Message Channel The Message Channel is used by a Device for sending Messages to other Devices on the bus.

In order to transmit or receive Messages, a Component shall first acquire Message Synchroniz ation. Prior to sending any Messages, each SLIMbusTM Device uses a priority-based Arbitration me chanism to gain access to the Message Channel. Message Channel Size Messages are carried in Message Channels in the Control Space. Recall from Figure 8 above that there are four possible subframe modes in SLIMbu sTM. Each Subframe has at least one Slot as Control Space. The Framing Channel occupies two Slots p er Frame, or 16 Slots per Superframe. The Guide Channel (used for Message Synchronization) occupies tw o Slots per Superframe for all bus configurations. Therefore, a total of 18 Slots of availab le Control Space per Superframe are allocated to specific purposes. Control Space Slots not used for the Framing Channel or the Guide Channel are av ailable for the Message Channel, or a mix of Message Channel and Data Channels. Therefore, the s ize of the Message Channel varies according to the bus configuration. A minimum number of Slots for Message Channel use occurs in the 6 Subframes/Fram e mode. So, there is a minimum of six Control Space Slots per Frame, and therefore, 48 Contr ol Space Slots per Superframe. Since 18 Slots are allocated for bus purposes, then that leaves 30 ( 48 -18 = 30) Control Space Slots available for Message Channel use. The maximum number of Slots for Message Channel use would just be the total numb er of Slots in a Superframe less the pre-allocated 18 Slots for bus purposes; e.g. 1536-18 = 1518 . Message Syntax Messages which are exchanged between Devices consist of four fields; Arbitration , Header, Payload, and Integrity/Response. All messages must contain the Arbitration, Header, and Integ rity/Response fields. The Arbitration field is present in all Messages and varies in size (2- or 7-byt es) because the Source Address of the Device requesting arbitration could be either an 8-bit Logical Ad dress (LA) or a 48-bit Enumeration Address (EA). The Header field is present in all Messages and varies in size (3-, 4- or 9-byte s) because it, too, may use either no address, the Destination Device Logical Address or Enumeration Address . If all Devices receive a Broadcast Message, then the LA or the EA are not used. Depending upon the type of message, the Message Payload field may be of zero len gth. The maximum length of the Message Payload field varies between 22- or 28-bytes depending upo n message-specific parameters and data. The Integrity/Response field is a fixed length of 4-bytes. The Primary and Messa ge Integrity Fields provide full CRC coverage of the Message contents. All Messages are associated with Message Codes which are specific to a Message T ype.

The maximum Message length is 39-bytes. A discussion of the contents of all the Message Fields is beyond the scope of th is article.