| Digi International Inc. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
| 20120083228 | DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR CONFIGURING A WIRELESS DEVICE - Various embodiments include a devices, systems, and methods to configure a wireless device. A wireless device may comprise a housing, a wireless communication interface, and a configuration interface. The housing may be configured to be mounted to an outlet supplying power to the wireless device via an electrical conductor. The wireless communication interface may be capable of connecting the wireless device to a wireless network. The configuration interface may be coupled to both the electrical conductor and the wireless communication interface and communicate with a configuration device directly attached to the electrical conductor. The configuration device may communicate configuration instructions to the wireless device over the electrical conductor by modulating power on the electrical conductor. The configuration interface may configure the wireless interface to connect the wireless device to the wireless network based on the configuration instructions. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120039310 | LOCATION OF MOBILE NETWORK NODES - The physical position of an unknown node in a network is determined by sending a first sent WiFi signal from one of an unknown node and a first reference node having a known location, and repeating the sent WiFi signal in the other of the unknown node and first reference node with a first reply WiFi signal. A distance is derived between the unknown node and the first reference node from the time of flight of the first sent and first reply WiFi signals. A second WiFi signal is sent from one of the unknown node and a second fixed node having a known location, and repeating the sent second WiFi signal in the other of the unknown node and second reference node with a second reply WiFi signal, and A distance is derived between the unknown node and the second reference node from the time of flight of the second sent and second reply WiFi signals. A physical location of the unknown node is determined based on the derived distances between the unknown node and the first and second reference nodes. | 02-16-2012 |
| 20120039178 | WIRELESS MESH NETWORK NODE TEST ARRAY - A wireless mesh network test system comprises a plurality of mesh network nodes, each comprising an antenna connection. An antenna network couples the antenna connections of the plurality of nodes, and a plurality of attenuators are distributed in the antenna network such that the attenuators simulate distance between the wireless mesh network nodes. | 02-16-2012 |
| 20110320636 | SMART ENERGY GATEWAY WITH INTEGRATED PLUG - Various embodiments include a smart energy gateway. The smart energy gateway includes a housing and a power plug integrated into the housing. The smart energy gateway can be mounted to an electrical outlet via the power plug. The smart energy gateway also includes a controller configured to accept transmissions from a smart energy network and communicate a subset of the transmissions to an external network. Other devices and methods are disclosed. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110316717 | VIRTUAL SMART ENERGY METER WITH INTEGRATED PLUG - Various embodiments include a virtual meter. The virtual meter includes a controller configured to communicate, with a utility meter, meter information, using a first communications protocol. The controller may also be configured to translate between the meter information and virtual meter information. The controller may further be configured to communicate, with a smart energy network, the virtual meter information using a second communications protocol. Other devices and methods are disclosed. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110302190 | SMART ENERGY NETWORK CONFIGURATION USING LINK KEY DATABASE - Various embodiments include a method and system for configuring a smart energy network using a link key database. An energy services interface, on the smart energy network, extracts a unique identifier associated with a smart energy device from a communication with the smart energy device. The energy services interface may then use the unique identifier to receive information associated with the smart energy device from the link key database. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299684 | SMART ENERGY NETWORK CONFIGURATION USING AN AUXILIARY GATEWAY - Various embodiments include a method and system for configuring a smart energy network using an auxiliary gateway where an auxiliary gateway is capable of communicating with an energy services interface and a link key database. The auxiliary gateway, on a smart energy network, extracts the unique identifier from a communication related to the smart energy device. The auxiliary gateway may then use the unique identifier to retrieve the smart energy device information from the link key database and communicate the smart energy device information to the energy services interface. The energy services interface may then use the smart energy device information to decrypt a communication from the smart energy device or access manufacturer specific functionality of the smart energy device. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110274020 | WIRELESS MESH NETWORK CONTROLLER SYNCHRONIZATION - A set sleep period is coordinated among a plurality of mesh network nodes to conserve power. A controller is synchronized with an existing wireless mesh network by sending a network synchronization signal from the controller indicating that sleep timing information is lost, and receiving a reply from one or more wireless mesh network nodes within the existing wireless mesh network comprising sleep timing information for the wireless mesh network. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110273991 | LOCATION OF MOBILE NETWORK NODES - The physical position of a movable node in a network is determined by sending a first signal from a first reference node to at least a second reference node and the unknown node. The unknown node receives the first signal and sends a second signal to at least the second reference node in phase with the first signal. The first signal and the second signal are received in the second reference node and the phase of the received signals is compared to determine the position of the unknown node based on the phase difference between the received first and second signals. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110264800 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A CLIENT CONNECTION MANAGER - A method and apparatus for a connection manager have been disclosed. By providing for persistent connections with clients, the connection manager allows for servers to communicate with clients, which would otherwise be inaccessible. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110215975 | SATELLITE ANTENNA CONNECTION - An example satellite assembly includes a cover and an antenna attached to the cover. The satellite assembly further includes a base and a satellite module attached to the base such that the antenna is connected to the satellite module when the cover is secured to the base to form a sealed enclosure. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110188420 | I/O DRIVEN NODE COMMISSIONING IN A SLEEPING MESH NETWORK - A set sleep period is coordinated among a plurality of mesh network nodes to conserve power. A neighbor wireless mesh network node in proximity to a second node to be added to the mesh network is actuated, causing the neighbor wireless mesh network to be woke from a sleep state. The second node is added to the wireless mesh network by exchanging data with the neighbor wireless mesh network node to join the network. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110188419 | MESH NETWORK NODE SERVICE IN A SLEEPING MESH NETWORK - A set sleep period is coordinated among a plurality of mesh network nodes to conserve power, and a temporarily reduced sleep period is coordinated among the plurality of nodes to facilitate mesh network node service or installation activity. The reduced sleep period comprises scheduling a period of time during which the sleep period is reduced, or reverting from the temporarily reduced sleep period to the original set sleep period after predetermined period of time. Temporarily reducing the sleep period includes distributing a message throughout the mesh network when the mesh network nodes are awake. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110176651 | Method and Apparatus for Digital I/O Expander Chip with Multi-Function Timer Cells - A method and apparatus for digital I/O expander chip with multi-function timer cells have been disclosed. A series of match reload registers load a series of match registers which are driven by a master counter. The status of the match registers can be retrieved through ports. The master counter is reloaded on rollover by a count limit register. The master counter has increment/decrement control and the rollover can be used in an interrupt control block to generate an interrupt request. | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110156981 | PLANAR WIDEBAND ANTENNA - An approximately planar wideband antenna can include a first conductive portion coupled to a dielectric portion and mechanically supported by the dielectric portion, the first conductive portion including at least one edge corresponding to a planar conic section, such as including one or more of an elliptic, a parabolic, or a hyperbolic shape. Such an antenna can be electrically coupled to a matching circuit, the matching circuit configured provide a specified input impedance corresponding to a specified range of frequencies. Such a range of frequencies can span at least an octave, or more. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110138035 | LOCATION OF MOBILE NETWORK NODES - The physical position of a movable node in a network is determined by sending a broadcast message from the movable node repeated through a path comprising at least a first node, a second node, and a third node, wherein the first, second, and third nodes have known locations. The movable node receives the broadcast message from the first, second, and third nodes, and measures the time from sending the repeated broadcast message to the time the broadcast message is received from each of the first, second, and third nodes. The movable node determines the distance from the movable node to the first, second, and third network nodes by using at least a known turnaround time and known message propagation velocity, such that the position of the movable node is determined. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110125886 | System and method for object abstraction and logging - A system and method of communicating with a plurality of different types of devices. A device driver is defined for each type of device. The device driver creates and maintains a set of channels for each device; each channel represents a property of the device. Newly acquired data received from one of the devices is received at the device driver and published to the channel associated with the data. Publishing the newly acquired data to the channel associated with the data includes storing the newly acquired data in a channel database with a time stamp corresponding to the time the data was received. Control information for one of the devices is received at the device driver and associated with one of the channels. The control information is passed to the device being controlled. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110122043 | WIDEBAND ANTENNA FOR PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS - A planar antenna, such as included as a portion of a wireless communication assembly, can include a dielectric portion, a first conductive portion, extending along a surface of the dielectric portion, and a second conductive portion, parallel to the first conductive portion, extending along the surface of the dielectric portion, the second conductive portion laterally offset from the first portion to provide a specified lateral separation between the first and second conductive portions. The first and second conductive portions can be configured to provide respective resonant operating frequencies ranges offset from each other, and the first and second conductive portions can be configured to follow a commonly-shared path, including at least one bend, along the surface of the dielectric portion. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110105062 | COMPACT SATELLITE ANTENNA - An apparatus, such as an antenna assembly, can include a flexible dielectric sheet, a first flexible conductor coupled to the flexible dielectric sheet, a second flexible conductor coupled to the flexible dielectric sheet, a matching section electrically coupled to the first and second conductors, and a hollow dielectric housing having a curved interior surface. The first and second flexible conductors can be sized, shaped, and laterally spaced a specified distance from each other to provide a specified input impedance corresponding to a specified range of operating frequencies for use in wireless information transfer between the antenna assembly and a satellite. The first and second flexible conductors can be located along the curved interior surface of the hollow dielectric housing following an arc-shaped path along the curved interior surface. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20100332605 | MESH NETWORK BRIDGE ROUTING - A wireless mesh network server is operable to receive a message to one or more mesh network nodes from a client external to the mesh network, the message comprising an alias identifying the one or more mesh network nodes. The server is further operable to identify the one or more receiving mesh network nodes by the received message alias via an alias table, and forward the received message to the one or more mesh network nodes identified by the alias. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20100290441 | ROUTE SELECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROMOTING ROUTE DISTRIBUTIONS AMONG MULTIPLE DEVICES IN A WIRELESS MESH NETWORK - In a mesh network having a plurality of wireless nodes, including a first, second, third and fourth node, wherein each node includes a routing table, a method of route discovery. A first route request message is broadcasted from the first node and received at the second and third nodes. In the second node, a link quality metric is calculated as a function of link quality of the link to the first node and as a function of capacity in the routing table of the second node. In the third node, a link quality metric is calculated as a function of link quality of the link to the first node and as a function of capacity in the routing table of the third node. A second route request message is broadcasted from the second node and received by the fourth node, wherein the second route request message includes the link quality metric calculated by the second node. A third route request message is broadcasted from the third node and received by the fourth node, wherein the third route request message includes the link quality metric calculated by the third node. A route path is selected as a function of the link quality metric calculated by the second node and the link quality metric calculated by the third node. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20100272094 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADAPTIVELY SETTING THE PROBABILITY OF GENERATING A BEACON BROADCAST IN A WIRELESS NETWORK - A system and method of operating a wireless network having a plurality of nodes. Each node determines whether to replace the beacon node. When a node determines that the beacon node is to be replaced, the node determines whether it should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node. The decision whether to nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node is a function of a nomination probability associated with the node. If the node determines that it should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node, the node sends out one or more beacon signals. Each node then adaptively modifies the probability of nominating itself as a function of the number of beacon signals received from other nodes. Beacon signals are received by potential replacement nodes and, if the potential replacement beacon node has received a beacon signal from a higher ranking potential replacement beacon node, the node removes itself as a candidate for the replacement beacon node. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100271993 | METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING SLEEPING NODES IN A WIRELESS NETWORK - A system and method of operating a wireless network having a plurality of nodes. Each node determines whether to replace the beacon node. When a node determines that the beacon node is to be replaced, the node determines whether it should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node. The decision whether to nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node is a function of a random number generated by the node. If the node determines that it should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node, the node sends out one or more beacon signals. Beacon signals are received by potential replacement nodes and, if the potential replacement beacon node has received a beacon signal from a higher ranking potential replacement beacon node, the node removes itself as a candidate for the replacement beacon node. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100271974 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REJOINING SLEEPING SUBNETS IN A WIRELESS MESH NETWORK - A system and method for joining nodes from a first and a second subnet into a network. A probability is established that a node within the first subnet will enter scout mode during its sleep interval, wherein the probability is less than 100%. If the node enters scout mode, a message is broadcasted from the node in scout mode to other nodes inviting nodes in other subnets to join with the first subnet, wherein the message includes the node's network identifier. If the message broadcasted by the node in scout mode is detected by a node in a second subnet, the node in the second subnet determines whether nodes in the second subnet have the same network identifier as the network identifier in the message broadcast by the node in scout mode. If the nodes in the second subnet have the same network identifier as the network identifier in the message broadcast by the node in scout mode, the nodes in the first and second subnets are combined into a combined network. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100251269 | APPLICATION-SPECIFIC SERIAL PORT REDIRECTOR - A method and system are illustrated to redirect serial device requests from an application on a computer to a plurality of serial devices connected to the computer via a network. The method and system include receiving serial device requests from one or more applications existing on the computer. Each serial device request may be associated with a specific application protocol and directed to one of the plurality of serial devices over the network. The method and system include determining, for a respective serial device request, an application protocol associated with the respective serial device request and forwarding the respective serial device request as a serial redirector message according to the determined application protocol. The method and system include associating the forwarded serial redirector message with a transport protocol. The method and system further include transmitting the serial redirector message over the network as a function of a transport protocol associated with the serial redirector message. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100175916 | Method and Apparatus for Configurable Circuitry - A method and apparatus for configurable circuitry have been disclosed. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100080200 | IDENTIFYING A DESIRED MESH NETWORK IN A MULTIPLE NETWORK ENVIRONMENT - Network devices in a multi-network wireless mesh network environment identify themselves as members of the network by receiving a broadcast message from a first mesh network device that has joined the wireless mesh network, and identifying that the broadcast transmission has been received such as by actuating a light, playing a sound, or sending an identifying reply message back to a broadcasting mesh network device. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100080157 | PERIODIC SYNCHRONIZATION LINK QUALITY IN A MESH NETWORK - Wireless mesh network nodes in a mesh network are operable to receive a periodic beacon from at least one other mesh network node, where the received beacon comprises received beacon link quality information for the at least one other mesh network node. The nodes are further operable to record the sender identity and link quality of the received periodic beacon, record the received beacon link quality information in the beacon from the wireless mesh network node to the at least one other mesh network node, and retransmit a received periodic beacon to other network nodes, the retransmitted beacon comprising link quality information for beacons received in the wireless mesh network node. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100080146 | JOINING A MESH NETWORK IN A MULTIPLE NETWORK ENVIRONMENT - Wireless mesh network nodes in a mesh network are operable to join a desired wireless mesh network in a multi-network environment. The nodes search for a compatible mesh network, find a compatible mesh network, join the found compatible mesh network, indicate whether the joined mesh network is the desired mesh network, and receive input causing the network node to withdraw from the joined mesh network and search for other mesh networks to join if desired network has not been joined. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20090238109 | METHOD FOR QUALIFIED ROUTE BUILDING IN A WIRELESS NETWORK - A method of establishing a qualified route in a mesh network includes transmitting a route-discovery request from a source node such that transmitting includes transmitting the route-discovery request from the source node to at least one intermediate node that is a neighbor node to the source node, receiving the route-discovery request from an intermediate node at the destination node, and updating a route-discovery table for the intermediate node such that the route between the source node and the destination node is the only qualified route. | 09-24-2009 |
| 20090154638 | Method and Apparatus for Digital I/O Expander Chip with Multi-Function Timer Cells - A method and apparatus for digital I/O expander chip with multi-function timer cells have been disclosed. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090077647 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FIREWALL TRAVERSAL - A method and apparatus for traversing a firewall are described. | 03-19-2009 |
| 20090019423 | XML BOARD SUPPORT CUSTOMIZATION - A markup language file comprises software build options usable to determine at least one software build configuration setting. One or more software build options are specified in a markup language file to specify one or more software build configuration settings for use in compilation of software. The markup language is an XML file, is editable in an Integrated Development Environment such as via a Graphical User Interface, and includes settings specific to an embedded processor system configuration. | 01-15-2009 |
| 20090019270 | EMBEDDED DEVICE PROGRAM DEBUG CONTROL - An embedded processor system includes an integrated development environment and an embedded processor system operating system. The operating system is operable to run on the embedded processor system, and a command queue is operable to receive commands from a debugging module external to the embedded processor system. A command queue processing module is operable to change settings in the embedded processor in response to commands in the command queue. | 01-15-2009 |
| 20090010178 | CORDLESS MAINS POWERED FORM FACTOR FOR MESH NETWORK ROUTER NODE - An apparatus comprising a cordless, mains powered mesh network router. The mains powered mesh network router includes a controller configured to initiate a first indication when the mains powered mesh network router is mounted to an electrical outlet, and initiate a second indication when the controller joins a mesh network. Other devices, methods and systems are disclosed. | 01-08-2009 |