Multiprotocol wireless communication backbone

• US 8,285,326 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Yu-Gene T., Gonia, Patrick S., McLaughlin, Paul F., Carmody, Joseph P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ajibade Akonai, Olumide T
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLLIDAY, JAIME MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US11/306,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20070155423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,475 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/424, 455/432.2, 455/434, 455/503, 455/556.1, 370/338, 370/401
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31129 Universal interface for different fieldbus protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31151 Lan local area network
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33192 Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Methods, devices and systems for integrating multiple communication systems including multiple wireless communication protocols into a single system are discussed. In an illustrative example, a communication system includes a device adapted to communicate via first and second wireless communication protocols. The system may further include local area network or other wired sub-network, with the device adapted for first and second protocols also being adapted to operate using the local area network or other wired sub-network.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system comprising:

a first device operating a first wireless communication protocol of a first wireless network;

a second device operating a second wireless communication protocol of a second wireless network;

a third device having control circuitry and transceiver circuitry, the control circuitry configured to operate the transceiver circuitry using each of the first wireless communication protocol and the second wireless communication protocol, wherein the third device further comprises input/output hardware configured for communicating in a non-wireless manner, the control circuitry being further configured to identify which of the first wireless communication protocol of the first wireless network or the second wireless communication protocol of the second wireless network is being used in association with a received message such that if the received message is identified as using the first wireless communication protocol of the first wireless network, the received message is directed for further communication within the first wireless network, and if the received message is identified as using the second wireless communication protocol of the second wireless network, the received message is directed for further communication within the second wireless network, wherein the control circuitry of the third device is further configured to direct data, when so addressed, from a wired network to the first device using the first wireless network or the second device using the second wireless network; and

a fourth device coupled to the third device, the fourth device producing data related to one or more environmental or industrial conditions, wherein the third device receives and stores data from the fourth device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first device is a mobile worker device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first communication protocol and the second communication protocols is one of the plurality of IEEE®

802.11 wireless communication protocols.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein at least one of the first communication protocol and the second communication protocols is not one of the plurality of IEEE®

802.11 wireless communication protocols.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry of the third device is also configured to direct data, when so addressed, from the first device or the second device to a wired device on a wired network.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the third device controls access to data from the fourth device.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the third device is configured to identify and initialize added devices coupled to the wired network and allow for initialization of such added devices in a manner directed by one of the first device and the second device.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second wireless networks are not operating in direct communication with one another.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the third device is configured to identify a device added to the system as being configured for communication with the first communication protocol or the second communication protocol, the third device further configured to perform steps to initialize the added device.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry of the third device is further configured to direct data, when so addressed, from one of the first device or the second device to the other of the first device or the second device.

11. A device comprising:

one or more radio transceivers;

input/output hardware configured for communicating using a non-wireless communication protocol;

control circuitry coupled to the one or more radio transceivers, the control circuitry configured to perform;

communications tasks related to a first wireless communication protocol of a first wireless network;

communications tasks related to a second wireless communication protocol of a second wireless network;

a determination of whether a communication received via the one or more radio transceivers belongs to a first wireless network; and

a determination of whether a communication received via the one or more radio transceivers belongs to a second wireless network;

wherein communications belonging to the first wireless network are segregated from communications belonging to the second wireless network; and

wherein the communications tasks related to the first wireless communication protocol are performed in accordance with a first security protocol, and the communications tasks related to the second wireless communication protocol are performed in accordance with a second security protocol, wherein the first security protocol is different from the second security protocol;

wherein said device receives data from another device including data related to one or more environmental or industrial conditions.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to direct data, when so addressed, from one of the first wireless network or the second wireless network to a wired network via the input/output hardware.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to direct data, when so addressed, from a wired network to one of the first wireless network or the second wireless network.

14. The device of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to direct data, when so addressed, from the first wireless network to the second wireless network when data is received having addressing allowing the data to be sent from the first wireless network to the second wireless network, including:

parsing the received and addressed data to identify a message portion of the data;

generating sending data containing the message portion along with at least one of a preamble or a postamble appropriate for use in the second wireless network.

15. The device of claim 11 further comprising memory for retaining data received from at least one of the first wireless network and the second wireless network for later access.

16. A wireless communication system comprising:

a first device operating a first wireless communication protocol of a first wireless network;

a second device operating a second wireless communication protocol of a second wireless network;

a third device having control circuitry and transceiver circuitry, the control circuitry configured to operate the transceiver circuitry using each of the first wireless communication protocol and the second wireless communication protocol, the third device further includes input/output hardware configured for communicating with a non-wireless communication protocol, the control circuitry being further configured to filter a received message in accordance with a security protocol for a network to which the received message is addressed to limit data access between the first device and the second device, wherein a level of the security protocol is different for two or more of the first wireless communication protocol, the second wireless communication protocol, and non-wireless communication protocol; and

wherein said third device received data from one or more of the first device, the second device and/or a fourth device, which includes data related to one or more environmental or industrial conditions.

17. The wireless communication system of claim 16 wherein the control circuitry of the third device is further configured to direct data of the received message, when so addressed, from one of the first device or the second device to a wired device on a wired network.

18. The wireless communication system of claim 17 wherein the control circuitry if further configured to limit data access between the first device and the wired device and/or the second device and the wired device.

19. The wireless communication system of claim 17 wherein the filter allows uni-directional access between at least two of the first device, the second device, and the wired device.

20. The wireless communication system of claim 16 wherein a level of the security protocol for the first wireless communication protocol, the second wireless communication protocol, and non-wireless communication protocol are different.

21. The wireless communication system of claim 16 wherein a level of the security protocol are different according to the direction the message is going.

22. The wireless communication system of claim 16 wherein the filter allows uni-directional access between the first device and the second device.