Communication Repeater Units for Reducing Network Delay
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Solution Overview
Problem
In factory automation networks, repeater delays cause increased communication cycles and reduced communication capability due to the need for time gaps between responses from slave units to prevent collisions, leading to inefficient network occupation.
Innovation Solution
A communication system where the master unit determines the number of repeater stages for each slave unit and sets response timing accordingly, allowing response frames to be transmitted directly to the master unit without passing through other slave units, thereby reducing repeater delays and optimizing network efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If repeater units repeat all communication frames including upstream frames, then network coverage is extended, but network occupation rate increases and communication capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The repeater unit is configured to perform different operations on different types of frames: it repeats downstream frames (from master to slaves) but does not repeat upstream frames (from slaves to master). This local differentiation in frame handling reduces unnecessary network traffic while maintaining network coverage extension capability.
2Reliability
If time gaps are provided between responses from slave units to prevent collisions, then communication reliability is improved, but communication cycle increases
Solution Approach 1:
The master unit preliminarily determines the number of repeater stages for each slave unit and sets the response timing accordingly before communication occurs. This preliminary configuration allows slave units to transmit responses without waiting for time gaps, as the timing is pre-optimized based on the repeater stage information, thereby reducing communication cycle while maintaining reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If response frames are transmitted to all slave units through repeater units, then network broadcasting is achieved, but repeater delay effects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the unnecessary function of repeating upstream response frames from the repeater unit. By removing this redundant repetition capability for upstream traffic, the system eliminates the associated repeater delays while maintaining the ability to broadcast downstream frames from the master unit to all slave units.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication system is formed with a master unit having a communication function and at least one slave unit also having a communication function connected by a network including a bus. Repeater units are inserted on the network between the master unit and the slave unit in one or more stages. As the master unit transmits request frames downstream through the network to the slave unit, the slave unit control the timing of transmitting the response frames in response successively such that the master unit receives the response frames without waiting in between regardless of repeater delay times of each of the returned response frames determined by the number of stages of the repeater units. Each communication frame that is transmitted through the network contains identification data indicative of its type and each repeater unit serves to repeat certain types of received frames only in the upstream direction.