Systems and methods for maintaining network stability
First Claim
1. A system for reestablishing stability of a network comprising:
- first and second bus controllers disposed in electrical communication with the network bus at opposite ends thereof such that the network bus extends therebetween, at least one bus controller adapted to detect a bus failure due to an open circuit condition; and
a plurality of network devices also disposed in electrical communication with the network bus between said first and second bus controllers such that the first and second bus controllers are each configured to communicate with the plurality of network devices across the network bus; and
at least one termination device associated with respective network devices, each termination device comprising a network termination element adapted to be switchably connected to the network bus,wherein the first bus controller is adapted to identify a bus failure due to an open circuit condition downstream of any respective one of the plurality of network devices relative to the first bus controller that divides the network bus into first and second portions with which the first and second bus controllers, respectively, are in electrical communication, wherein the first bus controller is also configured to issue a command instructing the termination device associated with the respective one of the plurality of the network devices upstream of the open circuit condition to switchably connect the network termination element to the network bus once the bus failure due to the open circuit condition has been identified such that communication between the first bus controller, the respective network device and any other network devices positioned on the first portion of the network bus between the first bus controller and the respective network device continues to be supported and further such that communication between the second bus controller and other network devices positioned on the second portion of the network bus continues to be separately supported.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides systems and methods for maintaining the stability of a network. The present invention includes systems and methods that identify an open circuit condition and reconfigure the network bus to continue communications without slowing the communication rate or removing the network bus from service. The system includes a termination device associated with each network device. Each termination device includes a network termination element that can be switchably connected to the network bus in response to a command issued by a bus controller when an open circuit condition downstream of the network device has been detected. In another embodiment, the present invention provides systems and methods for controlling input current to a remote device located on a network. A sensing element is associated with the device that is capable of sensing the input current and through switches, altering the input current to the remote device.
53 Citations
37 Claims
-
1. A system for reestablishing stability of a network comprising:
-
first and second bus controllers disposed in electrical communication with the network bus at opposite ends thereof such that the network bus extends therebetween, at least one bus controller adapted to detect a bus failure due to an open circuit condition; and a plurality of network devices also disposed in electrical communication with the network bus between said first and second bus controllers such that the first and second bus controllers are each configured to communicate with the plurality of network devices across the network bus; and at least one termination device associated with respective network devices, each termination device comprising a network termination element adapted to be switchably connected to the network bus, wherein the first bus controller is adapted to identify a bus failure due to an open circuit condition downstream of any respective one of the plurality of network devices relative to the first bus controller that divides the network bus into first and second portions with which the first and second bus controllers, respectively, are in electrical communication, wherein the first bus controller is also configured to issue a command instructing the termination device associated with the respective one of the plurality of the network devices upstream of the open circuit condition to switchably connect the network termination element to the network bus once the bus failure due to the open circuit condition has been identified such that communication between the first bus controller, the respective network device and any other network devices positioned on the first portion of the network bus between the first bus controller and the respective network device continues to be supported and further such that communication between the second bus controller and other network devices positioned on the second portion of the network bus continues to be separately supported. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A system for reestablishing stability of a network comprising:
-
a bus controller disposed in electrical communication with the network bus, said bus controller adapted to detect a bus failure due to an open circuit; a plurality of network devices also disposed in electrical communication with the network bus and said bus controller condition such that the bus controller is configured to communicate with the plurality of network devices across the network bus; and at least one termination device associated with respective network devices, each termination device comprising a network termination element adapted to be switchably connected to the network bus in response to a command issued by said bus controller once said bus controller has detected a bus failure due to an open circuit condition downstream of said respective network device relative to said bus controller that divides the network bus into first and second portions with said bus controller only remaining in electrical communication with the first portion such that communication between the bus controller, the respective network device and any other network devices positioned on the first portion of the network bus between the bus controller and the respective network device continues to be supported even though the bus controller is no longer capable of communicating via the network bus with the second portion of the network bus. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method for reestablishing stability of a network comprising:
- supporting communications between a bus controller and a plurality of network devices across a network bus;
detecting a bus failure due to an open circuit condition at a location along the network bus which is downstream of any respective one of the plurality of network devices and which separates the network bus into first and second portions with said bus controller only remaining in electrical communication with the first portion; identifying at least one network device disposed in electrical communication with the first portion of the network bus; and issuing a command over the first portion of the network bus to instruct a termination device associated with the respective one of the plurality of network devices that were identified to be in electrical communication with the first portion of the network bus and upstream of the open circuit condition to connect a network termination element to the network bus to thereby reestablish the stability of the first portion of the network bus such that communication between the bus controller and the network devices that were identified to be in electrical communication with the first portion of the network bus continues to be supported even though the bus controller is no longer capable of communicating via the network bus with the second portion of the network bus. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
- supporting communications between a bus controller and a plurality of network devices across a network bus;
-
19. A system for controlling input current to a plurality of remote devices comprising:
-
a network comprising; a network bus electrically connected to the plurality of remote devices; and a network controller for directing communications with the plurality of remote devices via said network bus; a plurality of sensing elements electrically connected between said network bus and respective remote devices, wherein each sensing element is capable of sensing the input current to the respective remote device such that a measure of the input current can be provided to said network controller; and a plurality of switches electrically connected between said network bus and respective remote devices, wherein each switch is capable of controllably altering the input current to the respective remote device, wherein said network controller is configured to control each switch based upon the input current sensed by the respective sensing element and further based upon an input current rating of the respective remote device and a length of time that the input current has exceeded the input current rating. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A method of controlling input current to a plurality of remote devices comprising:
-
sensing the input current to each respective remote device; transmitting a signal indicative of each respective input current, wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting the signals across a network bus electrically connected to the plurality of remote devices; receiving the signal at a network controller that is electrically connected to the plurality of remote devices via the network bus; and controlling the input current to each remote device, wherein said controlling comprises determining a current control based upon the input current and further based upon an input current rating of the respective remote device and a length of time that the input current has exceeded the input current rating, and thereafter transmitting a return signal from the network controller indicative of the current control to each respective remote device to thereby control the input current. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. A system for digitally controlling input current to a plurality of remote devices comprising:
-
a digital network comprising; a network bus electrically connected to the plurality of remote devices; a plurality of network device interface elements electrically connected between said network bus and the plurality of remote devices; and a network controller for digitally directing communications with the plurality of remote devices via said network bus and said plurality of network device interface elements; a plurality of sensing elements electrically connected to said plurality of network device interface elements, wherein each sensing element is capable of sensing the input current to the respective remote device such that said network device interface element can provide a measure of the input current to said network controller; and a plurality of switches electrically connected between said network bus and respective remote devices, wherein each switch is capable of controllably altering the input current to the respective remote devices wherein said plurality of network device interface elements are configured to control each switch, and wherein said network controller is capable of controlling each network device interface element to thereby control the respective switch based upon the input current sensed by the respective sensing element and further based upon an input current rating of the respective remote device and a length of time that the input current has exceeded the input current rating. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
Specification