System and method for wireless control of signs

A system comprising:

• a transit-vehicle master controller of a wireless transit-vehicle network, wherein the transit-vehicle master controller comprises a processor and non-volatile memory, wherein the transit-vehicle master controller is disposed on a transit vehicle;
• and
• a plurality of transit-vehicle peripheral devices disposed on the transit vehicle, the plurality of transit-vehicle peripheral devices each comprising an electronic sign, a processor and non-volatile memory, wherein each transit-vehicle peripheral device of the plurality of transit-vehicle peripheral devices is operable to implement a method comprising:
• on power up, checking, by the transit-vehicle peripheral device, a transit-vehicle peripheral device programmable identifier stored in the non-volatile memory thereof;
• wherein the transit-vehicle peripheral device programmable identifier is stored as a single value such that:
• a specific initial value indicates that no particular transit-vehicle master controller has been assigned to the transit-vehicle peripheral device;
• and
• any value other than the specific initial value identifies a particular transit-vehicle master controller of a particular wireless transit-vehicle network that has been assigned to the transit-vehicle peripheral device;
• responsive to the transit-vehicle peripheral device programmable identifier having the specific initial value:
• the transit-vehicle peripheral device listening on a predetermined channel for a message that includes a new value for the transit-vehicle peripheral device programmable identifier;
• responsive to the listening, the transit-vehicle peripheral device wirelessly receiving, from the transit-vehicle master controller of the wireless-transit-vehicle network, a wireless transit-vehicle network common code that is common to all transit-vehicle peripheral devices within the wireless transit-vehicle network;
• and
• the transit-vehicle peripheral device storing the wireless transit-vehicle network common code in the non-volatile memory thereof as the transit-vehicle peripheral device programmable identifier, wherein the wireless transit-vehicle network common code replaces the specific initial value and is indicative of the transit-vehicle peripheral device having the transit-vehicle master controller of the wireless transit-vehicle network assigned thereto;
• the transit-vehicle peripheral device synchronizing to a time slot and hopping sequence of the transit-vehicle master controller of the wireless transit-vehicle network;
• the transit-vehicle peripheral device wirelessly receiving a command packet;
• the transit-vehicle peripheral device determining whether the command packet includes the transit-vehicle peripheral device programmable identifier;
• responsive to a determination that the command packet includes the transit-vehicle peripheral device programmable identifier:
• the transit-vehicle peripheral device wirelessly acknowledging the command packet;
• and
• the transit-vehicle peripheral device adjusting operation of the transit-vehicle peripheral device as indicated in the command packet;
• and
• responsive to a determination that the command packet does not include the transit-vehicle peripheral device programmable identifier, the transit-vehicle peripheral device not accepting the command packet, thereby disallowing communication with transit-vehicle master controllers of other wireless transit-vehicle network systems.

A computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein, the computer-readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method comprising, for each transit-vehicle peripheral device of a plurality of transit-vehicle peripheral devices wherein the transit-vehicle peripheral device includes an electronic sign:

• on power up, checking, by a transit-vehicle peripheral device, a transit-vehicle peripheral device programmable identifier stored in non-volatile memory thereof;
• wherein the transit-vehicle peripheral device programmable identifier is stored as a single value such that:
• a specific initial value indicates that no particular transit-vehicle master controller has been assigned to the transit-vehicle peripheral device;
• and
• any value other than the specific initial value identifies a particular transit-vehicle master controller of a particular wireless transit-vehicle network that has been assigned to the transit-vehicle peripheral device;
• responsive to the transit-vehicle peripheral device programmable identifier having the specific initial value:
• the transit-vehicle peripheral device listening on a predetermined channel for a message that includes a new value for the transit-vehicle peripheral device programmable identifier;
• responsive to the listening, the transit-vehicle peripheral device wirelessly receiving, from a transit-vehicle master controller of a wireless transit-vehicle network, a wireless transit-vehicle network common code that is common to all transit-vehicle peripheral devices within the wireless transit-vehicle network;
• and
• the transit-vehicle peripheral device storing the wireless transit-vehicle network common code in the non-volatile memory thereof as the transit-vehicle peripheral device programmable identifier, wherein the wireless transit-vehicle network common code replaces the specific initial value and is indicative of the transit-vehicle peripheral device having the transit-vehicle master controller of the wireless transit-vehicle network assigned thereto;
• the transit-vehicle peripheral device synchronizing to a time slot and hopping sequence of the transit-vehicle master controller of the wireless transit-vehicle network;
• the transit-vehicle peripheral device wirelessly receiving a command packet;
• the transit-vehicle peripheral device determining whether the command packet includes the transit-vehicle peripheral device programmable identifier;
• responsive to a determination that the command packet includes the transit-vehicle peripheral device programmable identifier:
• the transit-vehicle peripheral device wirelessly acknowledging the command packet;
• and
• the transit-vehicle peripheral device adjusting operation of the transit-vehicle peripheral device as indicated in the command packet;
• and
• responsive to a determination that the command packet does not include the transit-vehicle peripheral device programmable identifier, the transit-vehicle peripheral device not accepting the command packet, thereby disallowing communication with transit-vehicle master controllers of other wireless transit-vehicle network systems.