Selecting one of multiple redundant network access points on a node within an industrial process control network
First Claim
1. A method, performed by a computer including a physical computer-readable medium including computer-executable instructions, for managing a set of network access points maintained by a single redundantly connected node on an industrial local area network (LAN) comprising the steps of:
- primarily testing bi-directional communicative connectivity, via the LAN, between a primary and a backup redundant network access point of the set of network access points;
secondarily testing, upon determining loss of communicative connectivity between the primary and backup network access points, connectivity between the set of network access points and a set of nodes on the LAN to which the redundantly connected node previously communicated;
designating a current primary network access point based upon results of the secondarily testing step; and
binding a first set of connections to the current primary network access point, wherein the first set of connections are re-bound to a newly designated current primary network access from a previous primary network access point in the event that the current primary network access point specified during the designating step differs from a previously designated primary network access point.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and network access point selection logic are described for a redundantly connected industrial LAN node including at least primary and backup network access points. Network connectivity is determined by a redundantly connected node by testing connectivity between the node'"'"'s primary and backup physical network access points. Upon detecting a loss of connectivity between the redundant node'"'"'s primary and backup network access points, the node executes access point selection logic, based upon tests of connectivity between the redundantly connected (primary and backup) network access points and a set of nodes on the LAN, to select a preferred/primary one of the redundant access points. Thereafter, the redundantly connected node binds its connections according to primary and backup designations for its redundant network access points.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method, performed by a computer including a physical computer-readable medium including computer-executable instructions, for managing a set of network access points maintained by a single redundantly connected node on an industrial local area network (LAN) comprising the steps of:
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primarily testing bi-directional communicative connectivity, via the LAN, between a primary and a backup redundant network access point of the set of network access points; secondarily testing, upon determining loss of communicative connectivity between the primary and backup network access points, connectivity between the set of network access points and a set of nodes on the LAN to which the redundantly connected node previously communicated; designating a current primary network access point based upon results of the secondarily testing step; and binding a first set of connections to the current primary network access point, wherein the first set of connections are re-bound to a newly designated current primary network access from a previous primary network access point in the event that the current primary network access point specified during the designating step differs from a previously designated primary network access point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer-readable medium including computer executable instructions for facilitating managing a set of network access points maintained by a single redundantly connected node on an industrial local area network (LAN), the computer executable instructions facilitating performing, by the single redundantly connected node;
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primarily testing bi-directional communicative connectivity, via the LAN, between a primary and a backup redundant network access point of the set of network access points; secondarily testing, upon determining loss of communicative connectivity between the primary and backup network access points, connectivity between the set of network access points and a set of nodes on the LAN to which the redundantly connected node previously communicated; and designating a current primary network access point based upon results of the secondarily testing step; and binding a first set of connections to the current primary network access point, wherein the first set of connections are re-bound to a newly designated current primary network access from a previous primary network access point in the event that the current primary network access point specified during the designating step differs from a previously designated primary network access point. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A node supporting redundant connectivity to an industrial local area network (LAN), the node comprising:
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a set of network access points for redundantly connecting the node to the industrial LAN; and primarily testing bi-directional communicative connectivity, via the LAN, between a primary and a backup redundant network access point of the set of network access points; secondarily testing, upon determining loss of communicative connectivity between the primary and backup network access points, connectivity between the set of network access points and a set of nodes on the LAN to which the redundantly connected node previously communicated; designating a current primary network access point based upon results of the secondarily testing step; and binding a first set of connections to the current primary network access point, wherein the first set of connections are re-bound to a newly designated current primary network access from a previous primary network access point in the event that the current primary network access point specified during the designating step differs from a previously designated primary network access point. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification