Protocol independent bridge

• US 7,904,631 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Pham, Hai D., Kikta, Christopher E., Huseth, Steve D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin; Christopher B
• Application Number:
  US11/592,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20080109581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 710/33, 710 58- 61, 710 11- 15, 710105-106, 710305-316
• US Class Current: 710/315
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4045 where the bus bridge performs an extender function

Abstract

A wireless bridge includes a first universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) for coupling to a serial bus that receives data packets. A protocol independent module has a timer set to a desired time to detect a start and/or an end of a data packet received from the serial bus. A wireless transceiver is coupled to the universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter for sending and receiving data packets.

Claims

1. A bridge comprising:

a first universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) for coupling to a serial bus that receives data packets;

a protocol independent module that has a timer set to run to a desired expiration time, wherein bytes of a packet are received from the serial bus while the timer is running, and wherein the protocol independent module upon expiration of the time, assembles received bytes into a packet; and

a wireless transceiver coupled to the universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter to transmit the packet.

2. The bridge of claim 1 wherein the first UART is adapted to receive and transmit packets serially from an IEEE RS-485 data bus.

3. The bridge of claim 1 and further comprising a second UART for coupling to the serial bus that receives and transmit data packets at a baud rate different from that of the first UART.

4. The bridge of claim 3 wherein the first UART is a 1747 baud UART and the second UART is a 9600 baud UART.

5. The bridge of claim 1 wherein the bridge is protocol independent.

6. The bridge of claim 1 wherein the desired time is a function of baud rate of the serial bus and expected time between different packets.

7. The bridge of claim 1 wherein the first UART operates at 9600 baud and wherein the desired timer'"'"'s expiration time is approximately between 2-3 milliseconds.

8. The bridge of claim 1 wherein two bridges are used to replace a wired connection between two devices.

9. The bridge of claim 1 wherein the timer is software or hardware implemented as a one shot timer.

10. A method comprising:

coupling a wireless bridge circuit to a hardwire serial bus connection of each of a device and a controller, wherein the wireless bridge circuit performs a method comprising;

receiving serial information from a serial hard wired bus;

transmitting serial information to a serial hard wired bus;

setting a timer having a set expiration time corresponding to when a stream of serial data is received, the expiration time corresponding to when the received serial data corresponds to a packet of data; and

indicating a packet has been received after the expiration time.

11. The method of claim 10 and further comprising wirelessly receiving and sending packets between the wireless bridge circuits.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the hard wire bus connection is an IEEE RS-232/485 wired bus connection.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the serial information is received at 1747 baud or 9600 baud and various baud rates.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the predetermined time is a function of baud rate of the serial bus and expected time between different packets.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein serial hard wired bus operates at 9600 baud and wherein the predetermined time is approximately between 2-3 milliseconds.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the timer is a software or/and hardware implemented one shot timer.

18. The wireless bridge circuit of claim 10 and further comprising means for wirelessly sending and/or receiving packets between the wireless bridge circuits.

19. The wireless bridge circuit of claim 10 wherein the hard wired serial bus is an IEEE RS-232/485 wired connection.

20. The wireless bridge circuit of claim 10 wherein the timer is a software or hardware implemented one shot timer and wherein the predetermined time is a function of baud rate of the serial bus and expected time between different packets.

17. A wireless bridge circuit for coupling to devices via a hard wired serial bus, the wireless bridge circuit comprising:

means for receiving serial information from a serial hard wired bus;

means for transmitting serial information to a serial hard wired bus;

means for setting a timer having a set expiration time corresponding to when a stream of serial data is received, the expiration time corresponding to when the received serial data corresponds to a packet of data; and

means for indicating a packet has been received after the expiration time.