Apparatus and method for supporting wireless actuators and other devices in process control systems
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a wireless leaf node configured to modify operation of an industrial process; and
a plurality of wireless access points configured to transmit data to the wireless leaf node in specified time slots within a data frame and to receive an acknowledgement from the wireless leaf node in response to successful receipt of the data by the wireless leaf node, wherein a first one of the access points is configured to;
transmit a first data message to the wireless leaf node during a first portion of a first time slot; and
in response to determining that no acknowledgement is received to the transmission of the first data message, perform a first retransmission of the first data message to the wireless leaf node during a second portion of the first time slot;
transmit a second data message to the wireless leaf node during a first portion of a second time slot; and
in response to determining that no acknowledgement is received to the first retransmission, determine whether to perform a second retransmission of the first data message to the wireless leaf node after the first portion of the second time slot during a second portion of the second time slot based on whether an acknowledgement is received to the transmission of the second data message and a priority order for message retransmissions.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system includes a wireless leaf node configured to modify operation of an industrial process. The system also includes a plurality of wireless access points configured to transmit data to the wireless leaf node in specified time slots and to receive an acknowledgement from the wireless leaf node in response to successful receipt of the data by the wireless leaf node. Various communication schemes are disclosed for supporting communications between the wireless leaf node and the access points. Each access point could also include a local slot manager configured to assign the specified time slots for that access point to communicate with the wireless leaf node. The wireless leaf node could represent a wireless actuator.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A system comprising:
-
a wireless leaf node configured to modify operation of an industrial process; and a plurality of wireless access points configured to transmit data to the wireless leaf node in specified time slots within a data frame and to receive an acknowledgement from the wireless leaf node in response to successful receipt of the data by the wireless leaf node, wherein a first one of the access points is configured to; transmit a first data message to the wireless leaf node during a first portion of a first time slot; and in response to determining that no acknowledgement is received to the transmission of the first data message, perform a first retransmission of the first data message to the wireless leaf node during a second portion of the first time slot; transmit a second data message to the wireless leaf node during a first portion of a second time slot; and in response to determining that no acknowledgement is received to the first retransmission, determine whether to perform a second retransmission of the first data message to the wireless leaf node after the first portion of the second time slot during a second portion of the second time slot based on whether an acknowledgement is received to the transmission of the second data message and a priority order for message retransmissions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. An access point comprising:
-
at least one transceiver configured to transmit data to a wireless leaf node that is configured to modify operation of an industrial process and to receive an acknowledgement from the wireless leaf node in response to successful receipt of the data by the wireless leaf node; and a controller configured to initiate transmission of the data to the wireless leaf node in specified time slots within a data frame and to identify the specified time slots in cooperation with a second access point that is configured to transmit the data to the wireless leaf node; wherein the controller is configured to identify the time slots such that the access point is configured to; transmit a first data message to the wireless leaf node during a first portion of a first time slot; in response to determining that no acknowledgement is received to the transmission, perform a first retransmission of the first data message to the wireless leaf node during a second portion of the first time slot; transmit a second data message to the wireless leaf node during a first portion of a second time slot; and in response to determining that no acknowledgement is received to the first retransmission, determine whether to perform a second retransmission of the first data message to the wireless leaf node after the first portion of the second time slot during a second portion of the second time slot based on whether an acknowledgement is received to the transmission of the second data message and a priority order for message retransmissions. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method comprising:
-
transmitting a first data message to a wireless leaf node during a first portion of a first time slot, wherein the wireless leaf node is configured to modify operation of an industrial process; in response to determining that no acknowledgement is received to the transmission, performing a first retransmission of the first data message to the wireless leaf node during a second portion of the first time slot; transmitting a second data message to the wireless leaf node during a first portion of a second time slot; and in response to determining that no acknowledgement is received to the first retransmission, determining whether to perform a second retransmission of the first data message to the wireless leaf node after the first portion of the second time slot during a second portion of the second time slot based on whether an acknowledgement is received to the transmission of the second data message and a priority order for message retransmissions, wherein a plurality of wireless access points are configured to transmit data to the wireless leaf node in specified time slots within a data frame and to receive an acknowledgement from the wireless leaf node in response to successful receipt of the data by the wireless leaf node. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
Specification