METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SETTING PARAMETERS OF A FIELD STATION IN A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

• US 20060273906A1
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Emmanuel, Michel
• Granted Patent: US 7,436,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/73 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

The subject of the present invention is a method for setting parameters of a field station (St) equipped with an antenna (An) for exchanging data in a contactless manner through RFID technology with electronic tags (Et1, Et2, EP), equipped with a signalling unit (1) and equipped with electronic circuits including a memory (M) containing at least one parameter. The invention consists in particular in determining a field station parameter as a function of the time in which an electronic setting tag (EP) remains within the range of the field station antenna (An) and in transmitting a signal using a signalling unit (1) when the parameter of the field station (St) is being modified. The invention applies for example to the setting of an address of the field station (St) in a communications network.

Claims

1. Method for setting parameters of a field station (St) equipped with an antenna (An) for exchanging data in a contactless manner through inductive RFID technology with electronic tags (Et1, Et2, EP), and equipped with electronic circuits including a memory (M) containing at least one parameter, wherein in said method, the field station (St) implements steps for:

recognizing an electronic setting tag (EP) when the said electronic setting tag passes within the range of the antenna (An),

initializing the parameter of the station (St) at the moment when the field station (St) recognizes the electronic setting tag (EP),

determining the parameter of the field station (St) as a function of the time in which the electronic setting tag (EP) remains within the range of the antenna (An), and

transmitting a signal using a signalling unit (1) when the parameter of the field station (St) is being modified.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the determination of the parameter consists in incrementing the parameter at a predefined frequency while the electronic setting tag (EP) remains within the range of the antenna (An).

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the signalling unit (1) includes a light-emitting diode emitting a flash of light each time the parameter increments.

4. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the method also consists in transmitting, using the signalling unit, a number of signals corresponding to the parameter of the field station (St) stored in the memory (M), when the electronic setting tag (EP) is no longer within the range of the antenna (An) of the field station (St).

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein the signalling unit (1) includes a light-emitting diode emitting at regular intervals flashes of light, the number of such flashes being equal to the parameter of the field station (St) stored in the memory (M).

6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the step for recognizing the electronic setting tag (EP) is carried out after the field station (St) is powered up, by presenting an electronic setting tag (EP) within the range of its antenna (An).

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the parameter to be updated is an address identifying the field station (St) in a communications network.

8. System for setting parameters of a field station (St) equipped with an antenna (An) and with electronic circuits including a memory (M) containing at least one parameter and able to exchange data in a contactless manner through inductive technology with electronic tags (Et1, Et2, EP), wherein the system includes an electronic setting tag (EP) and in that the field station (St) includes means for recognizing the electronic setting tag (EP), means for determining the parameter as a function of the time in which the electronic setting tag (EP) remains within the range of the antenna (An) and a signalling unit (1) capable of transmitting a signal when the parameter of the field station (St) is being modified.

9. System according to claim 8, wherein the determination means initialize the parameter of the field station (St) when the electronic setting tag (EP) arrives within the range of the antenna (An).

10. System according to claim 9, wherein the determination means increment the parameter of the field station (St) at a predefined frequency while the electronic setting tag (EP) remains within the range of the antenna (An).

11. System according to claim 10, wherein that the signalling unit (1) includes a light-emitting diode emitting a flash of light each time the parameter of the field station (St) increments.

12. System according to one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the signalling unit is capable of transmitting a number of signals corresponding to the parameter of the field station (St) stored in the memory (M), when the electronic setting tag (EP) is no longer within the range of the antenna (An).

13. System according to claim 12, wherein the signalling unit (1) includes a light-emitting diode emitting at regular intervals flashes of light, the number of such flashes being equal to the stored parameter of the field station (St).

14. System according to one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the recognition means are executed each time the field station (St) is powered up.

15. System according to one of claims 8 to 14, wherein the parameter to be updated is an address identifying the field station (St) in a communications network.