Deterministic network protocol
First Claim
Patent Images
1. In combination:
- a distributed intelligence control system comprising a plurality of nodes interconnected by at least one bi-directional data bus disposed in a ring configuration;
each of said nodes comprises transceiver means for transmitting and receiving messages via said data bus across the ring in both directions;
each of said nodes comprises processor means coupled to said transceiver means for processing said messages to and from said transceiver means;
control means included in each of said transceiver means for generating a timing beacon in a predetermined one of said nodes for transmission to each of said other nodes via said data bus; and
said control means comprises means for generating a plurality of time slots within a time period of said timing beacon wherein each of said nodes is preassigned to at least one of said time slots for transmitting critical messages at a predetermined time and at least one of said time slots being provided for contention by said plurality of nodes for transmitting non-critical messages.
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Abstract
A deterministic network protocol for connecting critical sensors, actuators and computing elements on a bi-directional, time-multiplexed, fiber optic or other media data bus, such that critical messages have concisely bounded latency and non-critical messages may be sent without impacting critical messages. It is a unique combination of a time-slot allocation protocol and a contention-based protocol in which global synchronization information is passed on the data media via a synchronization beacon.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. In combination:
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a distributed intelligence control system comprising a plurality of nodes interconnected by at least one bi-directional data bus disposed in a ring configuration; each of said nodes comprises transceiver means for transmitting and receiving messages via said data bus across the ring in both directions; each of said nodes comprises processor means coupled to said transceiver means for processing said messages to and from said transceiver means; control means included in each of said transceiver means for generating a timing beacon in a predetermined one of said nodes for transmission to each of said other nodes via said data bus; and said control means comprises means for generating a plurality of time slots within a time period of said timing beacon wherein each of said nodes is preassigned to at least one of said time slots for transmitting critical messages at a predetermined time and at least one of said time slots being provided for contention by said plurality of nodes for transmitting non-critical messages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. In a network having a plurality of nodes, each of said nodes interconnected by at least one communication medium disposed in a ring configuration, a network protocol comprising:
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transceiver means in each of said nodes coupled to said communication medium for transmitting and receiving messages across the ring in both directions; processor means coupled to each of said transceiver means in each of said nodes for processing said messages to and from said communication medium; means in each of said nodes for generating and detecting a timing beacon for synchronizing said nodes, one of said nodes being preassigned to generate said timing beacon; and means in each of said nodes for generating a plurality of time slots within a time period of said timing beacon, each of said nodes being preassigned at least one of said time slots for transmitting critical messages and at least one of said time slots being provided for contention by said plurality of nodes to transmit non-critical messages. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A network having a deterministic network protocol comprising:
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a plurality of nodes, each of said nodes interconnected by at least two of a plurality of communication media for fault tolerant operation, each media disposed in a ring configuration; transceiver means included in each of said nodes and connected to said plurality of communication media, for transmitting and receiving messages across the ring in both directions of the ring; processing means, in each of said nodes coupled to said transceiver means for processing said messages to and from said communication media; means in each of said nodes for generating and detecting a timing beacon for synchronizing said nodes, one of said nodes being preassigned to generate said timing beacon; said timing beacon comprises a pulse pattern recognized only by said nodes and transparent to said processor means, said pulse pattern not recognized as a valid data pattern; and means in each of said nodes for generating a plurality of time slots during a time period of said timing beacon, each of said nodes being preassigned at least one of said time slots for transmitting critical messages, and at least one of said time slots provides for contention by said plurality of nodes to transmit non-critical messages. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of providing a distributed intelligence control system comprising the steps of:
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interconnecting a plurality of nodes by at least one bi-directional data bus in a ring configuration; transmitting and receiving messages via said data bus across the ring in both directions with transceiver means in each of said plurality of nodes; processing said messages to and from said transceiver means with processor means coupled to said transceiver means; generating a timing beacon in a predetermined one of said nodes for transmission to each of said other nodes via said data bus with control means in each of said transceiver means; and generating a plurality of time slots within a time period of said timing beacon wherein each of said nodes is preassigned at least one of said time slots for transmitting critical messages at a predetermined time and at least one of said time slots is provided for contention by said plurality of nodes for transmitting non-critical messages. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of providing a network protocol in a network having a plurality of nodes, each of said nodes interconnected by at least one communication medium disposed in a ring configuration comprising the steps of:
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transmitting and receiving messages in each of said nodes coupled to said communication medium across the ring in both directions; processing said messages to and from said communication medium with processor means coupled to each of said transceiver means in each of said nodes; generating and detecting a timing beacon for synchronizing said nodes with means in each of said nodes, one of said nodes being preassigned to generate said timing beacon; and generating a plurality of time slots in each of said nodes during a time period of said time beacon, each of said nodes being preassigned at least one of said time slots for transmitting critical messages and at least one of said time slots being provided for contention by said plurality of nodes to transmit non-critical messages. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification