Priority based arbitration for TDMA schedule enforcement in a multi-channel system

• US 20050129055A1
• Filed: 11/19/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Zumsteg, Philip J., Driscoll, Kevin R., Hall, Brendan
• Granted Patent: US 7,907,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/461
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/43 with synchronous transmission, e.g. time division multiplex [TDM], slotted rings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/44 Star or tree networks

Abstract

A multi-channel TDMA network having priority based is provided. A network includes a plurality of channels, and a plurality of nodes adapted to transmit and received data. Through each channel, every node is coupled to communicate data with every other node. Within each channel, each node is assigned a unique priority rank. Only the node with the highest priority rank is permitted to transmit data during a time slot. For each channel of the multi-channel network, the plurality of nodes are ranked in a different priority direction.

Claims

1. A multi-channel network having priority based arbitration, the network comprising:

a plurality of nodes, wherein each of the plurality of nodes is adapted to transmit and receive data;

two or more hubs, each hub having communication links with the plurality of nodes, wherein the communication links between any one hub and the plurality of nodes defines a first channel of the multi-channel network;

wherein each node is adapted to communicate with every other node through the two or more hubs; and

two or more guardians, wherein each guardian is associated with one of the two or more hubs;

wherein each node is adapted to transmit during a time slot;

wherein for each channel of the multi-channel network, each node is assigned a unique priority rank;

wherein for each channel of the multi-channel network, the unique priority rank for each of the plurality of nodes are in different directions;

wherein a first of the two or more guardians determines which of the plurality of nodes is permitted to transmit data during associated time slots by permitting only a winning node with the highest assigned priority rank to transmit through the channel.

2. The network of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more electronic devices in communication with the plurality of nodes, wherein the one or more electronic devices include one or more of;

sensors, processors, actuators, controllers, and input devices.

3. The network of claim 1, wherein the multi-channel network is a TDMA network and the time slot is a TDMA slot.

4. The network of claim 1, wherein the multi-channel network is a TTP/C protocol network.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein each of the two or more guardians is located within an associated hub of the two or more hubs.

6. The network of claim 1, wherein each node of the plurality of nodes transmits an preamble signal to the two or more guardians to indicate the intention to transmit.

7. The network of claim 6, wherein preamble signals are transmitted from each node of the plurality of nodes to the two or more guardians on communication links carrying data.

8. The network of claim 6, wherein preamble signals are transmitted from each node of the plurality of nodes to the two or more guardians on communication links other than communication links carrying data.

9. The network of claim 6, wherein the first guardian is adapted to observe the receipt of a first preamble signal from a first node of the plurality of nodes;

wherein when the first guardian observes the receipt of a second preamble signal from a second node of the plurality of nodes within a predefined time interval, then the first guardian permits only one of the first node or the second node to transmit through the associated channel;

wherein the first guardian permits the first node to transmit if the first node has a higher priority rank than the second node;

wherein the first guardian permits the second node to transmit if the second node has a higher priority rank than the first node;

wherein when the first guardian does not observe the receipt of a second preamble signal within the predefined time interval, the first guardian permits the first node transmit through the associated channel.

10. The network of claim 9, wherein the predefined time interval is equal to π

.

11. The network of claim 9, wherein the predefined time interval is equal to π

plus a signal propagation delay constant.

12. The network of claim 1, wherein each guardian further comprises:

a memory, wherein the unique priority ranking for each node of the plurality of nodes is stored in the memory.

13. The network of claim 12, wherein the memory can be reprogrammed to change unique priority ranking for each node of the plurality of nodes.

14. The network of claim 13, wherein the memory can be reprogrammed through the plurality of nodes.

15. The network of claim 1, wherein each hub further comprises:

a plurality of ports, wherein each node of the plurality of nodes is coupled to each hub of the two or more hubs through one port;

wherein, the unique priority ranking for each node of the plurality of nodes is determined by which port of the plurality of ports, it is coupled to.

16. The network of claim 1, wherein each guardian of the two or more guardians is synchronized with the plurality of nodes though a plurality of beacons transmitted by a plurality of the plurality of nodes.

17. The network of claim 1, wherein nodes of the plurality of nodes and the two or more guardians are adapted to implement port driven authentication;

wherein when nodes of the plurality of nodes receive differing data on diverse channels, the nodes of the plurality of nodes accept data only from an authorized node;

wherein the authorized node is the node of the plurality of nodes authorized by protocol to transmit during the time slot.

18. A network, comprising:

a plurality of sub-networks; and

a plurality of nodes adapted to transmit and receive data, wherein through each sub-network every node is coupled to communicate with every other node;

wherein for each sub-network each node is assigned a unique priority rank;

wherein one winning node of the plurality of nodes is identified as having the highest priority rank for at least one sub-network and is permitted to transmit during a time slot;

wherein for each sub-network the plurality of nodes are ranked in a different priority direction.

19. The network of claim 18, further comprising:

one or more electronic devices in communication with the plurality of nodes, wherein the one or more electronic devices include one or more of;

sensors, processors, actuators, controllers, and input devices.

20. The network of claim 18, wherein the network is a TDMA network.

21. The network of claim 18, wherein the network is a TTP/C protocol network.

22. The network of claim 18, wherein a first sub-network of the plurality of sub-networks further comprises:

one or more hubs, wherein each node of the plurality of nodes is coupled to at least one hub of the one or more hubs, wherein the one or more hubs are adapted to communicate with each other.

23. The network of claim 22, wherein the one or more hubs communicate to each other over one or more full duplex communication links.

24. The network of claim 22, wherein the one or more hubs communicate to each other over one or more half duplex communication links.

25. The network of claim 22, each sub-network of the plurality of sub-networks further comprising:

one or more guardians, wherein each guardian of the one or more guardians is associated with one hub of the one or more hubs, wherein the one or more guardians allow only the one winning node of the plurality of nodes with the highest priority rank to transmit through the sub-network during the time slot.

26. The network of claim 25, wherein each node of the plurality of nodes transmits a preamble signal when it intends to transmit.

27. The network of claim 26, wherein preamble signals and data are diversely communicated from each node of the plurality of nodes to the one or more guardians.

28. The network of claim 26, wherein each guardian of the one or more guardians is adapted to observe the receipt of a first preamble signal from a first node;

wherein when a first guardian of the one or more guardians observes the receipt of a second preamble signal from a second node within a predefined time interval, then the first guardian permits only one of the first node or the second node to transmit through the associated sub-network;

wherein the first guardian permits the first node to transmit if the first node has a higher priority rank than the second node;

wherein the first guardian permits the second node to transmit if the second node has a higher priority rank than the first node;

wherein when the first guardian does not observe the receipt of a second preamble signal within the predefined time interval, the first guardian permits the first node transmit through the associated channel.

29. The network of claim 28, wherein each guardian of the one or more guardians has a different predefined time interval based on the relative priority of nodes coupled directly to the guardian'"'"'s associated hub.

30. The network of claim 25, wherein each guardian of the one or more guardians further comprises:

a memory, wherein unique priority ranks for nodes is stored in the memory.

31. The network of claim 30, wherein the memory can be reprogrammed to change unique priority ranking for each node of the plurality of nodes.

32. The network of claim 31, wherein the memory can be reprogrammed through the plurality of nodes.

33. The network of claim 25, wherein each hub of the one or more hubs further comprises:

a plurality of ports, wherein each node of the plurality of nodes is coupled to each hub of the one or more hubs through one port of the plurality of ports, wherein, the unique priority rank for each node of the plurality of nodes is determined by which port of the plurality of ports, the node is couple to.

34. The network of claim 25, wherein each guardian of the one or more guardians is synchronized with the plurality of nodes though a plurality of beacons transmitted by the plurality of nodes.

35. The network of claim 25, wherein nodes of the plurality of nodes and the one or more guardians are adapted to implement port driven authentication;

wherein when nodes of the plurality of nodes receive differing data on diverse channels, the nodes of the plurality of nodes accept data only from an authorized node;

wherein the authorized node is the node of the plurality of nodes authorized by protocol to transmit during the time slot.

36. A method of priority based arbitration for a central guardian of one channel of a TDMA multi-channel network, the method comprising:

assigning a unique priority rank to each of a plurality of nodes coupled to the one channel;

observing the receipt of a first preamble signal indicating the intention of a first node of the plurality of nodes to transmit during a time slot;

observing the receipt of a second preamble signal indicating the intention of a second node of the plurality of nodes to transmit during the time slot within a predefined time interval of observing the receipt of the first preamble signal;

when the first node has a higher priority rank than the second node, allowing only the first node to transmit through the one channel during the time slot; and

when the second node has a higher priority rank than the first node, allowing only the second node to transmit through the one channel during the time slot;

wherein for each channel of the multi-channel network, the unique priority rank direction is different.

37. A network comprising:

means for priority based arbitration for a centralized guardian with a plurality of nodes of a multi-channel network;

means for assigning a unique priority rank to each of the plurality of nodes coupled to a first channel of the multi-channel network;

means for observing the receipt of a first preamble signal indicating the intention of a first node of the plurality of nodes to transmit during the a time slot;

means for observing the receipt of a second preamble signal indicating the intention of a second node of the plurality of nodes to transmit during the time slot within a predefined time interval of observing the receipt of the first preamble signal;

when the first node has a higher priority rank than the second node, means for allowing only the first node to transmit during the time slot; and

when the second node has a higher priority rank than the first node, means for allowing only the second node to transmit during the time slot;

wherein for each channel of the multi-channel network, the unique priority rank direction is different.

38. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of priority based arbitration for a central guardian of one channel of a TDMA multi-channel network, the method comprising:

assigning a unique priority rank to each node of a plurality of nodes coupled to the one channel;

observing the receipt of a first preamble signal indicating the intention of a first node of the plurality of nodes to transmit during the a time slot;

observing the receipt of a second preamble signal indicating the intention of a second node of the plurality of nodes to transmit during the a time slot within a predefined time interval of observing the receipt of the first preamble signal;

when the first node has a higher priority rank than the second node, allowing only the first node to transmit through the one channel during the time slot; and

when the second node has a higher priority rank than the first node, allowing only the second node to transmit through the one channel during the time slot;

wherein for each channel of the multi-channel network, the unique priority rank direction is different.