1. A bus controller for controlling a bus communication system wherein each initiator of a plurality of initiators connected to a bus generates and sends a request signal to request use of the bus at predetermined intervals, and upon being granted use of the bus in response to the request signal, sends a command signal to instruct execution of a predetermined process to a target connected to the bus, and when the each initiator determines that the predetermined process is not to be executed by the target, the each initiator sends, upon being granted use of the bus again, the command signal to the target, the bus controller comprising:
a bus control unit configured to, upon receiving the request signal from the each initiator, grant use of the bus to the each initiator based on predetermined priorities; and
a mask generating unit configured to mask the request signal generated by the each initiator to control a timing, at which the request signal is sent from the each initiator, to be aperiodic,
wherein the mask generating unit includes
a mask interval setting unit configured to set, as a mask interval, an interval for masking the request signal generated by the each initiator;
a mask condition setting unit configured to set, as a plurality of mask conditions, a plurality of combinations of initiators to be subject to masking, the plurality of mask conditions including as many excluding mask conditions as the plurality of initiators, each of the excluding mask conditions corresponding to each of the plurality of initiators and being a combination of initiators to be subject to masking from which only the each of the plurality of initiators corresponding to the each of the excluding mask conditions is excluded among the plurality of initiators; and
a counter of an initiator mask ID (identifier) corresponding to each of the plurality of mask conditions set by the mask condition setting unit, and
wherein the mask generating unit, at each mask interval set by the mask interval setting unit, counts up the counter, determines a selected initiator to be subject to masking among the plurality of initiators, the selected initiator having the initiator mask ID indicated by the counter, and masks a request signal generated by the selected initiator.
2. The bus controller of claim 1,
wherein the mask interval setting unit sets, as the mask interval, an interval different from an interval at which the each initiator generates and sends the request signal.
3. The bus controller of claim 2,
wherein the mask generating unit masks the request signal generated by the selected initiator for a period longer than an interval at which the selected initiator generates and sends the request signal.
4. The bus controller of claim 1,
wherein the plurality of mask conditions further includes a mask condition that is a combination of initiators to be subject to masking in which all of the plurality of initiators are included.
5. The bus controller of claim 1,
wherein the mask condition setting unit sets the plurality of mask conditions for each type of the command signal.
6. The bus controller of claim 1,
wherein the mask generating unit further includes a mask period setting unit configured to set, as a mask period, a period of time to perform masking during each mask interval set by the mask interval setting unit.
7. The bus controller of claim 1,
wherein the mask generating unit further includes a subject-of-masking indication flag setting unit configured to set whether or not the each initiator is subject to masking.
8. A bus communication system comprising a plurality of initiators and at least one target both connected to a bus,
wherein each initiator generates and sends a request signal to request use of the bus at predetermined intervals, and upon being granted use of the bus in response to the request signal, sends a command signal to instruct execution of a predetermined process to a target, and when the each initiator determines that the predetermined process is not to be executed by the target, the each initiator sends, upon being granted use of the bus again, the command signal to the target,
the bus communication system further comprising a bus controller connected to the bus, the bus controller including a bus control unit configured to, upon receiving the request signal from the each initiator, grant use of the bus to the each initiator based on predetermined priorities, and a mask generating unit configured to mask the request signal generated by the each initiator to control a timing, at which the request signal is sent from the each initiator, to be aperiodic,
wherein the mask generating unit includes
a mask interval setting unit configured to set, as a mask interval, an interval for masking the request signal generated by the each initiator;
a mask condition setting unit configured to set, as a plurality of mask conditions, a plurality of combinations of initiators to be subject to masking, the plurality of mask conditions including as many excluding mask conditions as the plurality of initiators, each of the excluding mask conditions corresponding to each of the plurality of initiators and being a combination of initiators to be subject to masking from which only the each of the plurality of initiators corresponding to the each of the excluding mask conditions is excluded among the plurality of initiators; and
a counter of an initiator mask ID (identifier) corresponding to each of the plurality of mask conditions set by the mask condition setting unit, and
wherein the mask generating unit, at each mask interval set by the mask interval setting unit, counts up the counter, determines a selected initiator to be subject to masking among the plurality of initiators, the selected initiator having the initiator mask ID indicated by the counter, and masks a request signal generated by the selected initiator.
9. A bus control method for controlling a bus communication system wherein each initiator of a plurality of initiators connected to a bus generates and sends a request signal to request use of the bus at predetermined intervals, and upon being granted use of the bus in response to the request signal, sends a command signal to instruct execution of a predetermined process to a target connected to the bus, and when the each initiator determines that the predetermined process is not to be executed by the target, the each initiator sends, upon being granted use of the bus again, the command signal to the target, the bus control method comprising:
granting use of the bus to the each initiator based on predetermined priorities upon receiving the request signal from the each initiator; and
masking the request signal generated by the each initiator to control a timing, at which the request signal is sent from the each initiator, to be aperiodic,
wherein the masking includes
setting, as a mask interval, an interval for masking the request signal generated by the each initiator;
setting, as a plurality of mask conditions, a plurality of combinations of initiators to be subject to masking, the plurality of mask conditions including as many excluding mask conditions as the plurality of initiators, each of the excluding mask conditions corresponding to each of the plurality of initiators and being a combination of initiators to be subject to masking from which only the each of the plurality of initiators corresponding to the each of the excluding mask conditions is excluded among the plurality of initiators; and
at each of the mask interval, counting up a counter of an initiator mask ID (identifier) corresponding to each of the plurality of mask conditions, determining a selected initiator to be subject to masking among the plurality of initiators, the selected initiator having the initiator mask ID indicated by the counter, and masking a request signal generated by the selected initiator.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1) Machine for fitting and removing vehicle wheels, comprising a base frame, a clamping and rotating device for clamping and rotating the rim of a vehicle wheel around a substantially horizontal rotation axis, which are fitted on said base frame by interposing first guide means substantially straight along a substantially vertical sliding direction, at least one operating arm which is associable with said base frame along an oblique direction with respect to the position plane of said rotation axis and of said sliding direction and which has at least one work tool for fitting and removing a tyre onto and from said rim, said operating arm being positionable in an operating configuration in which it is arranged substantially at right angles and incidental to said rotation axis and said work tool is positioned near the circumferential edge of said rim, wherein the machine comprises a transformation device for transforming the sliding movement of said clamping and rotating device into a movement of variation of the inclination of said operating arm in which the arm itself is kept continuatively in said operating configuration as the position of said clamping and rotating device changes along such sliding direction.
2) Machine according to claim 1, wherein said transformation device comprise at least one supporting structure of said operating arm which is associated with said base frame by interposition of means of rotation around a swinging axis substantially parallel to said rotation axis.
3) Machine according to claim 2, wherein said supporting structure comprises at least one substantially plate-shaped and vertical bracket hinged to said base frame around said swinging axis.
4) Machine according to claim 3, wherein said bracket is arranged facing and adjacent to at least one surface of said base frame.
5) Machine according to claim 4, wherein at least one between said bracket and said surface has an opening shaped according to a circumference arc with its centre at the hinging point between said base frame and said bracket, and engaged by a hinge associable with the other between said bracket and said surface.
6) Machine according to claim 5, wherein said opening is a through opening obtained on said base frame.
7) Machine according to claim 3, wherein said transformation device comprise at least one plate associable integral with said clamping and rotating device and arranged substantially facing and adjacent to said bracket.
8) Machine according to claim 7, wherein said transformation device comprise at least one elongated first slot obtained on at least one between said bracket and said plate and engaged by a first pin associable with the other between said bracket and said plate, the path defined by said first slot being suitable for determining the swinging movement of said bracket and the change in the inclination of said operating arm.
9) Machine according to claim 8, wherein said first slot is a through slot obtained on said plate.
10) Machine according to claim 7, wherein said transformation device comprise at least an elongated second slot substantially parallel with said sliding direction, obtained on at least one between said bracket and said plate and engaged by a second pin associable with the other between said bracket and said plate.
11) Machine according to claim 10, wherein said second slot is a through slot obtained on said plate.
12) Machine according to claim 10, wherein said second pin coincides with said swinging axis.
13) Machine according to claim 1, wherein said first guide means comprise at least one first slide supporting said clamping and rotating device which is associated sliding along a substantially vertical upright of said base frame.
14) Machine according to claim 13, wherein said first guide means comprise a first linear actuator to drive the sliding of said first slide that has the opposite ends associated with said base frame and with said first slide respectively.
15) Machine according to claim 2, wherein said operating arm is fitted on said supporting structure by interposition of substantially straight second guide means defined along a direction substantially parallel to said rotation axis.
16) Machine according to claim 15, wherein said second guide means comprise at least a second slide supporting said operating arm which is engaged sliding along a bar substantially parallel to said rotation axis which is associated with one substantially plate-shaped and vertical bracket hinged to said base frame around said swinging axis.
17) Machine according to claim 16, wherein said second guide means comprise at least a second linear actuator to drive the sliding of said second slide that has the opposite ends associated with said bracket and with said second slide respectively.
18) Machine according to claim 1, comprising at least two of said operating arms to work opposite sides of said wheel.
19) Machine according to claim 1, wherein said work tool is a bead breaking disc.
20) Machine according to claim 1, comprising at least one operating head associable with said base frame and having an extractor tool for fitting and removing said tyre onto and from said rim.
21) Machine according to claim 20, wherein said operating head is arranged substantially coplanar with the position plane of said rotation axis and of said sliding direction.