Systems and methods for master arbitration

1. A power system comprising:

a communications bus; and

a plurality of modules communicatively coupled to said communications bus, wherein each of said plurality of modules is configured to:

continuously monitor the communications bus for presence of a coherent signal, wherein a signal is coherent when multiple samples of signal activity indicate an unchanging frequency and a 50% duty cycle;

transmit a modulated signal at a unique predetermined frequency when said module detects an incoherent signal on said communications bus;

become a master module when said module detects a coherent signal at the unique predetermined frequency on said communications bus, wherein the detection of a coherent signal indicates that said module is the only module of said plurality of modules transmitting the modulated signal; and

cease transmitting the modulated signal when the coherent signal is not detected after a period of time.

2. A power system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the period of time is a random period of time.

3. A power system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the period of time is based on an address of said module.

4. A power system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of modules comprises a DC to AC inverter.

5. A power system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of modules is further configured to engage in a synchronized action when said module detects operation of said communications bus in a low state for a predetermined period of time.

6. A power system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein to transmit a modulated signal at a predetermined frequency, each of said plurality of modules is configured to transmit a modulated signal at a predetermined frequency that is unique to said module.

7. A power system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein to cease transmitting the modulated signal, each of said plurality of modules is configured to cease transmitting the modulated signal immediately after a failure to detect the coherent signal.

8. A power system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said communications bus comprises a DC bus.

9. A module for use in a power system, said module comprising:

an input port;

an output port;

a synchronization port configured to communicatively couple said module to a communications bus; and

a controller configured to:

continuously monitor the communications bus for presence of a coherent signal, wherein a signal is coherent when multiple samples of signal activity indicate an unchanging frequency and a 50% duty cycle;

transmit a modulated signal at a predetermined frequency when said module detects an incoherent signal on the communications bus;

become a master module when said module detects a coherent signal at the predetermined frequency on the communications bus, wherein the detection of a coherent signal indicates that said module is the only module of said plurality of modules transmitting the modulated signal; and

cease transmitting the modulated signal when the coherent signal is not detected after a period of time.

10. A module in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the period of time is a random period of time.

11. A module in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the period of time is based on an address of said module.

12. A module in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said module comprises a DC to AC inverter.

13. A module in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said module is further configured to engage in a synchronized action when said module detects the communications bus is operating in a low state for a predetermined period of time.

14. A module in accordance with claim 9 , wherein to transmit a modulated signal at a predetermined frequency, said module is configured to transmit a modulated signal at a random frequency between 20 and 30 kHz.

15. A module in accordance with claim 9 , wherein to cease transmitting the modulated signal, said module is configured to cease transmitting the modulated signal immediately after a failure to detect the coherent signal.

16. A method for determining a master module for a plurality of modules that are each communicatively coupled to a communications bus, said method comprising:

continuously monitoring the communications bus for presence of a coherent signal, wherein a signal is coherent when multiple samples of signal activity indicate an unchanging frequency and a 50% duty cycle;

detecting, using a module of the plurality of modules, an incoherent signal on the communications bus;

transmitting, from the module, a modulated signal at a predetermined frequency in response to the detection of the incoherent signal;

determining, using the module, whether a coherent signal at the predetermined frequency on the communications bus is detected within a period of time;

designating the module as a master module when the coherent signal is detected within the period of time, wherein the detection of a coherent signal indicates that said module is the only module of said plurality of modules transmitting the modulated signal; and

ceasing transmission of the modulated signal when the coherent signal is not detected within the period of time.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein determining whether a coherent signal is detected within a period of time comprises determining whether a coherent signal is detected within a random period of time.

18. A method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein determining whether a coherent signal is detected within a period of time comprises determining whether a coherent signal is detected within a period of time that is based on an address of the module.

19. A method in accordance with claim 16 , further comprising engaging in a synchronized action when the module detects operation of the communications bus in a low state for a predetermined period of time.

20. A method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein transmitting a modulated signal comprises transmitting a modulated signal at a predetermined frequency that is unique to the module.