A robotic surgical system is disclosed having a ring network for communicating information between a controller and nodes of one or more robotic arms. A communications protocol is described by which synchronous and asynchronous information can be communicated to and from the nodes of the robotic arms. Also disclosed are various aspects of a physical layer that can be used with the network.

A method for controlling a distributed system. The distributed system includes a plurality of nodes and a bus. The plurality of nodes is associated with a plurality of timers. The method includes assigning a plurality of timer values including a first timer value and a second timer value to the plurality of timers in response to no data being loaded on the bus, defining an initial timer value equal to the first timer value, counting down the plurality of timer values with a given rate by activating the plurality of timers, stopping counting down the plurality of timer values in response to the first timer value reaching zero by stopping the plurality of timers, replacing the first timer value with a reference value, and sending data from the first node to the bus. The first timer value is assigned to a first timer of the plurality of timers, and the second timer value is assigned to a second timer of the plurality of timers. The first timer is associated with a first node of the plurality of nodes and the second timer is associated with a second node of the plurality of nodes. The first timer value is the smallest timer value among the plurality of timer values, and the second timer value is the largest timer value among the plurality of timer values. The reference value is smaller than the initial timer value and is larger than the second timer value.

A method for controlling a distributed system. The distributed system includes a plurality of nodes and a bus. The plurality of nodes is associated with a plurality of timers. The method includes assigning a plurality of timer values including a first timer value and a second timer value to the plurality of timers in response to no data being loaded on the bus, defining an initial timer value equal to the first timer value, counting down the plurality of timer values with a given rate by activating the plurality of timers, stopping counting down the plurality of timer values in response to the first timer value reaching zero by stopping the plurality of timers, replacing the first timer value with a reference value, and sending data from the first node to the bus. The first timer value is assigned to a first timer of the plurality of timers, and the second timer value is assigned to a second timer of the plurality of timers. The first timer is associated with a first node of the plurality of nodes and the second timer is associated with a second node of the plurality of nodes. The first timer value is the smallest timer value among the plurality of timer values, and the second timer value is the largest timer value among the plurality of timer values. The reference value is smaller than the initial timer value and is larger than the second timer value.

Methods, devices, and systems are provided to determine traffic conditions along a traffic path and dynamically present one or more entities with at least one alternate route. The alternate route is determined based on a number of entities along the traffic path and available routing points adjacent to the traffic conditions. The alternate route may be configured to optimize traffic for an entire traffic system rather than only optimizing traffic for receivers of the alternate routes. Data relating to the alternate routes presented to the entities can be tracked. This data may be used to evaluate an effectiveness of the routing decisions made. Effectiveness can be measured in cost and time saved or spent. Information, such as the data, determinations of the data, and/or even effectiveness of alternate routes, can be distributed to one or more parties. Distribution of the information may be associated with a tiered cost structure.

Methods, devices, and systems are provided to determine traffic conditions along a traffic path and dynamically present one or more entities with at least one alternate route. The alternate route is determined based on a number of entities along the traffic path and available routing points adjacent to the traffic conditions. The alternate route may be configured to optimize traffic for an entire traffic system rather than only optimizing traffic for receivers of the alternate routes. Data relating to the alternate routes presented to the entities can be tracked. This data may be used to evaluate an effectiveness of the routing decisions made. Effectiveness can be measured in cost and time saved or spent. Information, such as the data, determinations of the data, and/or even effectiveness of alternate routes, can be distributed to one or more parties. Distribution of the information may be associated with a tiered cost structure.

A communication device that performs bidirectional multiplex communication between a plurality of slave communication devices and the communication device is provided with: a first port connected to one end section of a transmission line to which the slave communication devices are connected; a second port connected to the other end section of the transmission line; and a current detection unit connected to the first port and the second port. An operation voltage is supplied from the communication device to the slave communication devices, a change of the quantity of a current flowing in the first port and/or the second port is detected by means of the current detection unit, and on the basis of the current quantity change, occurrence of disconnection in the transmission line is detected.

A communication device that performs bidirectional multiplex communication between a plurality of slave communication devices and the communication device is provided with: a first port connected to one end section of a transmission line to which the slave communication devices are connected; a second port connected to the other end section of the transmission line; and a current detection unit connected to the first port and the second port. An operation voltage is supplied from the communication device to the slave communication devices, a change of the quantity of a current flowing in the first port and/or the second port is detected by means of the current detection unit, and on the basis of the current quantity change, occurrence of disconnection in the transmission line is detected.

A memory system includes a printed circuit board, at least one memory chip mounted on the printed circuit board, and a memory controller arranged on the printed circuit board and connected to 2.sup.N (where N is an integer of 2 or more) channels, the memory controller configured to perform a write operation and a read operation on the at least one memory chip. In the printed circuit board, a first subset of the channels corresponds to a first channel group configured in a point to point topology, and a remaining subset of the channels corresponds to a second channel group configured in a daisy chain topology.

A memory system includes a printed circuit board, at least one memory chip mounted on the printed circuit board, and a memory controller arranged on the printed circuit board and connected to 2.sup.N (where N is an integer of 2 or more) channels, the memory controller configured to perform a write operation and a read operation on the at least one memory chip. In the printed circuit board, a first subset of the channels corresponds to a first channel group configured in a point to point topology, and a remaining subset of the channels corresponds to a second channel group configured in a daisy chain topology.

A user station for a bus system and a method for broadband CAN communication are provided. The user station includes a control unit for controlling an access of the user station via a first bus system to a bus of a second bus system of the communication system, the first bus system being designed for a communication, in which at least at times an exclusive, collision-free access of one of at least two user stations of the communication system to a bus of the first bus system is ensured, and the bus of the second bus system having at least two channels, via which it is possible to transmit messages of the at least two user stations of the communication system in different separate frequency ranges temporally independently of one another.