Control network with matrix architecture

A control network system, comprising:

• a plurality of nodes;
• a plurality of control network data buses connected to distinct sets of said nodes and arranged in a hierarchical structure, said plurality of control network data buses comprising a first-tier control network data bus and a plurality of lower-tier data buses, each distinct set of nodes comprising a master node and one or more slave nodes;
• a supervisory bus physically distinct from said network data buses;
• a plurality of supervisory monitoring nodes connected to said supervisory bus and to said lower-tier buses, each of said supervisory monitoring nodes configured to monitor one of said lower-tier buses;
• and
• at least one supervisory reporting node communicatively coupled to said first-tier control network data bus and to said supervisory bus, whereby one or more control network nodes coupled to said first-tier control network data bus are apprised of events occurring on the lower-tier data buses via communications over said supervisory bus.

A matrix control network, comprising:

• a hierarchical control network, said hierarchical control network comprising a plurality of data buses arranged in a hierarchical structure, said data buses including a first-tier data bus and a plurality of lower-tier data buses;
• a plurality of control network nodes arranged in a hierarchical structure according to their relative positioning in the hierarchy of data buses, each of said data buses communicatively coupling a plurality of said control network nodes;
• and
• a supervisory network, said supervisory network comprising:
• a supervisory communication bus physically distinct from the data buses;
• a plurality of supervisory nodes communicatively coupled to said supervisory communication bus, said supervisory nodes including a plurality of supervisoring monitoring nodes each configured to monitor at least one of the lower-tier data buses of said hierarchical control network, and at least one supervisory reporting node communicatively coupled to said first-tier data bus, whereby one or more control network nodes coupled to said first-tier data bus are apprised of events occurring on the lower-tier data buses.

A method of configuring a control network system, comprising the steps of:

• arranging a plurality of data buses in a hierarchical structure, said data buses including a first-tier data bus and a plurality of lower-tier data buses;
• communicatively coupling a plurality of control network nodes to said plurality of data buses, said control network nodes arranged in a hierarchical structure according to their relative positioning in the hierarchy of data buses;
• communicatively coupling a plurality of supervisory nodes to a supervisory communication bus physically distinct from the data buses;
• monitoring communications over said data buses using said supervisory nodes;
• communicating among said supervisory nodes over said supervisory communication bus according to a master-slave communication protocol;
• and
• alerting one or more control network nodes coupled to said first-tier data bus of events occurring on the lower-tier data buses, via the supervisory nodes coupled to said supervisory bus.

A control network, comprising:

• a plurality of first-tier slave nodes;
• a first common bus connecting said first-tier slave nodes in a loop configuration;
• a second physically distinct common bus connecting a plurality of second-tier slave nodes in a loop configuration, said second common bus further connected to at least one of said first-tier slave nodes functioning as a second-tier master node with respect to the second common bus;
• and
• a first-tier master node connected to said first common bus, said first-tier master node comprising an uplink transceiver connected to said second common bus and a downlink transceiver connected to said first common bus, wherein said uplink transceiver of said first-tier master node is configured to function as a second-tier slave node on said second common bus, thereby allowing said first-tier master node to monitor communications on said second common bus.