Wireless Field Network Gateway Switching for Longer Battery Runtime
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless field device networks with battery-operated field devices face challenges in extending device runtime and reducing power consumption, particularly in maintaining seamless information acquisition and minimizing maintenance in remote or inaccessible areas.
Innovation Solution
A method for operating a wireless field device network where each device determines and transmits its process variables and expected remaining runtime using a first radio module within the network, activating only the device with the highest remaining battery life for higher-power communication with a higher-level unit, thereby reducing overall power consumption and extending device runtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all field devices in the network continuously activate their second radio modules for high-power communication with the higher-level unit, then data transmission reliability is improved, but power consumption increases and battery runtime decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple field devices share a single active second radio module for high-power communication with the higher-level unit. The devices form a cooperative network where one device acts as a gateway, consolidating the communication function to reduce overall power consumption while maintaining data transmission reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects which field device activates its second radio module based on real-time conditions such as battery charge levels and network requirements. The gateway role rotates or transitions between devices, optimizing power usage while ensuring continuous reliable communication.
2Ease of manufacture
If battery-powered field devices are deployed in remote areas without wire connections, then installation simplicity and maintenance reduction are improved, but power supply reliability and data transmission stability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines low-power first radio modules for local mesh networking with a shared high-power second radio module for remote communication. This hybrid approach enables wireless deployment in remote areas while maintaining transmission stability through cooperative communication protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
One field device acts as an intermediary gateway between the battery-powered devices and the higher-level unit. The gateway device handles high-power communication tasks, allowing other devices to operate on low power while maintaining connection stability through the intermediary's buffer and retransmission capabilities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If each field device maintains its own second radio module active for direct communication with the higher-level unit, then communication independence is improved, but overall network power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the high-power communication function into a shared resource among field devices. While each device retains its second radio module capability for independence, the system consolidates actual high-power transmission to a single active device at any given time, reducing overall power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The first radio modules serve multiple functions: local mesh network communication, data routing between devices, and coordination of the second radio module activation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for continuous second radio module operation while maintaining communication independence when needed.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for operating a wireless field-device network (1), comprising the following steps: - wirelessly transmitting at least a process variable and an expected remaining running time from each field device (2) to the other field devices (2) within a field-device network (1) so that in each field device (2) at least the process variable and the expected remaining running time of the other field devices (2) of the field-device network are stored; - activating a second radio module (4) of that field device (2a) which has the highest expected remaining running time, and deactivating at least the second radio modules (4) of the other field devices (2b) within the field-device network (1) so that only that field device (2) which has the highest expected remaining running time is active and at least the second radio modules of the other field devices (2) are deactivated; - wirelessly transmitting the process variables of all field devices (2) of the field-device network (1) stored in the active field device (2a), or at least a subset of the stored process variables, to the superordinate unit (5), which is not part of the field-device network (1), by means of the second radio module (4) of the active field device (2a).