Relay device and wireless control network management system using the same

• US 8,442,071 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2010
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Ishii, Yousuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAMUEL, DEWANDA A
• Application Number:
  US12/943,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20110110291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/315, 370/235, 370/395.4, 370/411, 370/442, 370/473
• US Class Current: 370/473
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence

Abstract

There is provided a relay device for relaying first wireless communication and second wireless communication. The first wireless communication is based on a process control wireless communication standard, and the second wireless communication is based on another wireless communication standard than the process control wireless communication standard. The device includes: a superframe management unit configured to receive a first superframe of the first wireless communication from the outside and generate a second superframe of the second wireless communication based on the first superframe; and a transmission unit configured to transmit the second superframe to a wireless communication terminal performing the second wireless communication.

Claims

1. A relay device for relaying first wireless communication and second wireless communication, wherein the first wireless communication is based on a process control wireless communication standard, and the second wireless communication is based on another wireless communication standard than the process control wireless communication standard,

the device comprising:

a superframe management unit configured to receive a first superframe of the first wireless communication from the outside and generate a second superframe of the second wireless communication based on the first superframe; and

a transmission unit configured to transmit the second superframe to a wireless communication terminal performing the second wireless communication,

wherein the superframe management unit is configured to generate the second superframe based on the first superframe without causing any mutual interference between the first and second wireless communications.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the superframe management unit is configured to generate the second superframe based on the first superframe without causing any mutual interference between the first and second wireless communications by allocating a wireless communication frequency in the second superframe that is mutually exclusive with a wireless communication frequency in the first superframe within an overlapping time period.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein

the superframe management unit is configured to receive the first superframe from a management server, the management server being configured to manage a wireless communication terminal for process control.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein

one of the first and second wireless communications is based on ISA100.11a or WirelessHART and the other is based on Wireless Fidelity communication.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a wireline network communication unit configured to receive the first superframe through a wireline network from a management server managing a wireless communication terminal for process control, and configured to send the first superframe to the superframe management unit.

6. A wireless control network management system, the system comprising;

a plurality of first wireless communication terminals configured to perform a first wireless communication based on a process control wireless communication standard;

a plurality of second wireless communication terminals configured to perform a second wireless communication based on another wireless communication standard than the process control wireless communication standard;

a management server configured to manage process control wireless communication terminals connected to at least one field device through a wireline network; and

a relay device configured to relay the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication, the device comprising;

a superframe management unit configured to receive a first superframe of the first wireless communication from the management server and generate a second superframe of the second wireless communication based on the first superframe; and

a transmission unit configured to transmit the second superframe to at least one of the second wireless communication terminals,

wherein the superframe management unit is configured to generate the second superframe based on the first superframe without causing any mutual interference between the first and second wireless communications.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the superframe management unit is configured to generate the second superframe based on the first superframe without causing any mutual interference between the first and second wireless communications by allocating a wireless communication frequency in the second superframe that is mutually exclusive with a wireless communication frequency in the first superframe within an overlapping time period.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein

one of the first and second wireless communications is based on ISA100.11a or WirelessHART and the other is based on Wireless Fidelity communication.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein

the relay device further comprising:

a wireline network communication unit configured to receive the first superframe through the wireline network from the management server and configured to send the first superframe to the superframe management unit.