Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080267259 | Apparatus and method for intelligent frequency-hopping discovery and synchronization - A process control system or other system includes multiple nodes that communicate using frequency-hopping patterns. Each node may operate using its own frequency-hopping pattern. Each node may also broadcast information identifying its frequency-hopping pattern to other nodes, such as any neighboring nodes. Each node may further. receive information identifying the frequency-hopping patterns of any neighboring nodes. The nodes may then operate in a non-synchronized manner and use the frequency-hopping patterns of neighboring nodes to communicate. For example, each node may use the identified frequency-hopping pattern of a neighboring node to synchronize with and communicate data to the neighboring node. In this way, the nodes need not maintain synchronization at all times during operation. Also, different nodes may use different frequency channels at the same time, helping to increase the bandwidth available for wireless communications. | 10-30-2008 |
20090059786 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DYNAMIC ASSIGNMENT OF QUALITY OF SERVICE PARAMETERS IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK - A method includes identifying a condition associated with a communication network and/or an industrial control and automation system. The method also includes selecting, based on the identified condition, one or more quality of service (QoS) parameters used to route data through the communication network. In addition, the method includes communicating information identifying the one or more QoS parameters to one or more components in the communication network. The one or more QoS parameters could be contained within one of multiple QoS policies, and the method could include selecting one of the QoS policies. The condition could represent an emergency condition, and the one or more QoS parameters could include a higher QoS priority for traffic (such as voice communications and sensor data) to and from specified personnel (such as first responders). The communication network could represent at least one wired network and/or at least one wireless network. | 03-05-2009 |
20090060192 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING SECURITY IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - A method includes receiving data at a first wireless node in a wireless network, where the data is associated with an industrial control and automation system. The method also includes decrypting the received data using a first encryption key to produce decrypted data and encrypting the decrypted data using a second encryption key to produce encrypted data. The method further includes communicating the encrypted data to at least a second wireless node in the wireless network. Another method includes generating first data at a first wireless node in a wireless network, where the data is associated with an industrial control and automation system. The other method also includes encrypting the first data using an encryption key and transmitting the first data to multiple second wireless nodes in the wireless network, where the second wireless nodes are capable of using the same encryption key to decrypt the first data. | 03-05-2009 |
20090064295 | SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS FOR ON-DEMAND LIMITED SECURITY CREDENTIALS IN WIRELESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - A method includes storing a security credential associated with a communication network on a portable storage device. The method also includes detecting removal of the portable storage device from a specified location. The method further includes allowing at least one communication device to communicate over the communication network using the security credential. In addition, the method includes revoking the security credential after a specified time period has elapsed. The portable storage device could represent a card, and the specified location could represent a card reader/writer. Also, the communication network could represent a wireless network, and the security credential could represent a cryptographic key. | 03-05-2009 |
20090109889 | System and method for providing simultaneous connectivity between devices in an industrial control and automation or other system - A system, apparatuses, and methods support simultaneous connectivity between devices in an industrial control and automation or other system. For example, a data publisher can publish or provide data to multiple data subscribers. This can be done using a multicast group associated with the multiple data subscribers. The data publisher transmits a data message using a network address associated with the multicast group. Each data subscriber associated with the multicast group receives a copy of the data message. As a particular example, the data publisher could represent a wireless sensor or wireless actuator in the industrial control and automation or other system. Also, the data subscribers could represent multiple controllers or actuators in the industrial control and automation or other system. In this way, the multicasting functionality allows for simpler connectivity or interaction between devices in the industrial control and automation or other system. | 04-30-2009 |
20090112532 | Apparatus and method for displaying changes in statistical parameters in a process control system - At least one statistical output associated with a process model and a rate of change associated with each statistical output is identified, such as by using historical data associated with the process model. The statistical outputs and the rates of change are used to generate a graphical display, such as a phase plane plot. Each point in the display is based on one of the statistical outputs and its associated rate of change. The graphical display could include multiple portions, such as quadrants, and one of the portions can be selected and highlighted. The different portions of the graphical display may represent whether the process model is a poor fit to current conditions and approaching a better fit, a poor fit and approaching a poorer fit, a good fit and approaching a poorer fit, and a good fit and approaching a better fit. | 04-30-2009 |
20110181121 | CONTROLLER FOR WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSFER - A system includes a network and a controller. The network has a plurality of nodes. The plurality of nodes includes a first node and a second node. The first node is configured to transmit energy to the second node. The first node is magnetically coupled with the second node. The plurality of nodes includes at least one controllable node having a performance parameter and including at least one sensor. The at least one sensor is configured to generate a signal corresponding to energy received by the sensor. The controller has an output coupled to the at least one controllable node. The output is determined based on the signal. The performance parameter is selected based on the output. | 07-28-2011 |
20120296488 | INTUITIVE SCHEDULING FOR ENERGY MANAGEMENT DEVICES - An energy management device providing a series of user interface enhancements that enable the creation and modification of energy management schedules. The energy management device may provide these user interface enhancements in connection with a touch screen interface, as the user interface receives and processes a variety of touch screen gestures from users intended to create and manipulate the energy management schedules. Specific embodiments described herein include calendar views with customizable periods of interest, calendar views with overlays of scheduling and pricing information, and clocks providing runtime indications of specific energy consuming systems. | 11-22-2012 |
20120319903 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOCATING MOBILE DEVICES - A system includes a three dimensional antenna and mobile devices that wirelessly communicate with the antenna. A phase of arrival and a phase difference of arrival are calculated, and a distance between the three dimensional antenna and the mobile device is calculated. A direction between the three dimensional antenna and the mobile device is calculated. The direction calculation includes an angular spread function of multipath scattering in the communication between the three dimensional antenna and the mobile device. The direction calculation further includes an estimation of a propagation delay and an angle in the communication between the three dimensional antenna and the mobile device. | 12-20-2012 |