MULTI-PATH RADIO TRANSMISSION INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICES, NETWORK, SYSTEMS AND METHODS WITH ON DEMAND, PRIORITIZED ROUTING PROTOCOL
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Devices, networks, systems and methods for coordinating industrial control and monitoring communications on multi-path radio frequency transmission mesh networks include establishing path metrics allowing a respective comparison of a plurality of available communication paths between neighboring radios communicating in the mesh network. Replies to route requests may be delayed based on the path metrics of available paths for message transmission to ensure that the best available connection routes through the mesh network can be understood and utilized.
173 Citations
42 Claims
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1-14. -14. (canceled)
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15. A multi-path radio communications network for monitoring and controlling an industrial process, the network comprising
a plurality of processor-based radio devices configured to wirelessly communicate in a mesh network wherein each radio communicates with multiple other radio devices in the mesh network, and at least one of the plurality of processor-based radio device is configured to: -
receive a route request including a destination for a proposed communication over the network; determine whether a path to the destination exists from the input/output device to the destination; and if a path to the destination exists, generate and transmit a route reply message according to a prioritized communication protocol after at least a predetermined time delay, the time delay being dependent on a path metric corresponding to the path. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 40, 41)
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24. A multi-path radio communications system comprising:
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a plurality of processor based radio devices configured to wirelessly communicate with one another in a mesh network having a frequency hopping spread spectrum topology, each of the plurality of processor based radio devices configured to; receive a route request including a destination for a proposed communication over the network; determine whether a path to the destination exists to the destination; and if only an indirect path to the destination exists, generate and transmit a route reply message according to a prioritized communication protocol utilizing a selected one of a plurality of predetermined time windows for response. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for prioritizing communications between radio devices in a multi-path radio communications system including a plurality of processor based radio devices configured to wirelessly communicate with one another in a mesh network, the method implemented in process based radio devices and comprising:
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receiving, with multiple processor based station radio devices, a route request generated by a source radio, wherein the route request includes a destination for a proposed communication over the network; determining whether a path to the destination exists from the multiple processor based station radio devices to the destination; and prioritizing the transmission of route replies to the source radio from respective ones of the multiple processor based station radio devices wherein paths to the destination are determined to exist, wherein prioritizing the transmission of route replies comprises delaying transmission of route replies based on a path metric for each respective one of the processor based station radio devices. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38-39. -39. (canceled)
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42. (canceled)
Specification