METHOD FOR CONFIGURING A NODE OF AN INDUSTRIAL WIRELESS NETWORK

• US 20090224906A1
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Research Ltd. (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Svensson, Stefan, BALGARD, Lennart, Lennvall, Tomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,165,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/4026 Bus for use in automation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0809 Plug-and-play configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0879 Manual configuration through operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method for joining a wireless node of a field device such as a sensor or actuator to a wireless network connected to an industrial monitoring or control system. A handheld wireless device is utilized including hardware and software for communicating with the wireless node of a field device. A new communication configuration necessary for the new node to use in order to join the wireless network is sent from the handheld device to a new node. A wireless handheld device and an industrial monitoring or control system and a computer program.

Claims

1. A method for joining a wireless node of a field device to a first wireless network connected to an industrial monitoring or control system using a wireless configuration device, said wireless node being preconfigured for operation with a second wireless network, the method comprising:

sending with said second wireless network from said wireless configuration device to at least one new wireless node communication configuration information necessary for the new wireless node of a field device to join said first wireless network.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending the communication configuration information from said wireless configuration device to the new wireless node of a field device, using said second wireless network and utilizing the same wireless hardware used for communicating with said first wireless network.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless technology of said first wireless network is arranged compatible with an industrial standard for wireless communication.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless technology of said first wireless network is arranged compatible with a WirelessHART standard.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending the communication configuration information for the new wireless node of a field device to join said first wireless network which communication configuration comprises information to identify the said first wireless network (4).

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending to the new wireless node communication configuration information necessary for joining said first network with a data that comprises a security key or code for the new node to be accepted in said first wireless network.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending to the new wireless node communication configuration information necessary for joining said first network comprising an identity of the new wireless node of a field device in said first wireless network.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending to the new wireless node communication configuration information necessary for joining said first network comprising an identity of the new said wireless node in said industrial monitoring or control system.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending from the new wireless node to said wireless configuration device communication configuration information that comprises a unique hardware identity of the new wireless node.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending from said wireless configuration device to said first wireless network communication configuration information about the new node comprising any from the group of;

device role name, device tag name, system key or code, security code.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending to the new wireless node an operational configuration for the new node to operate with in said industrial monitoring or control system.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending, from said handheld device to the new wireless node of a field device using an optical transmitter and/or receiver, the communication configuration information necessary for the new said wireless node to join said the first wireless network.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending, from said handheld device to the new wireless node of a field device using an optical transmitter and/or receiver, information to form said second wireless network between said handheld device and the node and after said second wireless network is established, sending to the new node the new communication configuration information necessary for the new node to join said first wireless network.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

configuring a node of a field device by manually resetting the node of the field device to said second wireless network and subsequently sending, from said handheld device to the reset node, communication configuration information necessary for the reset node to use in order to join said first wireless network.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

the wireless configuration device communicating with said industrial monitoring or control system with the hardware and software the wireless configuration device is arranged with.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein said wireless configuration device is comprises hardware and/or software such that the device is arranged connectable to said first wireless network, or said second wireless network, or both.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

communicating utilizing said wireless configuration device with said first wireless network.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

communicating utilizing said wireless configuration device with said first wireless network utilizing a wireless radio device compatible with any from the group of WLAN, WirelessHART, ZigBee, Bluetooth, WISA.

19. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

operating said first wireless network as a radio network using an Industrial Scientific and Medical band.

20. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

accessing said field device using said second wireless network and carrying out a test procedure on the field device while said field device is connected to said second wireless network.

21. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring or collecting data from the field device while the field device is also connected for wireless communication to said first wireless network.

22. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer readable medium; and

computer program instructions recorded on the computer readable medium and executable by a processor for carrying out a method for communicating with a field device connected to a first wireless network, said method comprising sending with a second wireless network from a wireless configuration device to at least one wireless node communication configuration information necessary for a wireless node of a field device to join said first wireless network.

23. An industrial monitoring or control system, comprising:

at least one field device comprising a wireless node, said wireless node being preconfigured for operation with a second wireless network;

a first wireless network;

a wireless configuration device for communicating with said wireless node of said at least one field device, said wireless configuration device comprising hardware and software for sending utilizing said second wireless network from said wireless configuration device to at least one new wireless node of a field device communication configuration information necessary for the new wireless node of a field device to join said first wireless network.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein said wireless configuration device comprises hardware and software for communicating with said industrial monitoring or control system.

25. The system according to claim 23, wherein said wireless configuration device is arranged for communicating with said industrial monitoring or control system in way compatible with any from the group of WLAN, WirelessHART, ZigBee, Bluetooth, WISA.

26. The system according to claim 23, wherein said wireless configuration device comprises hardware and/or software such that the device is connectable to said first wireless network or said second wireless network, or both.

27. The system according to claim 23, wherein said wireless configuration device is arranged with hardware and/or software and connectable to the said first wireless network according to a configuration with which the device is connected as if the device were a field device.

28. The system according to claim 23, wherein said wireless configuration device comprises hardware and software for carrying out one or more functions of a master node in said first or second wireless network when communicating with a node of a field device.

29. The system according to claim 23, wherein said wireless configuration device comprises hardware and software for carrying out one or more functions of a network device in said first wireless network when communicating with a node of a field device.

30. The system according to claim 23, wherein said wireless configuration device comprises hardware and software for monitoring an exchange of information between a node of a field device being joined and said first wireless network.

31. The system according to claim 23, wherein said first wireless network uses radio transmitter/receivers operating compatible with any from the group of WLAN, WirelessHART, ZigBee, Bluetooth, WISA.

32. The system according to claim 23, wherein said first wireless network is one of a plurality of wireless networks within range of one or more field devices and connected to said industrial monitoring or control system.

33. The system according to claim 23, further comprising:

a wireless radio transmitter/receiver network forming said first wireless network; and

one or more optical transmitter/receivers arranged to operate in a second network.

34. The system according to claim 23, wherein the wireless configuration device comprises a handheld configuration device.

35. The system according to claim 23, wherein the wireless configuration device comprises a portable computer.

36. The system according to claim 23, wherein the wireless configuration device is arranged connected to said monitoring or control system and to transmit and/or receive utilizing a node of a field device or network device of said first wireless network and also arranged operable to communicate using the second network.