This section defines the scope of the document, provides a brief history of the Pi-Bus, discusses key features of the Pi-Bus, and provides an overview of the operation of the Pi-Bus.

This document is a handbook intended to accompany AS4710 Pi-Bus standard. The purpose of this document is to provide information to aid users of the Pi-Bus, whether they be implementors of Pi-Bus controllers, architects of systems considering using the Pi-Bus, or programmers who must develop applications in a system which uses the Pi-Bus as the backplane communications bus. This document also provides rationale for many of the Pi-Bus requirements as defined in AS4710 and a discussion of potential enhancements that are being considered for the Pi-Bus.

The following is a mapping of major sections in this document for particular audiences:

a

Overview of Pi-Bus and its capabilities:

Section 1

b

Pi-Bus rationale: Sections 3 , 4 , and 5

c

information for IC designers: Sections 3 , 4 , 5 , 8 , and 9

d

Information for system designers/architects: Sections 1 , 6 , 7 , and 9

e

Information for software designer: Sections 1 , 6 , and 7

The following is a synopsis of the history of the Pi-Bus.