Multi-tier architecture for control network
First Claim
1. A control network, comprising:
- a first data bus;
a first master node connected to the first data bus;
a first plurality of slave nodes, said first plurality of slave nodes connected to the first data bus in a loop configuration;
a second data bus;
a second plurality of slave nodes, said second plurality of slave nodes connected to the second data bus in a loop configuration;
wherein a first one of said first plurality of slave nodes is connected to the second data bus, said first one of said first plurality of slave nodes operating as a master node with respect to the second data bus;
a third data bus; and
a third plurality of slave nodes, said third plurality of slave nodes connected to the third data bus in a loop configuration;
wherein a first one of said second plurality of slave nodes is connected to the third data bus, said first one of said second plurality of slave nodes operating as a master node with respect to the third data bus; and
wherein any of said first plurality of slave nodes is capable of operating as a master node with respect to said first data bus, any of said second plurality of slave nodes is capable of operating as a master node with respect to said second data bus, and any of said third plurality of slave nodes is capable of operating as a master node with respect to said third data bus.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-tier, master-slave control network has at least three data buses. A first-tier master node and a plurality of first-tier slave nodes are connected to a main data bus. One or more first-tier slave nodes are connected to secondary data buses. The secondary data buses are connected to second-tier slave nodes, and the first-tier slave node connected to the secondary data bus acts as a master node with respect to the secondary data bus. One or more second-tier slave nodes may be connected to tertiary data buses to provide another layer of control nesting. The tertiary data buses are connected to third-tier slave nodes, and the second-tier slave node connected to the tertiary data bus acts as a master node with respect to the tertiary data bus. A preferred embodiment of the control network provides redundant backup control for a master node at each level of the hierarchy in which the slave nodes connected to a particular data bus are provided with means for detecting a failure of the master node and for taking over for the master node when such a failure occurs. The master node and slave nodes each have an uplink transceiver and a downlink transceiver, with the downlink transceiver ordinarily isolated by switches from the common bus. The switches may be closed to connect the node to the same data bus as the uplink transceiver, allowing the node to become a master node with respect to that particular data bus.
1008 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A control network, comprising:
-
a first data bus; a first master node connected to the first data bus; a first plurality of slave nodes, said first plurality of slave nodes connected to the first data bus in a loop configuration; a second data bus; a second plurality of slave nodes, said second plurality of slave nodes connected to the second data bus in a loop configuration; wherein a first one of said first plurality of slave nodes is connected to the second data bus, said first one of said first plurality of slave nodes operating as a master node with respect to the second data bus; a third data bus; and a third plurality of slave nodes, said third plurality of slave nodes connected to the third data bus in a loop configuration; wherein a first one of said second plurality of slave nodes is connected to the third data bus, said first one of said second plurality of slave nodes operating as a master node with respect to the third data bus; and wherein any of said first plurality of slave nodes is capable of operating as a master node with respect to said first data bus, any of said second plurality of slave nodes is capable of operating as a master node with respect to said second data bus, and any of said third plurality of slave nodes is capable of operating as a master node with respect to said third data bus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
5. A control network, comprising:
-
a plurality of buses, said plurality of buses comprising at least a first data bus, a second data bus and a third data bus; and a plurality of nodes, each node comprising an uplink transceiver and a downlink transceiver; wherein a first set of nodes is connected to the first data bus, a second set of nodes is connected to the second data bus, and a third set of nodes is connected to the third data bus; wherein each of the first set of nodes comprises an uplink transceiver connected to the first data bus and a downlink transceiver capable of being connected to the first data bus through a controllable switch; wherein each of the second set of nodes comprises an uplink transceiver connected to the second data bus and a downlink transceiver capable of being connected to the second data bus through a controllable switch; wherein each of the third set of nodes comprises an uplink transceiver connected to the third data bus and a downlink transceiver capable of being connected to the third data bus through a controllable switch; wherein a first one of said first set of nodes has its downlink transceiver connected to the first data bus; wherein a second one of said first set of nodes has its downlink transceiver connected to the second data bus; and wherein a first one of said second set of nodes has a downlink transceiver connected to the third data bus. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
8. A method of controlling a network comprising the steps of:
-
connecting a first set of nodes in a first loop, said first set of nodes comprising a master node and a plurality of slave nodes, and said first loop comprising a first bus; connecting a second set of nodes in a second loop, said second loop comprising a second bus, and said second set of nodes comprising at least one node common with said first set of nodes operating as a master node with respect to said second bus and the remaining ones of said second set of nodes operating as slave nodes with respect to said second bus; and connecting a third set of nodes in a third loop, said third loop comprising a third bus, and said third set of nodes comprising at least one node common with either said first set of nodes or with said second set of nodes, said at least one common node operating as a master node with respect to said third bus and the remaining ones of said third set of nodes operating as slave nodes with respect to said third bus; wherein any of said first set of nodes is capable of operating as a master node with respect to said first data bus any of said second set of nodes is capable of operating as a master node with respect to said second data bus, and any of said third set of nodes is capable of operating as a master node with respect to said third data bus.
-
-
20. A multi-tier control network, comprising:
-
a first data bus; a first master node connected to the first data bus; a first plurality of slave nodes, said first plurality of slave nodes connected to the first data bus in a loop configuration; a second data bus; a second plurality of slave nodes, said second plurality of slave nodes connected to the second data bus in a loop configuration; wherein a first one of said first plurality of slave nodes is connected to the second data bus, said first one of said first plurality of slave nodes operating as a master node with respect to the second data bus; a third data bus; and a third plurality of slave nodes, said third plurality of slave nodes connected to the third data bus in a loop configuration; wherein a first one of said second plurality of slave nodes is connected to the third data bus, said first one of said second plurality of slave nodes operating as a master node with respect to the third data bus; wherein any of said first plurality of slave nodes is capable of operating as a master node with respect to said first data bus, any of said second plurality of slave nodes is capable of operating as a master node with respect to said second data bus, and any of said third plurality of slave nodes is capable of operating as a master node with respect to said third data bus; wherein said first plurality of slave nodes, said second plurality of slave nodes and said third plurality of slave nodes are programmed to detect a failure of a current master node in a predetermined order defined by a programmable wait period unique to each slave node connected to a particular bus, the slave node with the shortest programmable wait period taking over as the master node for the particular bus upon detecting a failure of the current master node.
-
Specification