Means for interconnecting wireless networks separated by barriers

Abstract

The present invention discloses an apparatus for bridging a wireless communication barrier between networks of wireless field devices comprising a pair of locally powered wireless devices connected by a wired link across the barrier. At least one of the locally powered wireless devices wirelessly communicates with each wireless network to be interconnected. Wireless devices include wireless transceivers and antennas. Information from one wireless field device network addressed to a member node of another wireless field device network is received by a wireless device on one side of the barrier and transmitted via a wired link to another wireless device on the other side of the barrier, using to the member nodes of the another wireless field device network.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates generally to wireless networks and, more particularly, to interconnecting networks of wireless field devices that are logically or physically separated from each other by barriers of wireless communication. Background technique [0002] A wireless field device network includes a large number of devices or nodes with a central controller or gateway. Nodes in a wireless network are able to send and receive information. in popular In a star network in which the format is an example, the range of the network is limited by the transmission range of the host device. All communications from slave devices are routed through the master according to the master's communication schedule. The range of a wireless star network can be extended by allowing slave devices to be members of different networks so that information can be relayed from a master to slave devices over multiple networks in a decentralized mesh fashion. A star ne...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

These devices have two major drawbacks: they are expensive, and they are energy intensive

The use of external RF cables and RF splitters poses a severe limitation on the length of cables used

For example, a LMR-400 low-loss RF cable will cause about 0.22dB / meter of signal loss at 2.4GHz, and a passive RF splitter will cut the usable RF signal strength in half at each output

In fact, this solution can only interconnect two networks, and these networks must be very close to each other before signal loss renders the device useless

Replacing the RF splitter with an RF switch and switching the RF signal between the two antennas restores some of the lost signal, but adds considerable complexity to the wireless device and still leaves a large overhead associated with the extra RF antenna cable. Loss

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