Communication device, communication system, and communication method

• US 9,907,069 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2013
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Furukawa, Yota, Fujimoto, Naoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lalchinthang, Vanneilian
• Application Number:
  US14/385,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20150049696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• Field of Search: 370329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/06 based on characteristics of available antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/046 the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/27 between access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

This communication device that can, for each timeslot, switch the communication partner for performing wireless communication, is characterized by being provided with: a plurality of antennas including at least one directional antenna; at least one communication circuit that transmits/receives a signal with the communication partner using the antennas; and a control unit that allocates the communication circuit and the antennas used in wireless communication on a timeslot-by-timeslot basis.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a system management device configured to communicate with a terminal device, the system management device being configured to create at least one hopping table that specifies time slots, frequency channels, and multi-hop wireless communication links for multi-hop wireless communication, based on information set by the terminal device;

a first wireless field device configured to perform at least one of measuring at least a specific physical quantity and manipulating the at least a specific physical quantity, the first wireless field device comprising a first directional antenna, the first wireless field device comprising a first control unit configured to acquire the at least one hopping table from the system management device and store the at one least hopping table and to select the first directional antenna for a first communication link based on the time slots, the frequency channels, and the multi-hop wireless communication links specified by the at least one hopping table; and

a second wireless field device as a relay station for a multi-hop wireless communication based on the time slots, the frequency channels, and the multi-hop wireless communication links specified by the at least one hopping table between the first wireless field device and the system management device, the second wireless field device as the relay station configured to perform at least one of measuring at least a specific physical quantity and manipulating the at least a specific physical quantity, the second wireless field device comprising a second directional antenna which is directed toward the system management device, and a third directional antenna which is directed toward the first wireless field device, and the second wireless field device comprising a second control unit configured to acquire the at least one hopping table from the system management device and store the at least one hopping table and to select the second directional antenna for a second communication link and the third directional antenna for a third communication link based on the time slots, the frequency channels, and the multi-hop wireless communication links specified by the at least one hopping table to allow the multi-hop wireless communication between the first wireless field device and the system management device for performing at least one of transmitting data of the measured at least specific physical quantity from the first wireless field device through the second wireless field device to the system management device and transmitting manipulation data for manipulating the at least a specific physical quantity from the system management device through the second wireless field device to the first wireless field device.

2. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the system management device is configured to create a plurality of super-frames respectively allocated with different priorities, and

wherein each of the first and second control units is configured to refer to the plurality of super-frames and use the multi-hop wireless communication link which has the super-frame allocated with the highest priority if there is any interference between the multi-hop wireless communication links.

3. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the system management device is configured to create, in addition to the hopping table, a link table that stipulates at least the second and third directional antennas of the second field device as the relay station for each multi-hop wireless communication link with which the second wireless field device engages, and

wherein each of the first and second control units is configured to acquire the link table from the system management device and store the link table.

4. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the system management device is configured to create, in addition to the hopping table, a neighbor table that stipulates at least the second and third directional antennas of the second field device as the relay station for each multi-hop wireless communication link with which the second wireless field device engages, and

wherein each of the first and second control units is configured to acquire the neighbor table from the system management device and store the neighbor table.

5. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the system management device comprises a fourth directional antenna which is directed toward the second wireless field device as the relay station.

6. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the system management device comprises a first non-directional antenna for wirelessly communicating with the second wireless field device as the relay station.

7. The communication system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a third wireless field device configured to perform at least one of measuring at least a specific physical quantity and manipulating the at least a specific physical quantity, the third wireless field device comprising a second non-directional antenna, and

wherein the second wireless field device comprises, in addition to the first and second directional antennas, a third non-directional antenna configured to wirelessly communicate with the third wireless field device.

8. The communication system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth wireless field device configured to perform at least one of measuring at least a specific physical quantity and manipulating the at least a specific physical quantity, the fourth wireless field device comprising a fourth directional antenna, the fourth wireless field device comprising a fourth control unit configured to acquire the at least one hopping table from the system management device and store the at least one hopping table and to select the fourth directional antenna for a fourth communication link based on the time slots, the frequency channels, and the multi-hop wireless communication links specified by the at least one hopping table; and

wherein the second wireless field device as the relay station is configured to communicate wirelessly through the first directional antenna to both the first field device and fourth wireless field device.

9. The communication system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a fifth wireless field device configured to perform at least one of measuring at least a specific physical quantity and manipulating the at least a specific physical quantity, the fifth wireless field device comprising a fifth directional antenna, the fifth wireless field device comprising a fifth control unit configured to acquire the at least one hopping table from the system management device and store the at least one hopping table and to select the fifth directional antenna for a fifth communication link based on the time slots, the frequency channels, and the multi-hop wireless communication links specified by the at least hopping table; and

wherein the second wireless field device as the relay station is configured to communicate wirelessly through the second directional antenna to both the system management device and the fifth wireless field device.