WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A communication system, comprising; at least two devices, including a transmitter and at least one repeater; and a link which couples the transmitter to the repeater, wherein the repeater includes a router having a router access address and a unique router address, and the repeater is configured to perform a management function in response to a management function command and the router access address, and to perform at least one other function in response to a second command but only if the second command is accompanied by the router address.
2. The system of claim 1, also including a second repeater and a second link which couples the transmitter to the second repeater, and wherein the router access address is shared by the repeater and the second repeater. . The system of claim 1 , wherein the repeater is configured to respond to assertion of the router address of its router in at least one manner other than by performing said other function in response to the second command accompanied by said router address. 0 4. The system of claim I , wherein the management function is one of an identification, status checking, and control function.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter and the repeater are configured to implement a split transaction comprising a first part and a second part,5 wherein during the first part the transmitter sends at least an address and a connnand to the repeater and receives a first acknowledgement indicating that an operation in response to the address and the command has begun but is not yet finished, and wherein during the second part the transmitter receives one of an error acknowledgment and a completion acknowledgement from the repeater.
6. The system of claim 1 , also including a second repeater and a second link which couples the repeater to the second repeater, and wherein the management
function is an operation in which the router obtains data from the second repeater and forwards the data to the transmitter,
7. The system of claim 1, also including a second repeater and a second linlc which couples the repeater to the second repeater, and wherein the management function is an operation in which the router forwards at least one of data, an address, and a command to the second repeater.
S. The system of claim 1, wherein the repeater has at least one additional address that is not unique to said repeater.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one additional address includes an identification data address, and the transmitter is configured to assert the identification data address to trigger an access to a memory that contains identification data.
10. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one additional address includes a content protection address.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the repeater has a content protection subsystem, and the transmitter is configured to assert the content protection address to the repeater to trigger an access to the content protection subsystem.
12. The system of claim 1, also including a receiver and a second link which couples the repeater to the receiver, and wherein the receiver has at least one address that is not unique to said receiver.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the receiver has an identification data address that is not unique to said receiver, the system also includes a memory that contains identification data, the memory is in or associated with the receiver, and the transmitter is configured to assert the identification data address to trigger an access to said memory.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein the receiver has a content protection address that is not unique to said receiver.
15. The system of claim 1, wherein the second command is a command for the router to perform at least one of an identification, status checking, and control operation.
16. The system of claim 15, also including a device and a second link which couples the repeater to the device, and wherein the management function command is a command for the router to forward data to the device, and said router is configured to execute the management function command in response to receipt by the repeater of said management function command accompanied by the data and said router access address. 17. The system of claim 1, also including a device and a second link which couples the repeater to the device, and wherein the management function command is a command for the router to forward data to the device, and said router is configured to execute the management function command in response to receipt by the repeater of said management function command accompanied by the data and the router access address.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the second command is said management function command, and t e router is configured to execute said management function command and to perform at least one internal operation in response to the data, in response to receipt by the repeater of said management function comm nd accompanied by said data, the router access address, and the router address.
19. The system of claim 1, also including a device and a second link which couples the repeater to the device, and wherein the second command is a command to forward data to the device, and the router is configured to execute the second command, and perform at least one internal operation, in response to the data, in
response to receipt by the repeater of said second command accompanied by said data, the router access address, and the router address.
20. The system of claim 1, also including a second repeater, a second link which couples the repeater to the second repeater, a third repeater, and a third linlc which couples the repeater to the third repeater, wherein the management function command is a broadcast command, and the router is configured to execute the broadcast command by forwarding the broadcast command to the second repeater and the third repeater and to perform at least one internal operation in response to the broadcast command, in response to receipt by the repeater of said broadcast command accompanied by the router access address.
21. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system has a tree structure including a root node and additional nodes of at least two different degrees relative to the root node, the transmitter is the root node, and the repeater is a primary repeater, and also including: at least one other device coupled to the primary repeater downstream from said primary repeater, wherein each o the primary repeater and said at least one other device is one ofthe additional nodes.
22. The system of claim 21, wherein said at least one other device is a receiver that is not a repeater.
23. The system of claim 21 , wherein the management function is one of an identification, status checking, and control function.
24. The system of claim 21, wherein the primary repeater includes a first router, and the management function is an operation in which the first router obtains data from a repeater connected downstream of said first router and forwards the data to the transmitter.
25. The system of claim 21, wherein the primary repeater includes a first router, and the management function is an operation in which the first router forwards at least one of data, an address, and a command to a repeater conned ed downstream from said first router.
26, The system of claim 21, wherein the primary repeater includes a first router, and the second command is a command for the first router to perform at least one of an identification, status checking, and control operation. 27. The system of claim 26, wherein the management function command is a command for the first router to forward data to a downstream device, and the first router is configured to execute the management function command in response to receipt by the primary repeater of said management function command accompanied by the data and the first router's router access address.
28. The system of claim 21, wherein the primary repeater includes a first router, the management fimction command is a command for the first router to forward data to a downstream device, and the first router is configured to execute the management function command in response to receipt by the primary repeater of said management function command accompanied by the data and the first router's router access address,
29. The system of claim 28, wherein the second command is said management function command, and the first router is configured to execute said management function command and to perform at least one internal operation in response to the data, in response to receipt by the primary repeater of said management function command accompanied by said data, the first router's router access address, and the first router's router address.
30. The system of claim 21, wherein the primary repeater includes a first router, the second command is a command to forward data to a downstream device, and the first router is configured to execute the second command and perform at least no
internal operation in response to the data, in response to receipt by the primary repeater of said second command accompanied by said data, the first router's router access address, and the first router's router address. 3 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the primary repeater includes a first router, the management function command is a broadcast command, and the first router is configured to execute the broadcast command by forwarding the broadcast command to each repeater coupled downstream from the first router and to perform at least one internal operation in response to the broadcast command, in response to receipt by the primary repeater of said broadcast command accompanied by the first router* s router access address.
32. The system of claim 21, wherein the primary repeater, and at least one said device coupled to the primary repeater downstream from said primary repeater, are configured to implement a split transaction comprising a first part and a second part, wherein during the first part the primary repeater sends at least an address and a • command to the device and receives a first aclαiowledge ent indicating that an operation in response to the address and the command has begun but is not yet finished, and wherein during the second part the primary repeater receives one of an error acknowledgment and a completion acknowledgement from the device.
33. The system of claim 21, wherein each o the primary repeater and each said other device that is a repeater is configured to gather data that characterizes the structure of each branch of the system that is downstream therefrom.
34. The system of claim 21 , wherein each said other device that is a repeater includes a router configured to perform a router function both for said repeater itself, and for each branch o the system downstream of said repeater that does not include its own router.
35, The system of claim 1, also including at least one downstream repeater coupled to the repeater, and wherein the repeater is configured to monitor each said
downsvrea router for incorrect operation, and to decouple each said downstream router that performs an incorrect operation.
36, The system of claim 1, wherein the repeater is configured to monitor the status of each branch ofthe system that is downstream of said repeater and to send an indication of a change of status of each said branch upstream to the transmitter.
37. A communication system having a tree structure, including a root node and additional nodes of at least two different degrees relative to the root node, said system including: a transmitter configured to assert commands; and at least one primary repeater, having a first router, and coupled to the transmitter downstream from said transmitter; and at least two secondary repeaters, each having a secondary router and each coupled to the primary repeater downstream from said primary repeater, wherein the transmitter is the root node and each o the primary repeater and the secondary repeaters is one ofthe additional nodes, and wherein the first router is configured to broadcast at least one ofthe commands to the secondary repeaters and to pass responses from the secondary repeaters upstream to the transmitter,
38. The system of claim 37, wherein the transmitter is configured to assert addresses with each of at least some ofthe commands, at least two o the addresses have been assigned to the first router, and at least two ofthe addresses have been assigned to each said secondary router.
39. The system of claim 38, wherein the first router has a router address and a router access address, and the router address but not the router access address is unique to the first router.
40. The system of claim 37, wherein the first router is configured to gather information about the primary repeater and to gather information about the secondary routers from the secondary routers. 41. The system of cl im 37, wherein the first router has a switcliing function that isolates selected branches o the system from said first router, and the first router is configured to use the switching function to gather information about the secondary routers, 42. The system of claim 37, wherein the primary repeater and the secondary repeaters are configured to implement a split transaction comprising a first part and a second part, wherein during the first part the primary repeater sends at least an address and a command to at least one ofthe secondary repeaters and receives a first acknowledgement indicating that an operation in response to the address and the command has begun but is not yet finished, and wherein during the second part the primary repeater receives one of an error acknowledgment and a completion acknowledgement from at least one o the secondary repeaters.
43. The system of claim 37, wherein the transmitter and the primary repeater are configured to implement a split transaction comprising a first part and a second part, wherem during the first part the transmitter sends at least an address and a command to the primary repeater and receives a first acknowledgement indicating that an operation in response to the address and the command has begun but is not yet finished, and wherein during the second part the transmitter receives one of an error acknowledgment and a completion acknowledgement from the primary repeater.
44. The system of claim 37, wherein each ofthe primary repeater and the secondary repeaters is configured to gather data that characterizes the structure of each branch ofthe system that is downstream therefrom.
45. The system of claim 37, wherein each said first router and secondary router is configured to perform a router function both for a repeater that contains it, and for
each branch ofthe system downstream of said repeater that does not include its own router,
46. The system of claim 37, wherein the primary repeater is configured to monitor each ofthe secondary repeaters for incorrect operation and to decouple eaoh of the secondary repeaters that performs an incorrect operation.
47. The system of claim 37, wherein the primary repeater is configured to monitor the status of each branch ofthe system that is downstream therefrom and to send an indication of a change of status of each sai d branch upstream to the transmitter.
48. A communication system having a tree structure, including a root node and additional nodes of at least two different degrees relative to the root node, said system including: a transmitter configured to assert commands; and at least two primary repeaters, each having a first router and each coupled to the transmitter downstream from said transmitter; and at least two secondary repeaters, eaoh having a secondary router and each coupled to one ofthe primary repeaters downstream from said one ofthe primary repeaters, wherein the transmitter is the root node and each ofthe primary repeaters and the secondary repeaters is one ofthe additional nodes, and wherein the transmitter is configured to broadcast at least one o the commands to the primary repeaters, each ofthe primary repeaters is configured to respond to said one o he commands by forwarding said one ofthe commands to each of the secondary repeaters coupled thereto and perforating at least one internal operation in response to said one ofthe commands, and each ofthe primary repeaters is configured to pass responses, from the secondary repeaters coupled thereto, upstream to the transmitter.
49. The system of claim 48, wherein the transmitter is configured to assert addresses with each of at least some of he commands, at least two o the addresses
have been assigned to each said first router, and at least two ofthe addresses have been assigned to each said secondary router.
50. A repeater for use in a communication system, said repeater including: at least one input configured to be coupled to an upstream link; at least one output configured to be coupled to a downstream link; and a router coupled to each said input and each said output, wherein the router has a router access address and a unique router address, the router is configured to perform a management function in response to a management function command and the router access address, and the router is configured to perform at least one other function in response to a second command but only if the second command is accompanied by the router address. 1. The repeater of claim 50, wherein the management function is one of an identification, status checking, and control function.
52. The repeater of claim 50, wherein the management function is an operation in which the router obtains data from a device connected via a downstream linlc to one said output and foiwards the data to another device connected an upstream link to one said input.
53. The repeater of claim 50, wherein the management function is an operation in which the router forwards at least one of data, an address, and a command to a device connected via a downstream link to one said output.
54. The repeater of claim 50, wherein said repeater has at least one additional address that is not unique to said repeater,
55. The repeater of claim 54, wherein the at least one additional address includes an identification data address.
56. The repeater of claim 54, wherein the at least one additional address includes a content protection address,
57. The repeater of claim 50, wherein the at least one other function performed in response to the second command accompanied by the router address is at least one of an identification, status checking, and control operation.
58. The repeater of claim 50, wherein the management function is an operation in which the router forwards data to a device connected via a downstream link to one said output, and the router is configured to perform the management function in response to said management function command accompanied by the data and the router access address.
59. The repeater of claim 50, wherein the management function command is a broadcast command, and the router is configured to execute the broadcast command by forwarding data to each repeater that is connected via a downstream link to one said output and to perform at least one internal operation, in response to said broadcast command accompanied by said data and the router access address. 60. The repeater of claim 50, wherein said repeater is configured to gather data that characterises the structure o each branch of the system that is coupled via a downstream link to one said output.
61. The repeater of claim 50, wherein the router is configured to perform a router function both for the repeater itself, and for each branch of the system that is coupled via a downstream link to one said output and does not include its own router.
62. The repeater of claim 50, wherein the repeater is configu ed to monitor each downstream router that is coupled via a downstream link to one said output for incorrect operation, and to disconnect each said downstream router that performs an incorrect operation.
63. The repeater of claim 50, wherein the repeater is configured to monitor the status of each branch of he system that is coupled via a downstream link to one said output, and to send an indication of a change of status of each said branch to a transmitter coupled via an upstream link to one said input.
64. A repeater for use in a communication system having a tree structure having a root node that is a transmitter and additional nodes of at least two different degrees relative to the root node, said repeater including: at least one input configured to be coupled via an upstream link to the transmitter; at least two outputs, each configured to be coupled to a different one ofthe additional nodes via a different one of a set of downstream links; and a router coupled to each said input and each ofthe outputs, wherein the router is configured to respond to at least one command by broadcasting the command to other repeaters coupled via the downstream links to the outputs and passing responses from the other repeaters to one said input,
65. The repeater of claim 64, wherein the router has a router access address and a router address, the router address but nαt the router access address is unique to said router, and the router is configured to respond to the command only if said command is accompanied by the router access address, by broadcasting the command to other repeaters coupled via the downstream links to the outputs and passing responses from the other repeaters to one said input.
66. The repeater of claim 64, wherein the router is configured to gather information about said repeater and about other devices coupled via the downstream links to the outputs. 67. The repeater oFclairn 64, wherein the router has a switching function that isolates selected branches ofthe system from said router, and the router is configured to
use the switching function gather infoπnation about devices coupled via the downstream links to the outputs.
68. The repeater of claim 64, wherein said repeater is configured to gather data that characterizes the structure o f each branch of the system that is coupled via a downstream link to one ofthe outputs.
69. The repeater of claim 64, wherein the router is configured to perform a router function both for the repeater itself, and for each branch ofthe system that is coupled via a downstream linlc to one of the outputs and does not include its own router.
70. The repeater of claim 64, wherein the repeater is configured to monitor each downstream router, that is coupled via a downstream link to one of the outputs, for incorrect operation, and to disconnect each said downstream router that performs an incorrect operation.
71. The repeater of claim 64, wherein the repeater is configured to monitor the status of each branch ofthe system that is coupled via a downstream link to one ofthe outputs, and to send an indication of a change of status of each said branch to one said input.
72. A transmitter for use in a communication system, said transmitter including: at least two outputs, each configured to be coupled to a different link; and circuitry, coupled and configured to assert a management function command and an accompanying router access address to each ofthe outputs for transmission over each link that is coupled to one ofthe outputs, wherein the circuitry is also configured to assert a second command a d an accompanying router address to each of the outputs for transmission over each link that is coupled to one ofthe outputs.
73. The transmitter of claim 72, wherem the management fimction command is a command to perform one of an identification, status checking, and control function.
74. The transmitter of claim 72, wherein the management function command is a command for causing a router to obtain data from a downstream device and to forward the data to said transmitter.
75. The transmitter of claim 72, wherein the management function command is a command for causing a router to forward at least one of data, an address, and a command to a downstream device.
76. The transmitter of claim 72, wherein the second command is a command for a router to perfonn at least one of an identification, status checking, and control operation.
77. The transmitter of claim 72, wherein the circuitry is configured to assert data with the management function command to each ofthe outputs, and wherein the management function command is a broadcast command for causing a router to forward the data to each repeater coupled to said router and causing the router to perform at least one internal operation.
78. A transmitter for use in a communication system having a tree structure having a root node that is said transmitter and additional nodes of at least two different degrees relative to the root node, said transmitter including: at least two outputs, each configured to be coupled to a different linlc; and circuitry, coupled and configured to assert a broadcast command to each ofthe outputs for transmission over each link that is coupled to one ofthe outputs, wherein the broadcast command is a command for causing a router to forward said broadcast command to each repeater coupled to said router and causing the router to perform at least one internal operation.
79. A method for designing a tree-structured communication system that is to include a transmitter configured to assert addresses and commands, at least one primary repeater having a primary router and configured to be coupled to the transmitter downstream from said transmitter, and at least two secondary repealers, each having a secondary router and configured to be coupled to the primary repeater downstream from said primary repeater, said method including the steps of; assigning a router access address to each of the secondary routers, such that all ofthe secondary routers share the router access address; and assigning a unique router address to each said primary router and each ofthe secondary routers, such that no two of the primary and secondary routers shai'e one said router address.
80. The method of claim 79, also including the step of assigning the router access address to each said primary router, such that all ofthe primary and secondary routers share said router access address.
81. The method of claim 79, also including the step of assigning at least one additional address to each ofthe secondary repeaters, such that all ofthe secondary routers share each said additional address.
82. The method of claim 81, wherein the at least one additional address includes an identification data address for use in triggering an access to a memory that contains identification data, 83. The method of claim 81, wherein the at least one additional address includes a content protection address.