Wireless network path setting apparatus and method

• US 8,964,573 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2011
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Mori, Hiroshi, Umemoto, Hideki, Nakamoto, Yasuyuki, Emori, Toshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): KASSIM, KHALED M
• Application Number:
  US13/223,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20120063330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 370/248, 370/238, 370/312, 370/225, 370/328, 370/235, 370/250
• US Class Current: 370/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/42 Centralised routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point

Abstract

A wireless network path setting apparatus includes a receiving module configured to receive input of wireless network paths, an investigating module configured to investigate a communication environment and status of each of routes constituting the wireless network paths that have been input through the receiving module, and a registering module configured to register the wireless network paths that have been input through the receiving module as network paths to be used in a field wireless system if the communication environment and status of each route investigated by the investigating module is appropriate.

Claims

1. A wireless network path setting apparatus, for a wireless network having a control loop, comprising:

a receiving module configured to receive input of wireless network paths;

an investigating module configured to investigate a communication environment and status of each of routes constituting the wireless network paths that have been input through the receiving module; and

a registering module configured to register the wireless network paths that have been input through the receiving module as network paths to be used in a field wireless system if the communication environment and status of each route investigated by the investigating module is appropriate,

wherein the communication environment and status of a route, which has been input through the receiving module, are appropriate for registration as network paths when a distance between two devices constituting the route is shorter than a predetermined distance, when no obstruction exists between the two devices, when a radio wave intensity of a communication between the two devices is higher than or equal to a predetermined radio wave intensity value, or when a communication loss ratio is smaller than a predetermined communication loss ratio value,

wherein the control loop of the wireless network uses a network path topology formed from registered network paths, the registered network paths being registered from the routes registered by the registering module, and

wherein the network path topology is determined uniquely based on the communication environment and status of each route of the network paths.

2. The wireless network path setting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the investigating module is configured to investigate the communication environment and status of each route on the basis of information stored in advance and indicating the communication environments and statuses of the respective routes.

3. The wireless network path setting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the investigating module is configured to investigate the communication environment and status of each route on the basis of a result of a trial communication.

4. The wireless network path setting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless network paths has a layered structure.

6. The wireless network path setting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the network paths are display graphically and the communication environments and statuses of the individual routes are indicated graphically.

5. A wireless network path setting method, for a wireless network comprising a control loop, comprising:

receiving input of wireless network paths;

investigating a communication environment and status of each of routes constituting the wireless network paths that have been input; and

registering the wireless network paths that have been input as network paths to be used in a field wireless system if the communication environment and status of each route investigated is appropriate,

wherein the communication environment and status of a route, which has been input through the receiving module, are appropriate for registration as network paths when a distance between two devices constituting the route is shorter than a predetermined distance, when no obstruction exists between the two devices, when a radio wave intensity of a communication between the two devices is higher than or equal to a predetermined radio wave intensity value, or when a communication loss ratio is smaller than a predetermined communication loss ratio value,

wherein the control loop of the wireless network uses a network path topology formed from registered network paths, the registered network paths being registered from the routes registered by the registering module, and

wherein the network path topology is determined uniquely based on the communication environment and status of each route of the network paths.

7. The wireless network path setting method according to claim 5, further comprising displaying the network paths graphically and indicating the communication environments and statuses of the individual routes graphically.