Importance

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Abstract

Apparatus for determining priority of access to a bus by nodes in a group of nodes attached to the bus. For purposes of determining priority, the apparatus arranges the nodes in a circular configuration and selects one of the nodes as the 'anchor node'. The anchor node has the highest priority and the priorities of the other nodes are determined by their positions in the circle relative to the anchor node. Each node includes a presettable counter for indicating a number of times that a node may access the bus before the highest priority is rotated to another node. After a device represented by one of the nodes accesses the bus for a predetermined number of accesses the current anchor node ceases being the anchor node and the next node in the circle becomes the new anchor node. The priorities of the nodes change to reflect the new location of the anchor node.

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First Claim