Patent ID: 8169974
Filing Date: 2012-05-01
Classification: G01D,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of increasing operational safety of a wireless communication network operating in a process control environment and having a plurality of network devices, comprising: maintaining an absolute slot number counter indicative of a number of communication timeslots of a predetermined duration scheduled since a formation of the wireless communication network; wherein each of the plurality of network devices communicates with at least one other of the plurality of network devices according to a communication schedule having a plurality of concurrent superframes, each defined as a repeating sequence of timeslots; detecting a first triggering condition associated with an increased operational risk due to a wireless transmissions by at least one of the plurality of network devices; sending a suspend command to at least some of the plurality of network devices; specifying, in the suspend command, a suspend time at which a recipient network device must suspend transmissions, including specifying an absolute slot number; suspending transmissions at the at least some of the plurality of network devices; and resuming transmissions at the at least some of the plurality of network devices upon occurrence of a second triggering condition.