NON-INTERFERING MULTIPATH COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20100120457A1
• Filed: 01/14/2010
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Systems Canada Inc. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Control Microsystems Inc.
• Inventors: Neilson, Paul Christian
• Granted Patent: US 8,971,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/502
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/188 Time-out mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A non-interfering multipath communication technique establishes a base transmit and receive period for a variety of spaced apart transceiver devices of a base station and communicates between at least one field station and the base station through those transceiver devices; a period of the base station is allocated amongst the transceiver devices to maintain the non-interfering multipath communication between the at least one field station and the base station.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a multipath communication connection between a base station comprising a plurality of transceivers and one or more field stations, the method comprising:

receiving, by a first field station, a synchronization signal transmitted by a first transceiver of a base station having a plurality of spaced apart transceivers;

transmitting, by the first field station to the base station, an acknowledgement synchronization signal;

waiting, by the first field station responsive to transmitting the acknowledgement signal, a predetermined period of time;

failing to receive a second synchronization signal transmitted by a second transceiver of the base station; and

determining, by the first field station based on the failure to receive the second synchronization signal, a path between the second transceiver and the first field station is blocked.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the first field station to the base station, an acknowledgement synchronization signal;

waiting, responsive to determining the path is blocked, a second predetermined period of time; and

receiving, by a first field station, a third synchronization signal transmitted by a third transceiver of the base station.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the acknowledgement synchronization signal further comprises transmitting the acknowledgement synchronization signal responsive to determining the path between the second transceiver and the first field station is blocked.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting an acknowledgement signal further comprises transmitting, by the first field station to the base station, an acknowledgement signal within a time period allocated by the base station to the first field station.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the first field station, a clock of the first field station is not synchronized with a clock of the base station;

receiving, by the first field station, a synchronization signal from the base station; and

synchronizing, responsive to receiving the synchronization signal, the first field station clock with the base station clock.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, by the first field station a predetermined period of time after receiving the third synchronization signal, a sensor event; and

transmitting, by the first field station responsive to receiving the sensor event, an acknowledgement synchronization signal to the base station.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

activating a receiver of the first field station; and

receiving, by the activated receiver, an acknowledgement signal indicating the base station received the acknowledgement synchronization signal transmitted by the first field station.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allocating, by a controller of the base station, transmit and receive periods to each transceiver of a plurality of spaced apart transceivers.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving a synchronization signal transmitted by a first transceiver further comprises receiving a synchronization signal transmitted by a first transceiver during a transmit period allocated to that first transceiver.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the base station, a status of the first field station; and

identifying, by the base station, errors in the first field station status.

11. A system for establishing a multipath communication connection between a base station comprising a plurality of transceivers and one or more field stations, the system comprising:

a base station having a plurality of spaced apart transceivers and a clock; and

a first field station;

receiving a synchronization signal transmitted by a first transceiver of the base station,

transmitting an acknowledgement synchronization signal to the base station,

waiting, responsive to transmitting the acknowledgement synchronization signal, a predetermined period of time,

failing to receive a second synchronization signal transmitted by a second transceiver of the base station, and

determining, based on the failure to receive the second synchronization signal, a path between the second transceiver and the first field station is blocked.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first field station:

transmits an acknowledgement synchronization signal to the base station,

waits, responsive to determining the path is blocked, a second predetermined period of time, and

receives a third synchronization signal transmitted by a third transceiver of the base station.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first field station transmits the acknowledgement synchronization signal responsive to determining the path between the second transceiver and the first field station is blocked.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the first field station transmits the acknowledgement synchronization signal within a time period allocated by the base station to the first field station.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the first field station:

determines a clock of the first field station is not synchronized with the base station clock,

receives a synchronization signal from the base station, and

synchronizes the first field station clock with the base station clock.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the first field station:

receives a sensor event a predetermined period of time after receiving the third synchronization signal, and

transmits an acknowledgement synchronization signal to the base station responsive to receiving the sensor event.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first field station:

activates a receiver of the first field station, the activated receiver receiving an acknowledgement signal indicating the base station received the acknowledgement synchronization signal transmitted by the first field station.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the base station further comprises a controller that allocates transmit and receive periods to each transceiver of the plurality of spaced apart transceivers.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first transceiver transmits the synchronization signal to the first field station during a transmit period allocated to the first transceiver.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the base station:

receives a status of the first field station, and identifies errors in the received first field station status.