Local area network for distributing data communication, sensing and control signals
First Claim
1. A control network in a building for wired coupling of at least one analog device to a data unit, the network comprising:
- a plurality of nodes including first, second and third nodes; and
a plurality of wiring segments including first and second wiring segments, each wiring segment comprising at least two conductors, whereinsaid first wiring segment connects said first and second nodes together in a point-to-point connection, and said second wiring segment connects said second and third nodes together in a point-to-point connection, wherein;
said first and second nodes effect bi-directional communication of serial digital data over said first wiring segment and said second and third nodes effect bi-directional communication of serial digital data over said second wiring segment,at least one of said nodes is connectable to a data unit for coupling the serial digital data carried over at least one of said wiring segments to the data unit,at least one of said nodes comprises an analog/digital or digital/analog converter connectable to the analog device for coupling the serial digital data carried over said at least one of said wiring segments to the analog device,the analog device is a sensor or an actuator,each of said nodes is addressable in said network, andeach of said nodes is connected by a respective pair of said wiring segments to only two other nodes, said nodes are connected by the wiring segments in a ring configuration, each of said nodes is in direct signal conducting communication only with a unique pair of other nodes and one of the data unit and the analog device, and each of said nodes is operative to be in a selected state to conduct data in both directions around the ring.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A network for carrying out control, sensing and data communications, comprising a plurality of nodes. Each node may be connected to a payload, which comprises sensors, actuators and DTE'"'"'s. The network is formed using a plurality of independent communication links, each based on electrically-conducting communication media comprising at least two conductors and interconnecting two nodes, in a point-to-point configuration. During network operation, nodes can be dynamically configured as either data-generating nodes, wherein data is generated and transmitted into the network, or as receiver/repeater/router nodes, wherein received data is repeated from a receiver port to all output ports. During normal network operation, the network shifts from state to state. Each state is characterized by assigning a single node as the data-generating node, and configuring all other nodes in the network as repeaters and receivers. The network can be configured in linear or circular topology, or any mixture of both. The nodes and the payloads can each be powered by local power supply or via the network wiring. In the latter case, dedicated wires can be used, or the same conductors may be employed for both power distribution and communication. Network control can be performed external to the network, or by using the network itself as transport for control messages. Shifting from state to state can be done by selecting sequential nodes to be the data-generating node, or by selecting arbitrary nodes to be the data-generating node.
398 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A control network in a building for wired coupling of at least one analog device to a data unit, the network comprising:
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a plurality of nodes including first, second and third nodes; and a plurality of wiring segments including first and second wiring segments, each wiring segment comprising at least two conductors, wherein said first wiring segment connects said first and second nodes together in a point-to-point connection, and said second wiring segment connects said second and third nodes together in a point-to-point connection, wherein; said first and second nodes effect bi-directional communication of serial digital data over said first wiring segment and said second and third nodes effect bi-directional communication of serial digital data over said second wiring segment, at least one of said nodes is connectable to a data unit for coupling the serial digital data carried over at least one of said wiring segments to the data unit, at least one of said nodes comprises an analog/digital or digital/analog converter connectable to the analog device for coupling the serial digital data carried over said at least one of said wiring segments to the analog device, the analog device is a sensor or an actuator, each of said nodes is addressable in said network, and each of said nodes is connected by a respective pair of said wiring segments to only two other nodes, said nodes are connected by the wiring segments in a ring configuration, each of said nodes is in direct signal conducting communication only with a unique pair of other nodes and one of the data unit and the analog device, and each of said nodes is operative to be in a selected state to conduct data in both directions around the ring. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A local area network comprising:
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a plurality of nodes including a first node including a first data port for coupling to a first component, a second node including a second data port for coupling to a second component and a third node including a third data port for coupling to a third component; a plurality of wiring segments each having two ends and consisting of only two conductors, said plurality of wiring segments including a first wiring segment connecting only said first and second nodes in a point-to-point connection for a first half-duplex data communication of serial digital data over said first wiring segment between said first and second nodes, and a second wiring segment connecting only said first and third nodes in a point-to-point connection for a second half-duplex data communication of serial digital data over said second wiring segment between said first and third nodes, wherein; each of said nodes is connected by a respective pair of said wiring segments to only two other nodes, said nodes are connected by the wiring segments in a ring configuration, and each of said nodes is in direct signal conducting communication with a unique pair of other nodes and one component; and said network is operative to be in at least a selected one of first and second states; in the first state, said network is operative to conduct data from said second data port over said first wiring segment from said second node to said first node, repeat the data at said first node to said second wiring segment, and conduct the repeated data over said second wiring segment from said first node to said third node; and in the second state, said network is operative to conduct data from said third data port over said second wiring segment from said third node to said first node, repeat the data at said first node to said first wiring segment, and conduct the repeated data over said first wiring segment from said first node to said second node. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A local area network for carrying power and digital data, said network comprising:
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a plurality of nodes including a first node including a first data port for coupling to a first data unit, a second node including a second data port for coupling to a second data unit and a third node including a third data port for coupling to a third data unit; a plurality of wiring segments each having two ends and comprising a first coaxial cable or at least one first twisted wire pair, wherein each end of each of said wiring segments is terminated in a connector, said plurality of wiring segments including first and second wiring segments, said first wiring segment connecting only said first and second nodes in a point-to-point connection for a first full-duplex data communication of serial digital data over said first wiring segment between the first and second data units, and said first wiring segment being connected to concurrently carry a first power signal substantially without interfering with the first communication of serial digital data and said second wiring segment connecting only said first and third nodes in a point-to-point connection for a second full-duplex communication of serial digital data over said second wiring segment between the first and third data units, and said second wiring segment being connected to concurrently carry a second power signal substantially without interfering with the second communication of serial digital data, wherein; each of said nodes is connected by a respective pair of said wiring segments to only two other nodes, said nodes are connected by the wiring segments in a ring configuration, and each of said nodes is in direct signal conducting communication with a unique pair of other nodes, said first node is connectable to a power supply to be powered from the power supply, and the first and second power signals are provided by the power supply, said second node is at least in part powered by the first power signal, said third node is at least in part powered by the second power signal, and each of said nodes is addressable in said network. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification