Methods and apparatus for performing data acquisition and control

In a module networked to a central controller, a method for providing data acquisition to the central controller, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving, a request message containing at least one command, the request message indicating a timing pattern selected by the central controller from a plurality of available timing pattern;
• obtaining the at least one command from the request message;
• processing the at least one command in the module;
• and
• transmitting a response message to the central controller in response to processing the at least one command, the response message transmitted according to the timing pattern specified by the request message.

A central controller comprising:

• a communications interface;
• a memory;
• a processor;
• and
• an interconnection mechanism coupling the communications interface, the memory and the processor;
• wherein the memory is encoded with a data acquisition basic input output system application that when performed on the processor, produces a data acquisition basic input output system process that causes the computerized device to perform acquisition of data from a set of modules networked to the central controller by performing the operations of:
• obtaining at least one command to be sent to at least one module of the set of modules networked to the central controller via the communications interface;
• composing, in the memory, a request message containing the at least one command, the request message having an associated timing pattern selected by the central controller from a plurality of available timing patterns;
• transmitting the request message, via the communications interface, to the at least one module of the set of modules according to the associated timing pattern;
• and
• receiving, via the communications interface, according to the associated timing pattern, a response message from the at least one module of the set of modules.

A module comprising:

• a communications interface;
• a memory;
• a processor;
• and
• an interconnection mechanism coupling the communications interface, the memory and the processor;
• wherein the memory is encoded with a data acquisition basic input output system application that when performed on the processor, produces a data acquisition basic input output system process that causes the module to providing data acquisition to a central controller by performing the operations of:
• receiving, via the communications interface, a request message containing at least one command, the request message indicating a timing pattern selected by the central controller from a plurality of available timing patterns;
• obtaining the at least one command from the request message;
• processing, via the processor, the at least one command in the module;
• and
• transmitting, via the communications interface, a response message to the central controller in response to processing the at least one command, the response message transmitted according to the timing pattern specified by the request message.

A computer program product having a computer-readable medium including computer program logic encoded thereon that, when performed in a central controller provides a data acquisition basic input output system that performs acquisition of data from a set of modules networked to the central controller by performing the operations of:

• obtaining at least one command to be sent to at least one module of the set of modules networked to the central controller;
• composing a request message containing the at least one command, the request message having an associated timing pattern selected by the central controller from a plurality of available timing patterns;
• transmitting the request message to the at least one module of the set of modules according to the associated timing pattern;
• and
• receiving, according to the associated timing pattern, a response message from the at least one module of the set of modules.

A computer program product having a computer-readable medium including computer program logic encoded thereon that, when performed in a module provides a data acquisition basic input output system that performs data acquisition to a central controller networked to the module by performing the operations of:

• receiving, a request message containing at least one command, the request message indicating a timing pattern selected by the central controller from a plurality of available timing patterns;
• obtaining the at least one command from the request message;
• processing the at least one command in the module;
• and
• transmitting a response message to the central controller in response to processing the at least one command, the response message transmitted according to the timing pattern specified by the request message.