Non-interfering multipath communication system

• US 8,971,938 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2010
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Systems Canada Inc. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Control Microsystems Inc.
• Inventors: Neilson, Paul C.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHARMA, SUJATHA R
• Application Number:
  US12/687,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20100120457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,874 Days
• Field of Search: 455/502, 455/509, 455/515, 455/516, 455/517, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/422.1, 370/347, 370/348, 370/350, 370/312, 370/314, 370/330
• US Class Current: 455/502
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/188 Time-out mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A non-interfering multipath communication technique establishes a base transmit and receive period for a variety of spaced apart transceiver devices of a base station and communicates between at least one field station and the base station through those transceiver devices; a period of the base station is allocated amongst the transceiver devices to maintain the non-interfering multipath communication between the at least one field station and the base station.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a multipath communication connection between a base station comprising a plurality of transceivers and one or more field stations, the method comprising:

receiving, by a first field station, a synchronization signal transmitted by one of the plurality of transceivers of the base station;

transmitting, by the first field station to the base station, a status signal;

determining, by the first field station that a path between a first transceiver of the plurality of transceivers and the first field station is blocked.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

waiting, responsive to determining the path is blocked, a predetermined period of time and transmitting the status signal from the first field station; and

receiving, by the first field station, a synchronization signal transmitted by a second transceiver of the plurality of transceivers of the base station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the status signal further comprises transmitting, by the first field station to the base station, the status signal within a time period allocated by the base station to the first field station.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the first field station, that a clock of the first field station is not synchronized with a clock of the base station;

receiving, by the first field station, a synchronization signal from the base station; and

synchronizing, responsive to receiving the synchronization signal, the clock of the first field station with the clock of the base station.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting a sensor event; and

transmitting, by the first field station responsive to detecting the sensor event, the status signal to the base station.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

activating a receiver of the first field station; and

receiving, by the activated receiver, an acknowledgement signal indicating the base station received the status signal transmitted by the first field station.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allocating, by a controller of the base station, transmit and receive periods to each transceiver of the plurality of transceivers.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving a synchronization signal further comprises receiving a synchronization signal transmitted by a first transceiver during a transmit period allocated to that first transceiver.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the base station, a status of the first field station; and

identifying, by the base station, errors in the first field station status.

10. A system for establishing a multipath communication connection, the system comprising:

a base station comprising a plurality of transceivers and a clock; and

a first field station configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving a synchronization signal transmitted by one of the plurality of transceivers of the base station,

transmitting a status signal to the base station, and determining that a path between a first transceiver of the plurality of transceivers and the first field station is blocked.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first field station is configured to wait, responsive to determining the path is blocked, a predetermined period of time, send a status signal, and receive a synchronization signal transmitted by a second transceiver of the base station.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first field station is configured to transmit the status signal within a time period allocated by the base station to the first field station.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the first field station is configured to:

Determine that a clock of the first field station is not synchronized with the base station clock, receive a synchronization signal from the base station, and synchronize the first field station clock with the base station clock.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the first field station is configured to:

detect a sensor event and transmit a status signal to the base station responsive to detecting the sensor event.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first field station is configured to:

activate a receiver of the first field station, the activated receiver being configured to receive an acknowledgement signal indicating the base station received the status signal transmitted by the first field station.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the base station further comprises a controller that allocates transmit and receive periods to each transceiver of the plurality of transceivers.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the one of the plurality of transceivers is configured to transmit the synchronization signal to the first field station during a transmit period allocated to the one of the plurality of transceivers.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the base station is configured to receive a status of the first field station, and identify errors in the received first field station status.