Method and apparatus for optimizing communications in a multiplexer network
First Claim
1. An apparatus for optimizing multiplexer communications comprising:
- a host;
a multiplexer; and
an instrument device;
the host arranged to run a host software and to send a first message and a plurality of subsequent messages to the multiplexer, each of the messages including an embedded message for the instrument device, the time period between the first message and a first subsequent message defining a long delay;
the multiplexer arranged to strip the embedded message and to forward the embedded message to the instrument device, the multiplexer further arranged to send a response to the host, the response indicative of whether the embedded message has been forwarded to the multiplexer and whether a reply has been received from the instrument device, the multiplexer further arranged to receive and store the reply;
the instrument device arranged to receive and process the embedded message and to send the reply to the multiplexer; and
an optimizing controller operatively coupled to the host, the optimizing controller arranged to;
communicate to the host whether the reply has been received by the multiplexer;
establish a count, the count indicating the number of subsequent messages occurring before the reply has been received by the multiplexer;
assess a message turnaround time, the message turnround time based on the time it takes to transmit any one of the messages to the multiplexer and to receive the response from the multiplexer;
establish a bracket width, the bracket width at least as long as the message turnaround time;
establish a short delay based at least in part on the message turnaround time and the bracket width; and
vary at least one of the long delay and the short delay to minimize the count.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for optimizing multiplexer communications in a system having a host, a multiplexer, and a field instrument device. The host is arranged to run a host software and to transmit a message to the multiplexer, the message including an embedded message for the instrument device. The host re-transmits the message until a response to the message is received from the device via the multiplexer, with the first re-transmission occurring after a long delay and a second and all subsequent re-transmissions occurring after a second time interval. An optimizing controller is arranged to establish a count indicating the number of re-transmissions occurring before the response has been communicated to the host, assess a message turnaround time based on the communication time it takes to transmit the message from the host to the multiplexer and to transmit the response from the multiplexer to the host, establish a bracket width at least as long as the message turnaround time, establish a short delay, and vary at least one of the long delay and the short delay to minimize the count.
8 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An apparatus for optimizing multiplexer communications comprising:
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a host;
a multiplexer; and
an instrument device;
the host arranged to run a host software and to send a first message and a plurality of subsequent messages to the multiplexer, each of the messages including an embedded message for the instrument device, the time period between the first message and a first subsequent message defining a long delay;
the multiplexer arranged to strip the embedded message and to forward the embedded message to the instrument device, the multiplexer further arranged to send a response to the host, the response indicative of whether the embedded message has been forwarded to the multiplexer and whether a reply has been received from the instrument device, the multiplexer further arranged to receive and store the reply;
the instrument device arranged to receive and process the embedded message and to send the reply to the multiplexer; and
an optimizing controller operatively coupled to the host, the optimizing controller arranged to;
communicate to the host whether the reply has been received by the multiplexer;
establish a count, the count indicating the number of subsequent messages occurring before the reply has been received by the multiplexer;
assess a message turnaround time, the message turnround time based on the time it takes to transmit any one of the messages to the multiplexer and to receive the response from the multiplexer;
establish a bracket width, the bracket width at least as long as the message turnaround time;
establish a short delay based at least in part on the message turnaround time and the bracket width; and
vary at least one of the long delay and the short delay to minimize the count. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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2. The apparatus of claim, wherein the optimizing controller is arranged to vary both the long delay and the short delay to minimize the count.
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11. An apparatus for optimizing multiplexer communications comprising:
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a host;
a multiplexer; and
an instrument device;
the host arranged to run a host software and to transmit a message to the multiplexer, the message including an embedded message for the instrument device, the host arranged to re-transmit the message until a response to the message is received from the multiplexer, a first re-transmission occurring after a long delay, a second and all subsequent re-transmissions occurring after a second time interval;
the multiplexer arranged to strip the embedded message and to forward the embedded message to the instrument device, the multiplexer further arranged to indicate to the host whether the embedded message has been received and forwarded to the instrument device and whether the response has been received from the instrument device, the multiplexer further arranged to receive and store the reply until the reply is communicated to the host;
the instrument device arranged to receive and process the embedded message and to communicate the response to the multiplexer; and
an optimizing controller, the optimizing controller arranged to;
establish a count, the count indicating the number of re-transmissions occurring before the response has been communicated to the host;
assess a message turnaround time, the message turnround time based on the communication time it takes to transmit the message from the host to the multiplexer and to transmit the response from the multiplexer to the host;
establish a bracket width, the bracket width at least as long as the message turnaround time;
establish a short delay, the short delay based at least in part on the bracket width and the message turnaround time; and
vary at least one of the long delay and the short delay to minimize the count. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for optimizing communications between a host, a multiplexer, and a field instrument device comprising:
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providing a host controller;
providing a multiplexer; and
providing a field instrument device;
providing a host software for the host controller, the host software arranged to transmit a message to the multiplexer, the message including an embedded message for the instrument device, the host arranged to re-transmit the message until a response to the message is received from the multiplexer, a first re-transmission occurring after a long delay, a second and all subsequent re-transmissions occurring after a second time interval;
arranging the multiplexer to strip the embedded message and to forward the embedded message to the instrument device, the multiplexer further arranged to indicate to the host whether the embedded message has been received and forwarded to the instrument device and whether the response has been received from the instrument device;
the instrument device arranged to receive and process the embedded message and to communicate the response to the multiplexer; and
arranging the host controller to run an optimizing routine, the optimizing routine including;
establishing a count, the count indicating the number of re-transmissions occurring before the response has been communicated to the host;
assessing a message turnaround time, the message turnround time based on the communication time it takes to transmit the message from the host to the multiplexer and to transmit the response from the multiplexer to the host;
establishing a bracket width, the bracket width at least as long as the message turnaround time;
establishing a short delay based on the message turnaround time and the bracket width; and
varying at least one of the long delay and the short delay to minimize the count. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification