Patent ID: 9413607
Filing Date: 2016-08-09
CPC Classification: G05B,H04L

Claim Text:
1. A method, comprising: receiving a request to set a new parameter value of at least a communication timeout parameter or both of a scan rate parameter and the communication timeout parameter stored on a device on an EtherNet/IP-based network, wherein the device is operating according to a previous parameter value wherein the request to set the new parameter value is generated in response to information received from the device; comparing, by a communications controller, a temporary communication timeout value to an existing communication timeout parameter value, wherein the temporary communication timeout value corresponds to a new communication timeout value to be stored in the communication timeout parameter; establishing, by the communications controller, a temporary timeout period corresponding to the request to set the new parameter value stored on the device, wherein the temporary timeout period is set to the larger of the temporary communication timeout value or the existing communication timeout value based on the comparing; transmitting a message over the EtherNet/IP-based network to the device, wherein the message requests a change to the new parameter value; and reverting from the temporary communication timeout value to the previously existing communicating timeout parameter value.