Patent US1621900A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0562333A2
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Scheduled communication network
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
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Filing: 1993-03-05
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-03-05
Abstract
Abstract A cost-effective motion control system communication architecture is provided that supports a centralized control node, distributed control nodes, and smart I/O peripheral control nodes. Networks designed using this architecture, which employs a serial bus, may be readily modified or expanded. The architecture supports both real-time highly periodic communications and event-driven peer-to-peer communications.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter C. Di Giulio
- 👤 James L. Harman
- 👤 David K. Lee
- 👤 Frederick W. Ryan, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 13:13
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/40; H04L12/40006; H04L12/40013; G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/04; G05B19/042; G05B19/0421; G05B19/418; G05B19/4185; H04L12/403; B; B65; B65H; B65H2555/00; B65H2555/30; B65H2557/00; B65H2557/10; B65H2557/12; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P90/00; Y02P90/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
A communications network comprising: a) a plurality of control nodes for control of elements of said motion control system; b) a central node for scheduled communication with each of said control nodes; wherein, c) said schedule comprises a sequence of equal, periodic time intervals; and, d) for each of said control nodes an integer is associated in accordance with said schedule; and, e) said central node communicates with each particular one of said control nodes every nth of said intervals, where n is said integer associated with to said particular control node.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
92 words
A communications network comprising: a) a plurality of control nodes for control of elements of said motion control system; b) a central node for scheduled communication with each of said control nodes; wherein, c) said schedule comprises a sequence of equal, periodic time intervals; and, d) for each of said control nodes an integer is associated in accordance with said schedule; and, e) said central node communicates with each particular one of said control nodes every nth of said intervals, where n is said integer associated with to said particular control node.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A network as described in claim 1, wherein said control node is responsive to changes in the requirements for frequency of communication with said central nodes to vary said integers and thereby correspondingly change said frequency of communication.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A network as described in claim 1, further comprising a serial communication bus for communication between said central node and said control nodes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A network as described in claim 1, wherein said network further comprises means for providing said central node with configuration data, said configuration data comprising data which identifies each of said control nodes and its physical location in said network.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein said central node determines said schedule for communications with said control nodes in accordance with said configuration data.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein at least one of said control nodes is an immediate control node, said immediate control node responding immediately to communication with said central node to generate an output signal or input status data.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein at least one of said control nodes is a synchronous control node which responds to communication with said central node to generate an output signal or input status information upon receipt of a synchronization signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein at least one of said control nodes is an immediate control node, said immediate control node responding immediately to communication with said central node to generate an output signal or input status data.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein at least one of said control nodes is a synchronous control node which responds to communication with said central node to generate an output signal or input status information upon receipt of synchronization signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein at least one of said control nodes is an immediate control node, said immediate control node responding immediately to communication with said central node to generate an output signal or input status data.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
A network as described in claim 10, wherein said communication with each particular one of said immediate control nodes is at a corresponding fixed point within said time intervals, whereby said communication with said particular immediate control node is periodic with a period of n of said time intervals, where n is said integer associated with said particular immediate control node.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein at least one of said control nodes is a synchronous control node which responds to communication with said central node to generate an output signal or input status information upon receipt of synchronization signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
73 words
A network as described in claim 1, wherein at least one of said control nodes may be selectively configured to be an immediate control node, which responds immediately to communications with said central node to generate an output signal or input status data; or to be a synchronous control node which responds to communication with said central node to generate an output signal or input status data upon receipt of a synchronization signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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