Networked variables
First Claim
1. A method for communicating information between nodes in a network, the method comprising the steps of:
- a reader node sending a first message over said network to a writer node, said first message including a first set of control information;
the writer node performing the following steps in response to receiving said first message;
determining a variable in a first application associated with said writer node that uniquely corresponds to said first set of control information;
retrieving a value from a storage location that corresponds to said variable of said first application;
sending a response message containing said value and a second set of control information to said reader node;
the reader node performing the steps of;
receiving said response message; and
determining a variable in a second application associated with said reader node that uniquely corresponds to said second set of control information;
storing said value in a location that corresponds to said variable in said second application.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved apparatus and method for communicating information in a networked system wherein network variables are employed to accomplish such communication. Network variables allow for standardized communication of data between nodes in a network. A first node may be programmed, for example, to sense certain information and to report the information as a network variable X. A second node may be programmed to receive the variable X and to control devices based on the current value of the variable. The present invention provides for defining connections between the first and second node to facilitate such communication and for determining addressing information to allow for addressing of messages, including updates to the value of the variable X, between the nodes.
185 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for communicating information between nodes in a network, the method comprising the steps of:
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a reader node sending a first message over said network to a writer node, said first message including a first set of control information; the writer node performing the following steps in response to receiving said first message; determining a variable in a first application associated with said writer node that uniquely corresponds to said first set of control information; retrieving a value from a storage location that corresponds to said variable of said first application; sending a response message containing said value and a second set of control information to said reader node; the reader node performing the steps of; receiving said response message; and determining a variable in a second application associated with said reader node that uniquely corresponds to said second set of control information; storing said value in a location that corresponds to said variable in said second application. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A network comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes including:
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a reader node and a set of writer nodes; said reader node being configured to send a first message to said set of writer nodes; each of said writer nodes being configured to respond to said first message by determining a variable that is uniquely identified by information contained in said first message, said variable being a variable used by an application that resides on said writer node; locating a value associated with said variable, and sending a response message to said first message, said response message containing said value; said reader node being configured to receive the response messages that were sent by said set of writer nodes in response to said first message; said reader node being configured to respond to each response message by determining a variable that is uniquely identified by information contained in said response message, said variable being a variable used by an application that resides on said reader node, and storing the value in said response message in a location that corresponds to the variable that is uniquely identified by the information contained in said response message. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A method for communicating information between nodes in a network, the method comprising the steps of:
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a writer node storing plurality of bits in a first message; sending the first message to a plurality of reader nodes; each of the plurality of reader nodes performing the step of; receiving the first message; reading control information from said first message; determining a variable that uniquely corresponds to said control information, said variable being a variable in an application that is associated with said reader node; and storing one or more bits from said first message into a storage location associated with the variable.
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Specification