System and method for resolving contention among a plurality of asynchronous bus master devices connected to a common bus

Independent asynchronous bus master devices share a common bus with control lines serially connecting each bus master in a daisy-chain configuration. A Bus Acknowledge signal (34) is received by a local bus master which is thereby enabled (31, 33) to seize control of the bus without an input synchronization delay by first inhibiting (signal 40) synchronization means (41, 41 A, 42, 43) to prevent the passage of the Bus Acknowledge signal (34) to a downstream device for a period of time sufficient to stabilize a Bus Acknowledge Pass signal (44) indicating such passage. In that manner, the Bus Acknowledge signal (44) may be used to control the immediate enabling of local bus seizure thereby avoiding local synchronization delay.