Patent ID: 8072999
Filing Date: 2011-12-06
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. In a cyclic network having a fixed period communication cycle during a cyclic operational state, a method for adding a node into the cyclic network operating in a cyclic operational state without interrupting the synchronous traffic on the cyclic network, comprising: Operating the cyclic network in a cyclic operational state with a fixed period communication cycle in which upstream and downstream timeslots for data transmission are assigned according to a repeating timetable for a pre-determined complement of nodes in accordance with an original network plan wherein there is at least one unused upstream timeslot that has resulted from a removed node in the cyclic network or from a phantom node assigned in the original network plan but not yet existing on the cyclic network; While the cyclic network remains operating in the cyclic operational state with the fixed period communication cycle, discovering an added node by sending data comprising a delay value to the added node in a downstream timeslot previously assigned according to the repeating timetable for sending data to the removed or phantom node, said delay value for scheduling a response from the added node to coincide with the unused upstream timeslot for the removed or phantom node, thereby avoiding collisions with the synchronous traffic on the cyclic network; Receiving the response from the added node in the upstream timeslot previously unused; Configuring the added node in accordance with a previously calculated configuration; and Commencing cyclic operation of the added node.