instruction; and

using the synchronising unit to synchronise the flag.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is operable within the FlexRay protocol.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the method further comprises:

identifying events in the data;

identifying the events that may be synchronised with macroticks; and

synchronising those events with the macroticks.

6. An apparatus for transmitting data to a recipient comprising:

a sorter module to divide the data into a plurality of groups;

a synchronising unit to synchronize the data in each of the groups; and

an interface to transmit the data to a recipient;

wherein the sorter module divides the data in accordance with its synchronisation requirements of the data with the recipient.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein:

the sorter module identifies configuration information in the data; and

the interface is to transmit the configuration information to the recipient without synchronisation therewith.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the interface is to:

identify a command in the data;

compare a plurality of instruction lines of the command with a no-operation instruction;

set a flag when the instruction lines do not match the no-operation instruction; and

synchronise the flag.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the apparatus operates in accordance with the FlexRay protocol.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the interface is to:

identify events in the data;

identify the events that may be synchronised with macroticks; and

synchronise-the events with the macroticks.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the recipient and sender comprise a protocol engine and a controller host interface.

12. The method of claim 2 wherein the method comprises:

identifying a command in the data;

comparing a plurality of instruction lines of the command with a no-operation instruction;

setting a flag when the instruction lines do not match the no-operation instruction; and

using the synchronising unit to synchronise the flag.

13. The method of claim 2 , wherein the method is operable within the FlexRay protocol.

14. The method of claim 3 , wherein the method is operable within the FlexRay protocol.

15. The method of claim 4 , wherein the method is operable within the FlexRay protocol.

16. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the interface is to:

identify a command in the data;

compare a plurality of instruction lines of the command with a no-operation instruction;

set a flag when the instruction lines do not match the no-operation instruction; and

synchronise the flag.

17. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the apparatus operates in accordance with the FlexRay protocol.

18. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the apparatus operates in accordance with the FlexRay protocol.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the recipient and sender comprise a protocol engine and a controller host interface.

Assignments (31)