Wireless architecture utilizing geo-referencing
First Claim
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1. A wireless communication network, comprising:
- a base node, a field node, a reference node and a host;
the base node communicatively coupled to the host;
the base, field and reference nodes each comprising a wireless conversion unit and a wireless transceiver;
the wireless transceivers of the base, the field and the reference nodes effecting wireless communications amongst the base, field and reference nodes;
the field node comprising at least one field device providing process control data;
the reference node comprising a geographical positioning apparatus to determine geographical position of the reference node;
an RF noise measurement apparatus located on at least one of the base, field and reference nodes, wherein the RF noise measurement apparatus is to determine RF ambient noise levels at the RF noise measurement apparatus over a predetermined time period; and
a power settings apparatus located on at least one of the base and reference nodes, wherein the power setting apparatus is todetermine the geographic position of each of the base and field nodes relative to the reference node, anddetermine RF power settings of the wireless transceivers of at least one of the base, the field and the reference nodes using the geographic position of the at least one of the base and field nodes and using the RF ambient noise levels determined by the RF noise measurement apparatus.
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Abstract
A wireless communication system for use in a process control environment includes a reference node adapted to determine geographic positions of at least some of the reference node, a base node, and a field node and determine RF power settings of transceivers attached to the reference node, the base node, and the field node based on the position of determined geographic positions. Additionally, the reference node is adapted to determine RF noise level at a plurality of locations within the process control environment at a plurality of times and to adjust the RF power settings based on the determined RF noise levels. The reference node may be implemented on a hand-held device.
98 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A wireless communication network, comprising:
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a base node, a field node, a reference node and a host; the base node communicatively coupled to the host; the base, field and reference nodes each comprising a wireless conversion unit and a wireless transceiver; the wireless transceivers of the base, the field and the reference nodes effecting wireless communications amongst the base, field and reference nodes; the field node comprising at least one field device providing process control data; the reference node comprising a geographical positioning apparatus to determine geographical position of the reference node; an RF noise measurement apparatus located on at least one of the base, field and reference nodes, wherein the RF noise measurement apparatus is to determine RF ambient noise levels at the RF noise measurement apparatus over a predetermined time period; and a power settings apparatus located on at least one of the base and reference nodes, wherein the power setting apparatus is to determine the geographic position of each of the base and field nodes relative to the reference node, and determine RF power settings of the wireless transceivers of at least one of the base, the field and the reference nodes using the geographic position of the at least one of the base and field nodes and using the RF ambient noise levels determined by the RF noise measurement apparatus. - 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 method for monitoring a wireless process control network, the method comprising:
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receiving a geographic position data from a reference node; receiving data indicative of a radio frequency (RF) ambient noise level from one or more environmental field devices of the reference node; wirelessly transmitting the data indicative of the RF ambient noise level and the geographic position data to a base node communicatively attached to a host; interpreting the data indicative of the RF ambient noise level and the geographic position data at the host, sending a command from the host to the base node to adjust at least one operating parameter of the wireless network based on the data indicative of the RF ambient noise level and the geographic position data, and wirelessly transmitting the command from the base node to at least one field node attached to a field device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification