Wireless allocation of network addresses
Inventors
Bürkert, Martin • Lipp, Helmut • Sauer, Thomas • Haas, Günter • Humm, Markus • Weckert, Marco
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11489809-B2
Publication Date
2022-11-01
Expiration Date
Abstract
A dynamically addressable master-slave system and a method for dynamically addressing slave units includes a master unit and a plurality of slave units, such that the slave units are interconnected with the master unit via a bus system. The respective network addresses of the slave units are assigned to the respective serial numbers of these slave units in a table in the master unit according to the position thereof in the system according to a determined order. Upon replacement of slave units, a list of serial numbers of the units to be replaced is transferred to the master unit in the sequence of the acquisition of the serial numbers, which master unit replaces these serial numbers in the table with the serial numbers of the replaced slave units transmitted to the master unit.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to addressing one or more replaced slave units in a master-slave system having a master unit and a plurality of slave units (Si). Each slave unit (Si) has both a unique serial number (Sni) and a fixed network address (Ai) and is interconnected with the master unit via a data communication system. A data assignment table ((A1, Sn1), (A2, Sn2), . . . , (Ai, Sni)) is provided in system memory of the master unit, in which the network addresses (Ai) are assigned to the respective serial numbers (Sni) according to the position (i) thereof in a determined order in the system.
When slave units are replaced, the method acquires the serial numbers (Sni) of the slave units (Si) to be replaced. The serial numbers (Sni) of the replaced slave units (Si) are then inputted in acquisition sequence at the master unit. Next, the serial number (Sni) for the slave unit stored for the position (i) is replaced with the input serial number and assigned to the network address (Ai) for this position in the data assignment table.
The disclosed arrangement is further implemented in a master-slave system comprising an inputting mechanism configured to manually or automatically input a serial number (Sni) or a list of serial numbers (Sni) of replaced slave units (Si), and a data exchange module for manually or automatically replacing the serial number stored via the input means for the replaced slave units (Si). The replaced serial number is assigned to the network address (Ai) for this position in the data assignment table. The partial content also describes acquiring serial numbers via camera/photographic reading of a nameplate or via RFID, and deriving a network access key from the serial number for access to the slave.
Claims Coverage
The partial content contains two independent claims. They share the same core mapping concept of a position-indexed data assignment table that links fixed network addresses (Ai) to unique serial numbers (Sni), and both include replacing serial number entries for replaced slave units so that the original logical addressing is retained.
Position-indexed address-to-serial mapping in master memory
A data assignment table ((A1, Sn1), (A2, Sn2), . . . , (Ai, Sni)) is provided in system memory of the master unit, in which the respective network addresses (Ai) of the slave units (Si) are assigned to the respective serial numbers (Sni) of these slave units (Si) according to the position (i) thereof in a determined order in the system.
Serial-number acquisition and table overwrite for replaced slaves
A method for addressing one or more replaced slave units in a master-slave system, including acquiring the serial numbers (Sni) of the slave units (Si) to be replaced, inputting the serial numbers (Sni) of the replaced slave unit (Si) in acquisition sequence at the master unit, and replacing the serial number (Sni) for the slave unit (Si), stored for the position (i), with the input serial number (Sni) and assigning it to the network address (Ai) for this position in the data assignment table.
Inputting mechanism and data exchange module for serial replacement
A master-slave system having an inputting mechanism configured to manually or automatically input a serial number (Sni) or a list of serial numbers (Sni) of replaced slave units (Si), and a data exchange module for manually or automatically replacing the serial number (Sni) stored via the input means for the replaced slave units (Si) and for assigning it to the network address (Ai) for this position in the data assignment table.
Across the independent claims, the inventive coverage centers on maintaining a position-based association between fixed network addresses and unique serial numbers in master memory, and updating that association when slave units are replaced using inputted serial numbers and a corresponding table replacement/assignment operation.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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