Multi-Instance Powerline Communication Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Powerline communication devices are limited to communicating with devices within a single communication network, requiring network membership key changes to communicate with devices in multiple networks, which is inefficient and requires multiple devices for simultaneous communication.
Innovation Solution
A multi-instance powerline communication system that executes multiple powerline communication instances associated with different networks, broadcasts discovery messages, determines device identification, and creates mapping tables to associate devices with networks, allowing simultaneous communication with multiple networks using a single device without changing the network membership key.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a PLC device is configured with a single network membership key (NMK) for one communication network, then communication security and network management are simplified, but the device can only communicate with devices in that single network and cannot simultaneously communicate with multiple networks
Solution Approach 1:
The PLC device is divided into multiple virtual PLC instances, where each instance is configured with a specific network membership key (NMK) for a particular communication network. This segmentation allows the single physical device to simultaneously communicate with multiple networks by routing traffic through the appropriate virtual instance, thereby resolving the contradiction between multi-network adaptability and device configuration complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The PLC device is designed to perform multiple functions by supporting multiple virtual instances within a single device. Each virtual instance can independently communicate with different networks, making the single device universal enough to replace multiple separate PLC devices while maintaining simple configuration for each individual network connection.
2Productivity
If a PLC device changes the network membership key (NMK) to communicate with different networks, then multi-network communication is enabled, but communication cannot occur simultaneously with multiple networks and requires multiple devices for parallel communication
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments communication functions into multiple virtual instances that operate simultaneously, each with its own NMK. This eliminates the need to change keys sequentially, as multiple instances can communicate with different networks at the same time, thereby improving productivity and eliminating time loss associated with key changing.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple virtual instances enable continuous communication across multiple networks without interruption. While one instance communicates with one network, another instance simultaneously communicates with a different network, ensuring continuous useful action without the breaks that would occur during NMK changes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate PLC devices are used to communicate with multiple networks simultaneously, then multi-network communication capability is achieved, but device quantity and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple separate PLC devices are merged into a single physical device by implementing multiple virtual PLC instances within one device. Each virtual instance maintains its own NMK and communication context, allowing the combined device to achieve the multi-network communication capability of multiple separate devices while reducing the total quantity of hardware required.
Solution Approach 2:
A single PLC device is designed with universal functionality to support multiple virtual instances, each capable of communicating with different networks. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for multiple specialized devices, reducing device quantity while maintaining full multi-network communication capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A multi-instance powerline communication device broadcasts discovery messages to network devices of a plurality of communication networks. Identification information associated with the network devices is determined. Each of the network devices is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of communication networks and one of a plurality of powerline communication instances. The multi-instance powerline communication device receives a network packet and determines a destination network device for the network packet. A network identifier of the communication network of the destination network device is determined. The multi-instance powerline communication device determines the powerline communication instance associated with the communication network and processes the network packet using the powerline communication instance and the network identifier of the communication network.