Energy Efficient Method For Communication In A Wireless Sensor Network Of An Industrial Control System

• US 20130064229A1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Research Ltd. (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Gidlund, Mikael, Lennvall, Tomas, Neander, Jonas
• Granted Patent: US 9,451,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/065 using assembly or disassembly of packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for communication in a wireless sensor network of an industrial control system. The network includes a plurality of device nodes and at least one gateway. The method includes aggregating in at least one wireless device data originating from at least two data packets. The method includes receiving at a first node at least one first data packet for a first destination address and aggregating data from the at least one data packet with data from at least one second data packet, intended for the same first destination address, forming an aggregated data packet and sending the aggregated data packet to another node or to said gateway. In other aspects of the invention a method, system and a computer program for carrying out the method are described.

Claims

1. A method for communication in a wireless sensor network of an industrial control system, said network comprising a plurality of device nodes and a gateway, said method comprising aggregating data originating from at least two data packets, said data packets including an encrypted part, characterised by

receiving at a first node at least one first data packet for a first destination address and

aggregating data comprising a first said encrypted part from the at least one first data packet with data including a second encrypted part from at least one second data packet intended for the first destination address,

forming an aggregated data packet comprising the first said encrypted part and the second encrypted part

adding the size of the first said encrypted part to the Network &

Security Sub-layer and

sending the aggregated data packet to another node or to said gateway.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterised by receiving at the first node the at least one first data packet for the first destination address, saving the at least one first data packet in a Packet Buffer, adding data from at least one second data packet for the first destination address to the data stored in a buffer, and sending an aggregated data packet to another device or a gateway.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterised by receiving at the first node the at least one first data packet for a first destination address and calculating an estimated size for the aggregated packet containing aggregated packet data from the at least one first data packet and the at least one second data packet comparing the result with a predetermined maximum data packet size and if the estimated size of the aggregated data packet is less than the predetermined maximum packet size transmitting the aggregated data packet onward from the first node.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterised by receiving at the first node the first data packet and re-using at least one Enciphered block from a Transport and Application Layer of the first data packet to form the aggregated data packet.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterised by receiving at the first node the at least one first data packet and re-using at least one Enciphered block from a Transport and Application Layer of the first data packet and adding one further byte representing the size of the at least one Enciphered block forming the aggregated data packet.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterised by forming the aggregated data packet originating from two or more wireless devices wherein the aggregated data packet comprises a Network and Security sub-layer including fields from the first data packet and from each successive data packet forming the aggregated data packet.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterised by forming the aggregated data packet to include information for implementing end-to-end security.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that routing and slot timing of said communication method is arranged such that each preceding device in a route sends before the succeeding device in the same route.

9. A wireless device arranged for communication to a gateway in a wireless sensor network of an industrial control system comprising a plurality of device nodes, wherein the wireless communication is arranged for aggregating data originating from at least two data packets, said data packets including an encrypted part, characterised in that the wireless device comprises a circuit and a memory storage device arranged with suitable instructions to carry out a method of communication routing comprising the steps of

receiving at a first node at least one first data packet for a first destination address and

aggregating data comprising a first said encrypted part from the at least one first data packet with data including a second encrypted part from at least one second data packet intended for the first destination address,

forming an aggregated data packet comprising the first said encrypted part and the second encrypted part

adding the size of the first said encrypted part to the Network &

Security layer and

sending the aggregated data packet to a gateway or another node.

10. The device according to claim 9, characterised in that the wireless device is any from the group of:

wireless field device, wireless sensor, wireless instrument, wireless meter, wireless adapter of one or more field devices, hub, router, network manager device, security manager device, gateway.

11. The device according to claim 9, characterised in that the wireless device is configured to be compatible with any standard or protocol from the group of:

wireless HART, ISA100.

12. The device according to claim 9, characterised in that the wireless device is arranged powered at least in part by an energy storage unit comprising any from the group of:

battery, accumulator, capacitor, condenser.

13. The device according to claim 9, characterised in that the wireless device is arranged with a processor and a memory storage device.

14. A computer program comprising software code portions or computer code to cause a computer or processor to carry out the steps of a method for communication in a wireless sensor network of an industrial control system, said network comprising a plurality of device nods and a gateway, said method comprising aggregation data originating from at least two data packets, said data packets including an encrypted part, characerised by

receiving at a first node at least one first data packet for a first destination address;

aggregating data comprising a first said encrypted part from the at least one first data packet with data including a second encrypted part from at least one second data packet intended for the first destination address;

forming an aggregated data packet comprising the first said encrypted part and the second encrypted part;

adding the size of the first said encrypted part of the Network &

Security Sub-layer; and

sending the aggregated data packet to another node or to said gateway.

15. A computer program product with software code portions or computer code stored on a computer usable medium, comprising computer readable program means for causing a computer to carry out the steps of a method for communication in a wireless sensor network of an industrial control system, said network comprising a plurality of device nodes and a gateway, said method comprising aggregating data originating from at least two data packets, said data packets including an encrypted part, characterised by

receiving at a first node at least one first data packet for a first destination address;

aggregating data comprising a first said encrypted part from the at least one first data packet with data including a second encrypted part from at least one second data packet intended for the first destination address;

forming an aggregated data packet comprising the first said encrypted part and the second encrypted part;

adding the size of the first said encrypted part to the Network &

Security Sub-layer; and

,

sending the aggregated data packet to another node or to said gateway.

16. A wireless sensor network system of an industrial control system comprising a plurality of wireless device nodes arranged for communication to a gateway, wherein the wireless communication is arranged for aggregating data originating from at least two data packets, said data packets including an encrypted part, characterised in that two or more wireless devices comprise a circuit and a memory storage device arranged with suitable instructions to carry out a method of communication routing comprising the steps of

receiving at a first node at least one first data packet for a first destination address and

aggregating data comprising a first said encrypted part from the at least one first data packet with data including a second encrypted part from at least one second data packet intended for the first destination address,

forming an aggregated data packet

adding the size of the first said encrypted part to the Network &

Security layer

and

sending the aggregated data packet comprising the first said encrypted part and the second encrypted part to a gateway or another node.

17. The system according to claim 16, characterised in that at least one wireless device of said wireless sensor network is arranged for communication with a gateway or access point.

18. The system according to claim 16, characterised in that the aggregated data packet is arranged including information for implementing end-to-end security.