
Network Command Examples
(Continued)
AUTOPOLL
Figure 8 shows the corresponding sequence for the autopoll
command.
1. Slave’s host sends data to Slave, which is buffered by
Slave. Slave will buffer up to 17 bytes, and uses flow
control to prevent overflow.
2. Sometime later, Master’s host issues an autopoll com-
mand to Master.
3. Master sends a packet to Slave, containing no data.
4. Slave immediately sends a packet to the Master, con-
taining whatever data has been buffered in step 1.
5. Master receives this packet, and responds with another
packet to the Slave.
6. Simultaneously, Master outputs
[
CMD
]
kk
SI
llkk
address
ll
, to Master’s host.
7. While this is going on, Slave’s host might have sent
Slave more data. If so, steps 4 and 5 are repeated. If
there is no more data buffered by the Slave at the time
the packet sent in step 5, arrives, the Slave responds to
the Master with a packet containing no data.
8. The Master receives empty packet causing Master to
break the link and proceed to the next Slave address in
its autopoll cycle. It announces this to the Master’s host
by sending it
[
CMD
]
kk
SO
llkk
address
ll
.
The link will also be dropped after 10 packets have been
transmitted (Rev A setting).
BROADCAST
Broadcast is used when only one way transmission of data
from the Master to all of its Slaves is desired (seeFigure 9).
All data sent to the Master modem from the Host is trans-
mitted 8 times onto the line. Slave Address 0 is used for
this.
This is useful when it is desirable to have a low cost, one
way communication channel available.
TEST MODE
Test Mode (see Figure 10) is a built-in application in the
IC/SS chip set that is most useful for evaluating the poten-
tial performance of an end user application using IC/SS
over a variety of power line conditions. All of the other
IC/SS functions provide network layer services for Host
Computers to which they are connected. They assume the
existence of one or more applications (in the attached Host
Computers) that utilize these services.
TL/DD/11727–14
FIGURE 9. Autopoll Mode Diagram
TL/DD/11727–15
FIGURE 10. Broadcast Mode Diagram
TL/DD/11727–16
FIGURE 11. Test Mode Diagram
22