HIGH POWER RADIO DEVICE COMMUNICATION PARAMETER CONFIGURATION AND METHODS USING LIMITED CONFIGURATION POWER

• US 20110116556A1
• Filed: 11/17/2009
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Dietrich, Frank, de Buen, Peter, Towers, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 8,634,482 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/259
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Radio devices such as long range radio devices configurable with a limited, configuration only power that is insufficient for normal operation of the radio are disclosed. Portable, limited power supplies allow effective configuration of radio devices at remote locations in the field. Methods of configuring radio devices are likewise disclosed.

Claims

1. A radio device comprising:

a processor;

a radio transmission element configured for long range communication of data when supplied with a full operating power; and

a memory associated with the processor, the memory storing communication parameters necessary for the long range communication of data in a communications network using a specified communications protocol;

wherein the memory is configurable with the communication parameters with a limited, configuration only power level that is less than the full operating power for the radio device.

2. The radio of claim 1, further comprising a USB port.

3. The radio of claim 2, wherein the limited, configuration only power is received with the USB port.

4. The radio of claim 3, wherein the configuration only low power level is supplied by a separately provided and external battery powered device.

5. The radio of claim 4, wherein the battery powered device is a computer device.

6. The radio of claim 2, further comprising a web server for configuring the memory with the communication parameters.

7. The radio of claim 6, wherein the web server is accessible via the USB port.

8. The radio of claim 7, wherein an external device including a web browser is connectable to the USB port for configuring the memory with the configuration only power level.

9. The radio of claim 1, wherein the communications network is a SCADA communications network.

10. The radio of claim 1, wherein the radio element comprises at least one of a transmitter, a receiver and a transceiver.

11. The radio of claim 1, wherein the radio transmission element broadcasts a digital radio frequency transmission signal.

12. The radio of claim 1, wherein the configuration only power is supplied by a portable power source, and the full operating power is supplied by a fixed power source.

13. A processor-based radio device comprising:

a radio transmission element configured for long range communication of data when supplied with a full operating power; and

a memory storing communication parameters necessary for the long range communication of data in a communications network using a specified communications protocol;

wherein the memory is configurable in a lower power mode that is insufficient for normal operation of the radio device, and wherein the radio is fully functional and operable in high power mode.

14. The radio device of claim 13, wherein the processor-based radio device further comprises a USB port, and in the low power mode the radio device receives limited, configuration only power via the USB port.

15. The radio device of claim 14, wherein the radio device includes a web server for configuring the memory with the communication parameters via the USB port and a separately provided device including a web browser.

16. The radio device of claim 15, wherein the separately provided device is a laptop or notebook computer.

17. The radio device of claim 15, wherein the separately provided device includes a battery, the battery supplying the limited, configuration only power.

18. A method of configuring a radio device, the method comprising:

connecting a separately provided limited power configuration device to the radio device;

supplying limited, configuration only power to the radio device via the limited power configuration device, wherein the limited configuration only power is substantially less than the full operating power of the radio device in normal operation; and

configuring the radio device with network communication parameters using the limited, configuration only power.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein connecting the separately provided limited power configuration device to the radio device comprises connecting a cable between a USB port on the limited power configuration device with a USB port on the radio device.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the limited power configuration device is a laptop or notebook computer, and wherein configuring the radio device with network communication parameters using the limited, configuration only power comprises establishing an Internet connection with the laptop or notebook computer, and downloading the network communication parameters to the radio device.