Self coordinated machine network

• US 20040114557A1
• Filed: 04/23/2002
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Machinetalker Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Machinetalker Incorporated
• Inventors: Bryan, Roland F., Kleveland, Chris T., Harris, Mark P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,184,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/00 Interfaces specially adapted for wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A self coordinated machine network is established by two or more machines in proximity with each other via a wired or wireless network infrastructure. The machines are configured to establish an ad hoc network between themselves for sharing information related to their common applications. New machines that come into proximity of the network infrastructure are configured to join an existing ad hoc network. Machines that power down or are removed from proximity of the network infrastructure are eliminated from the ad hoc network. Communications between the constituent machines of the ad hoc network allow the machines to self coordinate the network and redundantly store information pertaining to the common and disparate applications of the various machines that comprise the self coordinated machine network.

Claims

1. A communication device for enabling ad hoc networking between machines, the communication device communicatively coupled with a communication network and electrically coupled with a machine, the communication device comprising:

a network interface adaptable to communicate over a wireless communication network;

a machine interface adaptable to communicate over a communications bus;

a controller having a sensor, an actuator, a link interface, and a bus controller, wherein the link interface manages communications between the controller and the network interface and wherein the bus controller manages communications between the controller and the machine interface; and

a data storage area communicatively coupled with the controller, wherein the controller is configured to obtain machine profile information via the machine interface and store the machine profile information in the data storage area.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to sense information from a machine via the machine interface and provide the information to the controller.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the actuator is configured receive commands from the controller and initiate actions on a machine via the machine interface.

4. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to provide the machine profile from the data storage area via the network interface.

5. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to communicate using the simple machine management protocol.

6. A system for redundant storage of information in a local community of machines communicatively coupled via an ad hoc network, the system comprising:

a plurality of devices communicatively coupled via a communication network, each device in electrical communication with a machine and each device comprising;

a network interface;

a machine interface; and

a controller communicatively coupled with a data storage area, the controller having a sensor, an actuator, a link interface, and a bus controller, wherein the link interface manages communications over the network interface between the device and the communication network and the bus controller manages communications over the machine interface between the device and its respective machine; and

wherein each device gathers information from its respective machine via the sensor and causes its respective machine to take action via the actuator, and wherein data reflecting the gathered information and the initiated actions is shared with each of the plurality of devices over the communication network and each of the plurality of devices stores the data.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the communication network is a wireless communication network.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the communication network is a wired communication network.

9. A method for a device coupled with a host machine to join a local community of devices communicatively coupled over an ad hoc network, the method comprising:

obtaining a set of behavioral characteristics for the device;

querying a host machine to build a host data file, the host data file comprising profile information pertaining to the host machine;

storing the host data file in a data storage area;

querying the ad hoc network to build a community data file, the community data file comprising profile information pertaining to one or more devices communicatively coupled via the ad hoc network;

storing the community data file in the data storage area; and

reporting to a remote station a status pertaining to the behavioral characteristics, the host data file, and the community data file.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the obtaining step further comprises consulting a database to determine the set of behavioral characteristics.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the obtaining step further comprises consulting a remote station to determine the set of behavioral characteristics.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the obtaining step further comprises consulting the ad hoc network to determine the set of behavioral characteristics.

13. A system for remote actuation of a machine over a communication network, the system comprising:

a machine having a first communication device, the first communication device comprising a network interface, a machine interface, and a controller;

a control station having a second communication device, the second communication device adaptable to communicate with the first communication device; and

a user access station having a user interface and a third communication device, the third communication device adaptable to communicate with the second communication device, wherein the user access station receives a machine actuation command via the user interface and provides the machine actuation command to the control station via the third communication device and the control station receives the machine actuation command via the second communications device and provides the machine actuation command to the machine via the second communications device and the machine receives the machine actuation command via the first communications device and the controller executes the machine actuation command.