US 6,708,239 B1 · Network device interface for digitally interfacing data channels to a controller via a network

Abstract

The present invention provides a network device interface and method for digitally connecting a plurality of data channels, such as sensors, actuators, and subsystems, to a controller using a network bus. The network device interface interprets commands and data received from the controller and polls the data channels in accordance with these commands. Specifically, the network device interface receives digital commands and data from the controller, and based on these commands and data, communicates with the data channels to either retrieve data in the case of a sensor or send data to activate an actuator. Data retrieved from the sensor is then converted by the network device interface into digital signals and transmitted back to the controller. In one advantageous embodiment, the network device interface uses a specialized protocol for communicating across the network bus that uses a low-level instruction set and has low overhead for data communication.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method of addressing groups of data channels that are each adapted to communicate with a bus controller via a common digital bus, the method comprising:

constructing an individual mask for each data channel, wherein the mask comprises a plurality of bits, wherein each bit of the mask represents a respective group to which the data channel may belong and has a first state indicating that the respective data channel is a member of the group and a second state indicating that the respective data channel is a nonmember of the group;
transferring each mask to its respective data channel;
and
thereafter transmitting a first message from the bus controller to the data channels, wherein the first message identifies group of data channels that are designated to process the first message;
determining, at each data channel, if the respective data channel is a member of the group identified in the first message by analyzing the mask associated with the respective data channel;
and
processing the first message only if the respective data channel is a member of the group identified in the first message.

4 more elements

A system for addressing groups of data channels adapted to communicate with a bus controller via a common digital bus, the system comprising:

a processing element for constructing an individual mask for each data channel, wherein the mask comprises a plurality of bits, wherein each bit of the mask represents a respective group to which the data channel may belong and has a first state indicating that the respective data channel is a member of the group and a second state indicating that the respective data channel is a nonmember of the group;
a transmitter connected to said processing element for transferring each mask to its respective data channel;
and
a network device interface adapted to interconnect the bus controller with an associated data channel,
wherein said bus controller transmits a first message to the data channels, wherein the first message identifies a group of data channels that are designated to process the first message,
wherein a network device at each data channel determines if the respective data channel is a member of the group identified in the first message by analyzing the mask associated with the respective data channel with the group identified in the first message and processes the first message only if the respective data channel is a member of the group identified in the first message.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Network device interface for digitally interfacing data channels to a controller via a network

Life of this patent

Network device interface for digitally interfacing data channels to a controller via a network

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17