Intelligent sequencing of multiple wireless nodes for transfer between wireless mesh networks in a process control system

• US 10,334,458 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2017
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Diancin, Wynn Gervacio
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Rebecca E
• Application Number:
  US15/585,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20180324609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/83 based on usage prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

A method of sequencing a logical transfer of wireless nodes between wireless mesh networks includes iteratively evaluating each wireless node in a first set of wireless nodes to be transferred. Each evaluation includes a predictive analysis of a source wireless mesh network which tests communications between the gateway of the source wireless mesh network and each of the remaining wireless nodes, and a predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation in a destination wireless mesh network which tests communications between the gateway of the destination wireless mesh network and the wireless node under evaluation. The wireless node under evaluation is appended to a second set of wireless nodes to be transferred in response to the first predictive analysis of the source mesh network, and the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation. The wireless nodes are structured in the second set in order of priority of transfer.

Claims

1. A method of sequencing a logical transfer of multiple wireless nodes between multiple wireless mesh networks, each wireless mesh network comprising a gateway and a plurality of wireless nodes organized in a mesh topology in communication with the gateway, the method comprising:

iteratively evaluating each wireless node in a first set of wireless nodes to be transferred beginning with the first wireless node in the first set, each evaluation comprising;

a first predictive analysis of a source wireless mesh network from which the wireless node is transferred, the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network adapted to test communications between the gateway of the source wireless mesh network without the wireless node under evaluation and each of the remaining wireless nodes within the source wireless mesh network, and identify ones of the remaining wireless nodes that are unable to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network,

a predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation in a destination wireless mesh network to which the wireless node under evaluation is transferred, the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation adapted to test communications between the gateway of the destination wireless mesh network and the wireless node under evaluation, and without wireless nodes to be transferred out of the destination wireless mesh network, and

appending a second set of wireless nodes to be transferred between wireless mesh networks with the wireless node under evaluation in response to the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network, and the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation, the wireless nodes to be transferred being structured in the second set in order of priority of transfer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set comprises a plurality of proper subsets of one or more wireless nodes, the one or more wireless nodes in each of the plurality of proper subsets being in communication with a common gateway and structured therein according to a hop count of a wireless connection with the gateway, and the plurality of proper subsets structured in the first set according to the wireless node having the highest hop count in each proper subset.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising removing the wireless node under evaluation from the first set in response to the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network and the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation before the next iteration.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein each subsequent iteration comprises the evaluation of the first wireless node in the next proper subset within the first set.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein appending the second set of wireless nodes to be transferred between wireless mesh networks with the wireless node under evaluation in response to the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network comprises appending the second set of wireless nodes in response to all remaining wireless nodes are able to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network from the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein appending the second set of wireless nodes to be transferred between wireless mesh networks with the wireless node under evaluation in response to the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation comprises appending the second set of wireless nodes in response to the wireless node under evaluation being able to communicate with the gateway of the destination wireless mesh network from the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising evaluating a wireless node for a blind transfer to the destination wireless mesh network in response to:

(1) at least one remaining wireless node being unable to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network from the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network, or (2) the wireless node under evaluation is unable to communicate with the gateway of the destination wireless mesh network from the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation, the blind transfer evaluation comprising;

structuring the first set of wireless nodes to be transferred into a third set of wireless nodes to be transferred from highest to lowest hop count; and

iteratively evaluating each wireless node in the third set beginning with the first wireless node in the third set until the evaluation identifies a wireless node that allows the remaining wireless nodes in the source wireless mesh network to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network, each evaluation comprising;

a second predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network, the second predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network adapted to test communications between the gateway of the source wireless mesh network without the wireless node under blind transfer evaluation and each of the remaining wireless nodes within the source wireless mesh network, and identify ones of the remaining wireless nodes that are unable to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network, and

appending the second set with an identify wireless node under evaluation from the third set in response to identifying a wireless node from the second predictive analysis that allows the remaining wireless nodes in the source wireless mesh network to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein evaluating a wireless node for a blind transfer to the destination wireless mesh network comprises evaluating a wireless node for a blind transfer to the destination wireless mesh network in response to each of the wireless nodes in the first set having been evaluated using the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein evaluating a wireless node for a blind transfer to the destination wireless mesh network comprises evaluating a wireless node for a blind transfer to the destination wireless mesh network in response to the wireless node under evaluation having been evaluated using the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation and the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation in a threshold number of iterations.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising including the wireless node under evaluation in the destination wireless mesh network for subsequent predictive analyses in response to the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network, and the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation before the next iteration.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising logically and individually transferring each of the plurality of wireless nodes to be transferred in the order of priority of transfer in the second set in response to a command from the gateway of the source wireless mesh network.

12. A method of sequencing a logical transfer of multiple wireless nodes between multiple wireless mesh networks, each wireless mesh network comprising a gateway and a plurality of wireless nodes organized in a mesh topology in communication with the gateway, the method comprising:

iteratively evaluating each wireless node in a first set of wireless nodes to be transferred beginning with the first wireless node in the first set, each evaluation comprising;

a first predictive analysis of a source wireless mesh network from which the wireless node is transferred, the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network adapted to test communications between the gateway of the source wireless mesh network without the wireless node under evaluation and each of the remaining wireless nodes within the source wireless mesh network, and identify ones of the remaining wireless nodes that are unable to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network,

appending a second set of wireless nodes to be transferred between wireless mesh networks with the wireless node under evaluation in response to the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network, the wireless nodes to be transferred being structured in the second set in order of priority of transfer, and

including the wireless node under evaluation in a destination wireless mesh network for subsequent predictive analyses in response to the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first set comprises a plurality of proper subsets of one or more wireless nodes, the one or more wireless nodes in each of the plurality of proper subsets being in communication with a common gateway and structured therein according to a hop count of a wireless connection with the gateway, and the plurality of proper subsets structured in the first set according to the wireless node having the highest hop count in each proper subset.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising removing the wireless node under evaluation from the first set in response to the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein each subsequent iteration comprises the evaluation of the first wireless node in the next proper subset within the first set.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein appending the second set of wireless nodes to be transferred between wireless mesh networks with the wireless node under evaluation in response to the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network comprises appending the second set of wireless nodes in response to all remaining wireless nodes are able to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network from the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising evaluating a wireless node for a blind transfer to a destination wireless mesh network in response to at least one remaining wireless node being unable to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network from the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network, the blind transfer evaluation comprising:

structuring the first set of wireless nodes to be transferred into a third set of wireless nodes to be transferred from highest to lowest hop count; and

iteratively evaluating each wireless node in the third set beginning with the first wireless node in the third set until the evaluation identifies a wireless node that allows the remaining wireless nodes in the source wireless mesh network to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network, each evaluation comprising;

a second predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network, the second predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network adapted to test communications between the gateway of the source wireless mesh network without the wireless node under blind transfer evaluation and each of the remaining wireless nodes within the source wireless mesh network, and identify ones of the remaining wireless nodes that are unable to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network, and

appending the second set with an identify wireless node under evaluation from the third set in response to identifying a wireless node from the second predictive analysis that allows the remaining wireless nodes in the source wireless mesh network to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein evaluating a wireless node for a blind transfer to the destination wireless mesh network comprises evaluating a wireless node for a blind transfer to the destination wireless mesh network in response to each of the wireless nodes in the first set having been evaluated using the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network in a threshold number of iterations.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising logically and individually transferring each of the plurality of wireless nodes to be transferred in the order of priority of transfer in the second set in response to a command from the gateway of the source wireless mesh network.

20. A method of sequencing a logical transfer of multiple wireless nodes between multiple wireless mesh networks, each wireless mesh network comprising a gateway and a plurality of wireless nodes organized in a mesh topology in communication with the gateway, the method comprising:

iteratively evaluating each wireless node in a first set of wireless nodes to be transferred beginning with the first wireless node in the first set, each evaluation comprising;

a predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation in a destination wireless mesh network to which the wireless node under evaluation is transferred, the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation adapted to test communications between the gateway of the destination wireless mesh network and the wireless node under evaluation, and without wireless nodes to be transferred out of the destination wireless mesh network, and

appending a second set of wireless nodes to be transferred between wireless mesh networks with the wireless node under evaluation in response to the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation, the wireless nodes to be transferred being structured in the second set in order of priority of transfer.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first set comprises a plurality of proper subsets of one or more wireless nodes, the one or more wireless nodes in each of the plurality of proper subsets being in communication with a common gateway and structured therein according to a hop count of a wireless connection with the gateway, and the plurality of proper subsets structured in the first set according to the wireless node having the highest hop count in each proper subset.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising removing the wireless node under evaluation from the first set in response to the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation before the next iteration.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein each subsequent iteration comprises the evaluation of the first wireless node in the next proper subset within the first set.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein appending the second set of wireless nodes to be transferred between wireless mesh networks with the wireless node under evaluation in response to the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation comprises appending the second set of wireless nodes in response to the wireless node under evaluation being able to communicate with the gateway of the destination wireless mesh network from the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising evaluating a wireless node for a blind transfer to the destination wireless mesh network in response to the wireless node under evaluation is unable to communicate with the gateway of the destination wireless mesh network from the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation, the blind transfer evaluation comprising:

structuring the first set of wireless nodes to be transferred into a third set of wireless nodes to be transferred from highest to lowest hop count; and

iteratively evaluating each wireless node in the third set beginning with the first wireless node in the third set until the evaluation identifies a wireless node that allows the remaining wireless nodes in the source wireless mesh network to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network, each evaluation comprising;

a predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network, the predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network adapted to test communications between the gateway of the source wireless mesh network without the wireless node under blind transfer evaluation and each of the remaining wireless nodes within the source wireless mesh network, and identify ones of the remaining wireless nodes that are unable to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network, and

appending the second set with an identify wireless node under evaluation from the third set in response to identifying a wireless node from the predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network that allows the remaining wireless nodes in the source wireless mesh network to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein evaluating a wireless node for a blind transfer to the destination wireless mesh network comprises evaluating a wireless node for a blind transfer to the destination wireless mesh network in response to the wireless node under evaluation having been evaluated using the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation in a threshold number of iterations.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising including the wireless node under evaluation in the destination wireless mesh network for subsequent predictive analyses in response to the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation before the next iteration.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising logically and individually transferring each of the plurality of wireless nodes to be transferred in the order of priority of transfer in the second set in response to a command from the gateway of the source wireless mesh network.

29. A process control system comprising:

a plurality of wireless mesh networks, each mesh network having a gateway and a plurality of wireless nodes communicatively coupled to the gateway;

a network manager communicatively coupled to each gateway and adapted to iteratively evaluate each wireless node in a first set of wireless nodes to be transferred beginning with the first wireless node in the first set, each evaluation comprising;

a first predictive analysis of a source wireless mesh network from which the wireless node is transferred, the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network adapted to test communications between the gateway of the source wireless mesh network without the wireless node under evaluation and each of the remaining wireless nodes within the source wireless mesh network, and identify ones of the remaining wireless nodes that are unable to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network,

a predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation in a destination wireless mesh network to which the wireless node under evaluation is transferred, the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation adapted to test communications between the gateway of the destination wireless mesh network and the wireless node under evaluation, and without wireless nodes to be transferred out of the destination wireless mesh network, and

appending a second set of wireless nodes to be transferred between wireless mesh networks with the wireless node under evaluation in response to the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network, and the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation, the wireless nodes to be transferred being structured in the second set in order of priority of transfer.

30. The process control system of claim 29, wherein the first set comprises a plurality of proper subsets of one or more wireless nodes, the one or more wireless nodes in each of the plurality of proper subsets being in communication with a common gateway and structured therein according to a hop count of a wireless connection with the gateway, and the plurality of proper subsets structured in the first set according to the wireless node having the highest hop count in each proper subset.

31. The process control system of claim 30, wherein the evaluation further comprises removing the wireless node under evaluation from the first set in response to the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network and the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation before the next iteration.

32. The process control system of claim 30, wherein each subsequent iteration comprises the evaluation of the first wireless node in the next proper subset within the first set.

33. The process control system of claim 29, wherein appending the second set of wireless nodes to be transferred between wireless mesh networks with the wireless node under evaluation in response to the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network comprises appending the second set of wireless nodes in response to all remaining wireless nodes are able to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network from the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network.

34. The process control system of claim 29, wherein appending the second set of wireless nodes to be transferred between wireless mesh networks with the wireless node under evaluation in response to the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation comprises appending the second set of wireless nodes in response to the wireless node under evaluation being able to communicate with the gateway of the destination wireless mesh network from the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation.

35. The process control system of claim 29, wherein the network manager is adapted to evaluate a wireless node for a blind transfer to the destination wireless mesh network in response to:

(1) at least one remaining wireless node being unable to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network from the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network, or (2) the wireless node under evaluation is unable to communicate with the gateway of the destination wireless mesh network from the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation, the blind transfer evaluation comprising;

structuring the first set of wireless nodes to be transferred into a third set of wireless nodes to be transferred from highest to lowest hop count; and

iteratively evaluating each wireless node in the third set beginning with the first wireless node in the third set until the evaluation identifies a wireless node that allows the remaining wireless nodes in the source wireless mesh network to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network, each evaluation comprising;

a second predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network, the second predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network adapted to test communications between the gateway of the source wireless mesh network without the wireless node under blind transfer evaluation and each of the remaining wireless nodes within the source wireless mesh network, and identify ones of the remaining wireless nodes that are unable to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network, and

appending the second set with an identify wireless node under evaluation from the third set in response to identifying a wireless node from the second predictive analysis that allows the remaining wireless nodes in the source wireless mesh network to communicate with the gateway of the source wireless mesh network.

36. The process control system of claim 35, wherein the network manager is adapted to evaluate a wireless node for a blind transfer to the destination wireless mesh network in response to each of the wireless nodes in the first set having been evaluated using the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation.

37. The process control system of claim 35, wherein the network manager is adapted to evaluate a wireless node for a blind transfer to the destination wireless mesh network in response to the wireless node under evaluation having been evaluated using the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation and the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation in a threshold number of iterations.

38. The process control system of claim 29, wherein the evaluation further comprises including the wireless node under evaluation in the destination wireless mesh network for subsequent predictive analyses in response to the first predictive analysis of the source wireless mesh network, and the predictive analysis of the wireless node under evaluation before the next iteration.

39. The process control system of claim 29, wherein the network manager is adapted to logically and individually transfer each of the plurality of wireless nodes to be transferred in the order of priority of transfer in the second set in response to a command from the gateway of the source wireless mesh network.