Apparatus, system, and method for creating one or more slow-speed communications channels utilizing a real-time communication channel
AssigneeSchweitzer Engineering Laboratoris Inc
InventorsBogdan Z. Kasztenny, Tony J. Lee, Luther S. Anderson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An intelligent electronic device having a slow speed communications link creates one or more virtual communications channels using unused or dedicated bits from a primary real-time communications channel. The virtual communications channels are used to transport low-speed information, such as fault location information, device configuration information, device revision information, and date/time information.
Claims12
An intelligent electronic device providing a real-time communications channel and one or more virtual communications channels, the intelligent electronic device comprising:
- i) a processor and a transmit module coupled to a serial communications link and the processor, the processor transmitting real-time data related to said real-time communications channel;
- ii) said real-time communications channel including a plurality of real-time bits and one or more bits;
- and
- iii) said processor serializing and injecting a background session data channel into said one or more bits to form a virtual communications channel, wherein said virtual communications channel communicates fault location information.
An intelligent electronic device providing a real-time communications channel and one or more virtual communications channels, the intelligent electronic device comprising:
- iv) a processor and a transmit module coupled to a serial communications link and the processor, the processor transmitting real-time data related to said real-time communications channel;
- v) said real-time communications channel including a plurality of real-time bits and one or more bits;
- and
- vi) said processor serializing and injecting a background session data channel into said one or more bits to form a virtual communications channel, wherein said virtual communications channel communicates device configuration information.
An intelligent electronic device providing a real-time communications channel and one or more virtual communications channels, the intelligent electronic device comprising:
- i) a processor and a transmit module coupled to a serial communications link and the processor, the processor transmitting real-time data related to said real-time communications channel;
- ii) said real-time communications channel including a plurality of real-time bits and one or more bits;
- and
- iii) said processor serializing and injecting a background session data channel into said one or more bits to form a virtual communications channel, wherein the virtual channel communicates device revision information.
An intelligent electronic device providing a real-time communications channel and one or more virtual communications channels, the intelligent electronic device comprising:
- i) a processor and a transmit module coupled to a serial communications link and the processor, the processor transmitting real-time data related to said real-time communications channel;
- ii) said real-time communications channel including a plurality of real-time bits and one or more bits;
- and
- iii) said processor serializing and injecting a background session data channel into said one or more bits to form a virtual communications channel, wherein the virtual channel communicates time information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.