Multi-Network Manager, Method And System

• US 20110280226A1
• Filed: 06/23/2011
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Research Ltd. (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Seceleanu, Tiberiu, Lennvall, Tomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,451,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/337
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

A method for reducing interference between wireless networks for industrial devices. The method includes the steps of: obtaining a first resource schedule of a first wireless network manager; obtaining a second resource schedule of a second wireless network manager; determining whether there are resource conflicts between the first resource schedule and the second resource schedule; and providing, when at least one resource conflict is determined, a new wireless resource schedule for the first wireless network manager to avoid at least part of the determined resource conflicts. A corresponding multi-network manager, system and computer program product are also presented.

Claims

1. A method for reducing interference between wireless networks for industrial devices, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a first resource schedule from a first wireless network manager;

obtaining a second resource schedule from a second wireless network manager;

determining whether there are resource conflicts between said first resource schedule and said second resource schedule; and

providing, when at least one resource conflict is determined, a new wireless resource schedule to said first wireless network manager to avoid at least part of said determined resource conflicts.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of determining whether there are resource conflicts involves determining that said first resource schedule and said second resource schedule assign a use of the same frequency band at the same time.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of determining whether there are resource conflicts involves determining conflicting time slot usage between said first resource schedule and said second resource schedule.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said step of providing a new wireless resource schedule involves providing a new time slot schedule for at least one channel of said first wireless network manager.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of determining whether there are resource conflicts involves determining a future resource assignment of said first resource schedule or said second resource schedule using a seed for a frequency hopping scheme.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said step of providing a new wireless resource schedule involves providing a new seed for at least one channel of said first wireless network manager.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said method is performed in conjunction with deployment of said first wireless network manager or said second wireless network manager.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said method is performed periodically.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said method is performed in a multi-network manager.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of determining whether there are resource conflicts only considers devices belonging to one network, of said first network and second network, being within range of the other network, of said first network and second network.

15. A computer program product loadable into the internal memory of a multi-network network manager, arranged to perform the method according to claim 1, when said product is executed in said multi-network manager.

11. A multi-network manager for reducing interference between wireless networks for industrial devices, comprising:

software for obtaining a first resource schedule from a first wireless network manager;

software for obtaining a second resource schedule from a second wireless network manager;

software for determining whether there are resource conflicts between said first resource schedule and said second resource schedule; and

software for providing, when at least one resource conflict is determined, a new wireless resource schedule to said first wireless network manager to avoid at least part of said determined resource conflicts.

12. The multi-network manager according to claim 11, wherein said multi-network manager is distinct from said first wireless network manager and said second wireless network manager.

13. A system for reducing interference between wireless networks for industrial devices comprising:

the multi-network manager according to claim 11;

a first wireless network manager; and

a second wireless network manager.

14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a third wireless network manager.