Communications protocol for remote data generating stations

A method for communicating between an intermediate data terminal (IDT), a plurality of remote cell nodes (RCN), and a plurality of network service modules (NSM), using a plurality of frames with each frame having a plurality of channels, comprising the steps, during each frame, of:

• transmitting, in a first channel of the frame, from the intermediate data terminal to the plurality of remote cell nodes, an IDT-synchronization signal;
• receiving, at each of the plurality of remote cell nodes, the IDT-synchronization signal;
• synchronizing, at each of the plurality of remote cell nodes, responsive to receiving the IDT-synchronization signal, an RCN-timing circuit to the IDT-synchronization signal;
• transmitting, using radio waves, in a fourth channel of the frame, from each of the plurality of remote cell nodes to the plurality of network service modules, responsive to receiving and synchronizing to the IDT-synchronization signal, an RCN-synchronization signal;
• receiving, at each of the plurality of network service modules, the RCN-synchronization signal;
• synchronizing, at each of the plurality of network service modules, responsive to receiving the RCN-synchronization signal, an NSM-timing circuit to the RCN-synchronization signal;
• collecting, at a first network service module, data from a first physical device;
• transmitting, using radio waves, responsive to receiving and synchronizing to the RCN-synchronization signal synchronized to the IDT-synchronization signal, in a fifth channel of the frame, from the first network service module to a first remote cell node, a first NSM-packet signal containing the data from the first physical device;
• receiving, at the first remote cell node, the NSM-packet signal;
• storing, at the first remote cell node, the NSM-packet signal;
• transmitting, synchronized to the IDT-synchronization signal, in a second channel of the frame, from the intermediate data terminal to the first remote cell node, a first polling signal;
• receiving, at the first remote cell node, the first polling signal;
• and
• transmitting, synchronized to the IDT-synchronization signal and responsive to the first polling signal, in a third channel of the frame, from the first remote cell node to the intermediate data terminal, a plurality of stored NSM-packet signals as an RCN-packet signal.

A method for communicating between an intermediate data terminal (IDT), a plurality of remote cell nodes (RCN), and a plurality of network service modules (NSM), using a plurality of frames with each frame having a plurality of channels, comprising the steps, during each frame, of:

• transmitting, in a first channel of the frame, from the intermediate data terminal to the plurality of remote cell nodes, an IDT-synchronization signal;
• receiving, at each of the plurality of remote cell nodes, the IDT-synchronization signal;
• synchronizing, at each of the plurality of remote cell nodes, responsive to receiving the IDT-synchronization signal, an RCN-timing circuit to the IDT-synchronization signal;
• transmitting, using radio waves, in a fourth channel of the frame, from each of the plurality of remote cell nodes to the plurality of network service modules, responsive to receiving and synchronizing to the IDT-synchronization signal, an RCN-synchronization signal;
• receiving, at each of the plurality of network service modules, the RCN-synchronization signal;
• synchronizing, at each of the plurality of network service modules, responsive to receiving the RCN-synchronization signal, an NSM-timing circuit to the RCN-synchronization signal;
• collecting, at a first network service module, data from a first physical device;
• transmitting, using radio waves, at a pseudorandom time within a predetermined time period, responsive to receiving and synchronizing to the RCN-synchronization signal synchronized to the IDT-synchronization signal, in a fifth channel of the frame, from the first network service module, an NSM-packet signal containing the data from the first physical device, to a multiplicity of remote cell nodes, said multiplicity of remote cell nodes being a subset of the plurality of remote cell nodes and said multiplicity of remote cell nodes including a first remote cell node;
• receiving, at the multiplicity of remote cell nodes, the NSM-packet signal;
• storing, at the multiplicity of remote cell nodes, the NSM-packet signal;
• transmitting, synchronized to the IDT-synchronization signal in a second channel of the frame, from the intermediate data terminal to the first remote cell node, a first polling signal;
• receiving, at the first remote cell node, the first polling signal;
• and
• transmitting, synchronized to the IDT-synchronization signal, in a third channel of the frame, from the first remote cell node to the intermediate data terminal, responsive to the first polling signal, a first plurality of NSM-packet signals as a first RCN-packet signal.

A method for communicating between a central data terminal (CDT), a plurality of intermediate data terminals (IDT), a plurality of remote cell nodes (RCN), and a plurality of network service modules (NSM), using a plurality of frames with each frame having a plurality of channels, comprising the steps, during each frame, of:

• transmitting, in a first channel of the frame, from the plurality of intermediate data terminals to the plurality of remote cell nodes, an IDT-synchronization signal;
• receiving, at each of the plurality of remote cell nodes, the IDT-synchronization signal;
• synchronizing, at each of the plurality of remote cell nodes, responsive to receiving the IDT-synchronization signal, an RCN-timing circuit to the IDT-synchronization signal;
• transmitting, using radio waves, in a fourth channel of the frame, from each of the plurality of remote cell nodes to the plurality of network service modules, responsive to receiving and synchronizing to the IDT-synchronization signal, an RCN-synchronization signal;
• receiving, at each of the plurality of network service modules, the RCN-synchronization signal;
• synchronizing, at each of the plurality of network service modules, responsive to receiving the RCN-synchronization signal, an NSM-timing circuit no the RCN-synchronization signal;
• collecting, at a first network service module, data from a first physical device;
• transmitting, using radio waves, at a pseudorandom time within a predetermined time period, responsive to receiving and synchronizing to the RCN-synchronization signal synchronized to the IDT-synchronization signal, in a fifth channel of the frame, from the first network service module, an NSM-packet signal containing the data from the first physical device, to a multiplicity of remote cell nodes, said multiplicity of remote cell nodes being a subset of the plurality of remote cell nodes and said multiplicity of remote cell nodes including a first remote cell node;
• receiving, at the multiplicity of remote cell nodes, the NSM-packet signal;
• storing, at the multiplicity of remote cell nodes, the NSM-packet signal;
• transmitting, synchronized to the IDT-synchronization signal, in a second channel of the frame, from a first intermediate data terminal to the first remote cell node, a first polling signal;
• receiving, at the first remote cell node, the first polling signal;
• transmitting, synchronized to the IDT-synchronization signal, in a third channel of the frame, from the first remote cell node to the first intermediate data terminal, responsive to the first polling signal, a first plurality of NSM-packet signals as a first RCN-packet signal;
• transmitting, from the central data terminal to the first intermediate data terminal, in a sixth channel of the frame, a second polling signal;
• receiving, at the first intermediate data terminal, the second polling signal;
• and
• transmitting, in a seventh channel of the frame, from the first intermediate data terminal to the central data terminal, responsive to the second polling signal, a first plurality of RCN-packet signals as a first IDT-packet signal.

A method for communicating between a central data terminal (CDT), a plurality of remote cell nodes (RCN), and a plurality of network service modules (NSM), using a plurality of frames with each frame having a plurality of channels, comprising the steps, during each frame, of:

• transmitting, in a first channel of the frame, from the central data terminal to the plurality of remote cell nodes, a CDT-synchronization signal;
• receiving, at each of the plurality of remote cell nodes, the CDT-synchronization signal;
• synchronizing, at etch of the plurality of remote cell nodes, responsive to receiving the CDT-synchronization signal, an RCN-timing circuit to the CDT-synchronization signal;
• transmitting, using radio waves, in a fourth channel of the frame, from each of the plurality of remote cell nodes to the plurality of network service modules, responsive to receiving and synchronizing to the CDT-synchronization signal, an RCN-synchronization signal;
• receiving, at each of the plurality of network service modules, the RCN-synchronization signal;
• synchronizing, at each of the plurality of network service modules, responsive to receiving the RCN-synchronization signal, an NSM-timing circuit to the RCN-synchronization signal;
• collecting, at a first network service module, data from a first physical device;
• transmitting, using radio waves, at a pseudorandom time within a predetermined time period, responsive to receiving and synchronizing to the RCN-synchronization signal synchronized to the CDT-synchronization signal, in a fifth channel of the frame, from the first network service module, an NSM-packet signal containing the data from the first physical device, to a multiplicity of remote cell nodes, said multiplicity of remote cell nodes being a subset of the plurality of remote cell nodes and said multiplicity of remote cell nodes including a first remote cell node;
• receiving, at the multiplicity of remote cell nodes, the NSM-packet signal;
• storing, at the multiplicity of remote cell nodes, the NSM-packet signal:
• transmitting, synchronized to the CDT-synchronization signal in a second channel of the frame, from the central data terminal to the first remote cell node, a first polling signal;
• receiving, at the first remote cell node, the first polling signal;
• and
• transmitting, synchronized to the CDT-synchronization signal, in a third channel of the frame, from the first remote cell node to the central data terminal, responsive to the first polling signal, a first plurality of NSM-packet signals as a first RCN-packet signal.

A method for communicating between an intermediate data terminal (IDT), a plurality of remote cell nodes (RCN), and a plurality of network service modules (NSM), using a plurality of frames with each frame having a plurality of channels, comprising the steps, during each frame, of:

• transmitting, in a first channel of the frame, from the intermediate data terminal to the plurality of remote cell nodes, an IDT-synchronization signal;
• transmitting, synchronized to the IDT-synchronization signal, in a second channel of the frame, from the intermediate data terminal to a first remote cell node, a first polling signal;
• receiving, at each of the plurality of remote cell nodes, the IDT-synchronization signal;
• synchronizing, at each of the plurality of remote cell nodes, responsive to receiving the IDT-synchronization signal, an RCN-timing circuit to the IDT-synchronization signal;
• transmitting, using radio waves, in a third channel of the frame, from each of the plurality of remote cell nodes to the plurality of network service modules, responsive to receiving and synchronizing to the IDT-synchronization signal, an RCN-synchronization signal;
• receiving, at each of the plurality of network service modules, the RCN-synchronization signal;
• synchronizing, at each of the plurality of network service modules, responsive to receiving the RCN-synchronization signal, an NSM-timing circuit to the RCN-synchronization signal;
• collecting, at the plurality of network service modules, data from a plurality of physical devices, respectively;
• transmitting, using radio waves, in a fourth channel of the frame, from the first remote cell node to a first network service module, a command signal;
• receiving, at the first network service module, the command signal;
• transmitting, using radio waves, synchronized to the RCN-synchronization signal and responsive to the command signal, in a fifth channel of the frame, from the first network service module to the first remote cell node, data as an NSM-packet signal;
• receiving, at the first remote cell node, the NSM-packet signal;
• storing, at the first remote cell node, the NSM-packet signal;
• receiving, at the first remote cell node, the first polling signal;
• and
• transmitting, synchronized to the IDT-synchronization signal and responsive to the first polling signal, in a sixth channel of the frame, from the first remote cell node to the intermediate data terminal, a first plurality of stored NSM-packet signals as a first RCN-packet signal.

A method for communicating between a central data terminal (CDT), a plurality of intermediate data terminals (IDT), a plurality of remote cell nodes (RCN), and a plurality of network service modules (NSM), using a plurality of frames with each frame having a plurality of channels, comprising the steps, during each frame, of:

• transmitting, in a first channel of the frame, from the plurality of intermediate data terminals to the plurality of remote cell nodes, an IDT-synchronization signal;
• transmitting, synchronized to the IDT-synchronization signal, in a second channel of the frame, from a first intermediate data terminal to a first remote cell node, a first polling signal;
• receiving, at each of the plurality of remote cell nodes, the IDT-synchronization signal;
• synchronizing, at each of the plurality of remote cell nodes, responsive to receiving the IDT-synchronization signal, an RCN-timing circuit to the IDT-synchronization signal;
• transmitting, using radio waves, in a third channel of the frame, from each of the plurality of remote cell nodes to the plurality of network service modules, responsive to receiving and synchronizing to the IDT-synchronization signal, an RCN-synchronization signal;
• receiving, at each of the plurality of network service modules, the RCN-synchronization signal;
• synchronizing, at each of the plurality of network service modules, responsive to receiving the RCN-synchronization signal, an NSM-timing circuit to the RCN-synchronization signal;
• collecting, at the plurality of network service modules, data from a plurality of physical devices, respectively;
• transmitting, using radio waves, in a fourth channel of the frame, from the first remote cell node to a first network service module, a command signal;
• receiving, at the first network service module, the command signal;
• transmitting, using radio waves, synchronized to the RCN-synchronization signal and responsive to the command signal, in a fifth channel, from the first network service module to the first remote cell node, data as an NSM-packet signal;
• receiving, at the first remote cell node, the NSM-packet signal;
• storing, at the first remote cell node, the NSM-packet signal;
• receiving, at the first remote cell node, the first polling signal;
• transmitting, synchronized to the IDT-synchronization signal and responsive to the first polling signal, in a sixth channel of the frame, from the first remote cell node to the first intermediate data terminal, a first plurality of stored NSM-packet signals as a first RCN-packet signal;
• transmitting, in a seventh channel of the frame, from the central data terminal to the first intermediate data terminal, a second polling signal;
• receiving, at the first intermediate data terminal, the second polling signal;
• and
• transmitting, responsive to the second polling signal, in an eighth channel of the frame, from the first intermediate data terminal to the central data terminal, a first plurality of RCN-packet signals as a first IDT-packet signal.

A method for communicating between a central data terminal (CDT), a plurality of remote cell nodes (RCN), and a plurality of network service modules (NSM), using a plurality of frames with each frame having a plurality of channels, comprising the steps, during each frame, of:

• transmitting, in a first channel of the frame, from the central data terminal to the plurality of remote cell nodes, a CDT-synchronization signal;
• transmitting, synchronized to the CDT-synchronization signal, in a second channel of the frame, from the central data terminal to a first remote cell node, a first polling signal;
• receiving, at each of the plurality of remote cell nodes, the CDT-synchronization signal;
• synchronizing, at each of the plurality of remote cell nodes, responsive to receiving the CDT-synchronization signal, an RCN-timing circuit to the CDT-synchronization signal;
• transmitting, using radio waves, in a third channel of the frame, from each of the plurality of remote cell nodes to the plurality of network service modules, responsive to receiving and synchronizing to the CDT-synchronization signal, an RCN-synchronization signal;
• receiving, at each of the plurality of network service modules, the ECN-synchronization signal;
• synchronizing, at each of the plurality of network service modules, responsive to receiving the RCN-synchronization signal, an NSM-timing circuit to the RCN-synchronization signal;
• collecting, at the plurality of network service modules, data from a plurality of physical devices, respectively;
• transmitting, using radio waves, in a fourth channel of the frame, from the first remote cell node to a first network service module, a command signal;
• receiving, at the first network service module, the command signal;
• transmitting, using radio waves, synchronized to the RCN-synchronization signal and responsive to the command signal, in a fifth channel of the frame, from the first network service module to the first remote cell node, data as an NSM-packet signal;
• receiving, at the first remote cell node, the NSM-packet signal;
• storing, at the first remote cell node, the NSM-packet signal;
• receiving, at the first remote cell node, the first polling signal;
• and
• transmitting, synchronized to the CDT-synchronization signal and responsive to the first polling signal, in a sixth channel of the frame, from the first remote cell node to the central data terminal, a first plurality of stored NSM-packet signals as a first RCN-packet signal.