Command Code:

cmdSER_TOIIC = 60

The Packet:

0		1		2		3
address		2		cmdSER_TOIIC		data...

data... -

Byte(s) of data received from the serial port of another module.

Description:

In a network of BrainStem modules, a module may be configured to act as a serial relay.  In this mode, the module sends any bytes it receives from its serial port back to the host in a cmdSER_TOIIC packet.

In a network of BrainStem modules, one module acts as a router and manages the serial link to the host .  Since only one module needs to have a serial link with the host, the other serial ports are available for connection to other devices.  The cmdSER_TOIIC command provides a means for a host application to receive arbitrary data from any serial port in the network.  The cmdSER_RELAY command may be used to transmit raw data to any serial port in the network.

A module acting as a serial relay sends a cmdSER_TOIIC packet to the host when it fills up its serial input buffer.  A timeout will occur if no serial bytes arrive in a specified amount of time.  After the timeout, the module sends the remaining data in the serial input buffer to the host in a partially filled cmdSER_TOIIC packet.  The timeout is a system parameter and may be set with a value of 1 to 255.  The timeout is in units of 25.6ms.  A value of 1 gives a minimum timeout of 25.6ms and a value of 255 gives a maximum timeout of 6.528 seconds.  The cmdVAL_SET command may be used to set the timeout parameter.

The recommended IIC baud rate when using raw serial mode in a network of BrainStems is 1MBit/s.  This maximizes the throughput on the IIC bus.  Any serial baud rate may be used, but the serial baud rate of the relay module should match the serial baud rate of the host .  The cmdVAL_SET command can be used to set IIC and serial baud rates.