Internet control system communication protocol, method and computer program
First Claim
1. A method for communicating control information in a control system, wherein the control system includes a control area network, a master controller and a plurality of devices, each of said plurality of devices having a number of channels, each channel having an identifying number and a plurality of channel states, said master controller and said plurality of devices being in communication with said control area network, the method comprising:
- at least initially directing one or more messages sent to and from each device to said master controller;
sending a first type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein a control message of said first type directs the respective device to place one of its channels in a specified channel state;
sending a second type of control message and a third type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein a control message of said second type directs the respective device to set the level of a specified parameter to a certain value, and a control message of said third type comprises a character string of variable length;
sending a fourth type of control message comprising a command from said master controller to a controlling device, wherein at least one of said plurality of devices comprises said controlling device configured to regulate the operation of a controlled device; and
temporarily assigning a device identification number to one of said plurality of devices, wherein said device identification number is assigned by said master controller to enable communication of information between said one of said plurality of devices and said master controller, said one of said plurality of devices does not have a permanently assigned identification number, and is transparent to operation of said control system when the device identification number is not temporarily assigned thereto.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control system, method and computer program are provided for communicating control information in a control system. The control system includes a master controller and a plurality of devices. Each of the plurality of devices have a number of channels. Each channel has an identifying number and a plurality of channel states. The method includes at least initially directing one or more messages sent to and from each device to the master controller, sending a first type of control message from the master controller to respective devices, and sending a second type of control message and a third type of control message from the master controller to respective devices. A control message of the first type directs the respective device to place one of its channels in a specified channel state. A control message of the second type directs the respective device to set the level of a specified parameter to a certain value, and a control message of the third type comprises a character string of variable length.
259 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for communicating control information in a control system, wherein the control system includes a control area network, a master controller and a plurality of devices, each of said plurality of devices having a number of channels, each channel having an identifying number and a plurality of channel states, said master controller and said plurality of devices being in communication with said control area network, the method comprising:
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at least initially directing one or more messages sent to and from each device to said master controller; sending a first type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein a control message of said first type directs the respective device to place one of its channels in a specified channel state; sending a second type of control message and a third type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein a control message of said second type directs the respective device to set the level of a specified parameter to a certain value, and a control message of said third type comprises a character string of variable length; sending a fourth type of control message comprising a command from said master controller to a controlling device, wherein at least one of said plurality of devices comprises said controlling device configured to regulate the operation of a controlled device; and temporarily assigning a device identification number to one of said plurality of devices, wherein said device identification number is assigned by said master controller to enable communication of information between said one of said plurality of devices and said master controller, said one of said plurality of devices does not have a permanently assigned identification number, and is transparent to operation of said control system when the device identification number is not temporarily assigned thereto. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A control system comprising:
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a control area network; a master controller; a plurality of devices, wherein each of said plurality of devices is configured with a plurality of channels, each channel having an identification number and a plurality of channel states; and wherein said master controller and said plurality of devices are in communication with said control area network, said control system is configured to; at least initially direct one or more messages sent to and from each device to said master controller, said master controller is configured to send a first type of control message, a second type of control message and a third type of control message to respective devices, each device is configured to receive the first type of control message, the second type of control message and the third type of control message such that the first type of control message directs the respective device to place one of its channels in a specified channel state, the second type of control message directs the respective device to set the level of a specified parameter to a certain value, the third type of control message directs the respective device to receive a character string of variable length; send a fourth type of control message comprising a command from said master controller to a controlling device, wherein at least one of said plurality of devices comprises said controlling device configured to regulate the operation of a controlled device; and temporarily assign a device identification number to one of said plurality of devices, wherein said device identification number is assigned by said master controller to enable communication of information between said one of said plurality of devices and said master controller, said one of said plurality of devices does not have a permanently assigned identification number, and is transparent to operation of said control system when the device identification number is not temporarily assigned thereto. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A control system comprising:
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a control area network; a master controller; a plurality of devices, wherein each of said plurality of devices is configured with a plurality of channels, each channel having an identification number and a plurality of channel states; and wherein said master controller and said plurality of devices are in communication with said control area network, said control system is configured to; at least initially direct one or more messages sent to and from at least one device to said master controller, said master controller is configured to send a control message to one of said plurality of devices, said one of said plurality of devices being configured upon receipt of said control message to perform at least one of placing one of said plurality of channels of said one of said plurality of devices in a specified channel state, setting the level of a specified parameter to a certain value, and receiving a character string of variable length; send a fourth type of control message comprising a command from said master controller to a controlling device, wherein at least one of said plurality of devices comprises said controlling device configured to regulate the operation of a controlled device; and temporarily assign a device identification number to one of said plurality of devices, wherein said device identification number is assigned by said master controller to enable communication of information between said one of said plurality of devices and said master controller, said one of said plurality of devices does not have a permanently assigned identification number, and is transparent to operation of said control system when the device identification number is not temporarily assigned thereto.
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21. A computer program product embedded in a computer-readable storage medium for communicating control information in a control system, wherein the control system includes a control area network, a master controller and a plurality of devices, each of said plurality of devices having a number of channels, each channel having an identifying number and a plurality of channel states, said master controller and said plurality of devices being in communication with said control area network, the computer program product comprising:
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a first computer code for at least initially directing one or more messages sent to and from each device to said master controller; a second computer code for sending a first type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein a control message of said first type directing the respective device to place one of its channels in a specified channel state; and a third computer code for sending a second type of control message and a third type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein the second type of control message directs the respective device to set the level of a specified parameter to a certain value, and the third type of control message comprises a character string of variable length; a fourth computer code for sending a fourth type of control message comprising a command from said master controller to a controlling device, wherein at least one of said plurality of devices comprises said controlling device configured to regulate the operation of a controlled device; and a fifth computer code for temporarily assigning a device identification number to one of said plurality of devices, wherein said device identification number is assigned by said master controller to enable communication of information between said one of said plurality of devices and said master controller, said one of said plurality of devices does not have a permanently assigned identification number, and is transparent to operation of said control system when the device identification number is not temporarily assigned thereto. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A control system comprising:
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a control area network; a master controller; a plurality of devices, wherein each of said plurality of devices is configured with a plurality of channels, each channel having an identification number and a plurality of channel states, wherein said master controller and said plurality of devices are in communication with said control area network; and means for at least initially directing all messages sent to and from each device to said master controller; means for sending a first type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein the first type of control message directs the respective device to place one of its channels in a specified channel state; means for sending a second type of control message and a third type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein the second type of control message directs the respective device to set the level of a specified parameter to a certain value, and the third type of control message comprises a character string of variable length; means for sending a fourth type of control message comprising a command from said master controller to a controlling device, wherein at least one of said plurality of devices comprises said controlling device configured to regulate the operation of a controlled device; and means for temporarily assigning a device identification number to one of said plurality of devices, wherein said device identification number is assigned by said master controller to enable communication of information between said one of said plurality of devices and said master controller, said one of said plurality of devices does not have a permanently assigned identification number, and is transparent to operation of said control system when the device identification number is not temporarily assigned thereto.
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33. A method for communicating control information in a control system, wherein the control system includes a control area network, a master controller and a plurality of devices, each of said plurality of devices having a number of channels, each channel having an identifying number and a plurality of channel states, said master controller and said plurality of devices being in communication with said control area network, said master controller being in communication with an IP data network, the method comprising:
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at least initially directing one or more messages sent to and from each device to said master controller; sending a first type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein a control message of said first type directs the respective device to place one of its channels in a specified channel state; sending a second type of control message and a third type of control message from said master controller to respective devices, wherein a control message of said second type directs the respective device to set the level of a specified parameter to a certain value, and a control message of said third type comprises a character string of variable length; sending a fourth type of control message comprising a command from said master controller to a controlling device, wherein at least one of said plurality of devices comprises said controlling device configured to regulate the operation of a controlled device; and temporarily assigning a device identification number to one of said plurality of devices, wherein said device identification number is assigned by said master controller to enable communication of information between said one of said plurality of devices and said master controller, said one of said plurality of devices does not have a permanently assigned identification number, and is transparent to operation of said control system when the device identification number is not temporarily assigned thereto.
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Specification