Hybrid topology ethernet architecture
First Claim
1. A distributed control system comprising:
- a first network section comprising one or more control nodes containing control logic operable to perform control function computations;
a second network section, wherein the second network section comprises;
a plurality of additional nodes responsive to the one or more control nodes in the first network section, each of the plurality of additional nodes communicatively coupled directly to two neighbor nodes and communicatively coupled directly to two skip nodes using a plurality of links;
first and second gateway interfaces each coupled to the first and second network sections and each operable to interface the first network section to the second network section;
wherein the first network section is operable to communicate signals using a first communication protocol; and
wherein the plurality of nodes in the second network section are operable to communicate signals over the plurality of links using a second communication protocol that is different from the first communication protocol;
the distributed control system further comprising;
a third gateway interface coupled to the first network section; and
a reversionary control unit coupled between the third gateway interface and the second network section, wherein the reversionary control unit is operable to control operation of the plurality of additional nodes if the one or more control nodes in the first network section fail.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A distributed control system comprises a first network section comprising one or more control nodes containing control logic operable to perform control function computations; a second network section, wherein the second network section comprises; a plurality of additional nodes responsive to the one or more control nodes in the first network section, each of the plurality of additional nodes communicatively coupled to two neighbor nodes and to two skip nodes using a plurality of links; first and second gateway interfaces each coupled to the first and second network sections and each operable to interface the first network section to the second network section; wherein the first network section is operable to communicate signals using a first communication protocol; and wherein the plurality of nodes in the second network section are operable to communicate signals over the plurality of links using a second communication protocol that is different from the first communication protocol.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A distributed control system comprising:
-
a first network section comprising one or more control nodes containing control logic operable to perform control function computations; a second network section, wherein the second network section comprises; a plurality of additional nodes responsive to the one or more control nodes in the first network section, each of the plurality of additional nodes communicatively coupled directly to two neighbor nodes and communicatively coupled directly to two skip nodes using a plurality of links; first and second gateway interfaces each coupled to the first and second network sections and each operable to interface the first network section to the second network section; wherein the first network section is operable to communicate signals using a first communication protocol; and
wherein the plurality of nodes in the second network section are operable to communicate signals over the plurality of links using a second communication protocol that is different from the first communication protocol;the distributed control system further comprising; a third gateway interface coupled to the first network section; and a reversionary control unit coupled between the third gateway interface and the second network section, wherein the reversionary control unit is operable to control operation of the plurality of additional nodes if the one or more control nodes in the first network section fail. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16)
-
-
15. An internetworking device for communicatively coupling a plurality of nodes in a first network to a second network external to the first network, each of the plurality of nodes communicatively coupled to at least one other node via a direct link and at least one other node via a skip link, the internetworking device comprising:
-
a first gateway interface operable to couple the plurality of nodes to the external network, the first gateway interface comprising a first node and a second node of the plurality of nodes; and a second gateway interface operable to couple the plurality of nodes to the external network, the second gateway interface comprising a third node and a fourth node of the plurality of nodes wherein the first node is configured to communicate data in a first direction through the first network to a fifth node via a direct link and the second node is configured to communicate data in the first direction to the fifth node via a skip link; and
wherein the third node is configured to communicate data in a second direction through the first network to a sixth node via a direct link and the fourth node is configured to communicate data in the second direction to the sixth node via a skip link. - View Dependent Claims (17)
-
-
18. A distributed control system for controlling an engine comprising:
-
a resource cabinet located off the engine, the resource cabinet comprising a plurality of computational cards, wherein the plurality of computational cards are operable to communicate using a first protocol; a plurality of on-engine components operable to communicate using a second protocol that is different from the first protocol, each of the plurality of on-engine components coupled to two neighbor on-engine components via direct links and to two skip on-engine components via skip links; a first gateway interface operable to couple the plurality of computational cards to the plurality of on-engine components and to convert between the first and second protocols; and a second gateway interface operable to couple the plurality of computational cards to the plurality of on-engine components and to convert between the first and second protocols. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
Specification