Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130170337 | Verifying Communication Redundancy in a Network - Apparatuses, methods, and computer-readable media support diagnosing a communications network using a network protocol that ensures a loop-free topology to prevent bridge loops. One of the network devices is identified as a selected device in a network ring, where the selected device interacts with the network ring through first and second ports. The values of some of the parameters of the selected device are modified to be distinguishable from that of any network device in the ring, and diagnostics about the functioning of the network protocol are then performed to obtain state information about the first and second ports. When one of the ports is determined to be in the blocking state, network redundancy for the network ring is verified. However, when neither of the ports is not in the blocking state, a redundancy problem may be detected. | 07-04-2013 |
20130173830 | Synchronization of Data Delivery in Control Systems - An enhanced synchronized communication device within a control system may allow output data delivered to various input/output (I/O) devices to be synchronized to the time at which the output data has been generated by a programmable logic controller (PLC). In this scheme, a central processing unit (CPU) associated with the PLC may generate and transmit output data to the enhanced synchronized communication device. When the output data arrives at the enhanced synchronized communication device, the enhanced synchronized communication device may associate the output data to a trigger mechanism (e.g., the application trigger feature of Common Industrial Protocol, etc.) for immediately triggering the transfer of the output data to the I/O devices. This process may remove possible jitter associated with output data delivery in control systems. | 07-04-2013 |
20130188642 | System and Method for Deterministic I/O with Ethernet Based Industrial Networks - A networking system is discussed. The system may be used for industrial networks, where deterministic behavior is often valued. Bounded message travel times may be achieved for a first set of network traffic. Additional traffic may be routed over the networking system without interfering with the message travel times associated with the first set of network traffic. Systems and methods for assigning priority to various sets of network traffic are discussed. | 07-25-2013 |
20130265160 | Diagnostics of Hot-Standby/Redundant Owner System in an Ethernet/IP Adapter Device - Method, apparatuses, and software are described, in which an adapter in an EtherNet/IP network may determine whether a first redundant owner connection between the adapter and a first scanner is open. If it is determined that the first redundant owner connection is not open, then a network status light or other indicator of the adapter may be caused to emit a solid green color or otherwise indicate a first status if a second redundant owner connection between the adapter and a second scanner is open, and to emit a flashing red color or a flashing green color (or otherwise indicate a second or third status) if no redundant owner connection to the adapter is open. | 10-10-2013 |
20130339497 | CONFIGURING DEVICES IN A NETWORK - A system, method, and computer readable medium are provided for configuring devices in a network, such as an Industrial Ethernet network. An application program includes application-specific configuration data intended to configure one or more devices in the network. The configuration data may be exported from the application and saved in one or more files. When each device boots up, it performs a network query to obtain its configuration data from a corresponding one of the files. Each device may perform a standardized network query, such as a DHCP query, to obtain preliminary network configuration data. Thereafter, the device may use another standard networking protocol, such as FTP or TFTP, to query its application-specific configuration data from a configuration file. Thereafter, the device and the application program may communicate according to the configuration parameters. | 12-19-2013 |
20140185624 | METHOD FOR REACTIONLESS REDUNDANT COUPLING OF COMMUNICATION NETWORKS BY MEANS OF THE RAPID SPANNING TREE PROTOCOL - The invention relates to a method for redundantly and reactionlessly connecting networks to each other, such as communication networks, particularly Ethernet networks, wherein there is a plurality of network devices which communicate and exchange data with each other via data lines in the network which has at least one, preferably a plurality of network segments, characterized in that at least more than one RSTP protocol instance is implemented on the network devices for coupling network segments so that one network segment can be connected per RSTP protocol instance. | 07-03-2014 |
20140369350 | System and Method for Deterministic I/O with Ethernet Based Industrial Networks - A networking system is discussed. The system may be used for industrial networks, where deterministic behavior is often valued. Bounded message travel times may be achieved for a first set of network traffic. Additional traffic may be routed over the networking system without interfering with the message travel times associated with the first set of network traffic. Systems and methods for assigning priority to various sets of network traffic are discussed. | 12-18-2014 |
20150032870 | UPDATING PARAMETERS IN A NETWORK - A system, method, and software product are provided for updating parameters, such as requested packet intervals (RPIs), in a network. The system may include one or more PLCs, communication controllers, and I/O devices coupled in a communication network, such as EtherNet/IP. A request to change a parameter (e.g., scanning rate or timeout value) is transmitted from the PLC to an I/O device specifying a new parameter value or time-out value. The I/O device may receive the message, use a temporary time-out value while processing the message, and transmit an acknowledgement confirming the new value to the PLC. The I/O device may use the updated parameter and new time-out value. The updated parameter may be implemented without the need to take down and re-establish network connections to the affected devices. | 01-29-2015 |