Abstract:
A network communication device for bi-directional communication networks is provided having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is connectable to a first point and a second point on the bi-directional communication network. Similarly, the second portion is connectable to the first and second points. The first portion manages collisions among a first set of messages transmittable from the first point to the second point. However, the second portion transmits free of collision management a second set of messages transmittable from the second point to the first point.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present disclosure relates generally to network communication devices. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a high performance network communication device and method.  
         [0002]     Data networks communicate data among the various points on the network. Such data networks typically require one or more network communication devices, such as network hubs and network switches. Each of these devices can have beneficial or detrimental effects on the communication across the network.  
         [0003]     For example, network hubs provide the ability to communicate multiple messages with a minimal latency through the hub. However, messages received by the network hub can collide in the hub and cause data transmission errors. Conversely, network switches manage the collisions created by multiple messages. However, these switches typically add latency to the network due to the collision management.  
         [0004]     Accordingly, there is a continuing need for a network communication device that mitigates and/or eliminates one or more of the aforementioned and other drawbacks and deficiencies of prior communication devices.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     A network communication device for bi-directional communication networks is provided. The device includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is connectable to a first point and a second point on the bi-directional communication network. Similarly, the second portion is connectable to the first and second points. The first portion manages collisions among a first set of messages transmittable from the first point to the second point. However, the second portion transmits free of collision management a second set of messages transmittable from the second point to the first point.  
         [0006]     A bi-directional communication device having a hub portion, a switch portion, a first plurality of connections, and a second plurality of connections is provided. The first plurality of connections connect the hub portion to a plurality of first points on the bi-directional communication network and to a second point on the bi-directional communication network. The second plurality of connections connect the switch portion to the plurality of first points and to the second point.  
         [0007]     A method of communicating messages on a bi-directional communication network is also provided. The method includes transmitting a first message from each of a plurality of first points on the bi-directional communication network to a single second point on the bi-directional communication network through a switch portion of a communication device; and transmitting a second message from said single second point to said plurality of first points through a hub portion of said communication device.  
         [0008]     The above-described and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, drawings, and appended claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a high performance network communication device in use with a power distribution system;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a schematic of a first exemplary embodiment of the high performance network communication device of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a schematic of a second exemplary embodiment of the high performance network communication device of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a schematic of a third exemplary embodiment of the high performance network communication device of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     Referring now to the drawings and in particular to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary embodiment of a high performance network communication device generally referred to by reference numeral  10  is illustrated. Device  10  is configured to facilitate communication across a data network  12 . For example, device  10  and network  12  can be configured to communicate electrical messages, optical messages, acoustic messages, and any combinations thereof.  
         [0014]     For purposes of clarity, device  10  is illustrated in use with a centrally controlled power distribution system  14 . System  14  distributes power from at least one power bus  16  through a number or plurality of circuit breakers  18  to branch circuits  20 . Each circuit breaker  18  has a set of separable contacts (not shown) that selectively place power bus  16  in electrical communication with at least one load on circuit  20 . The load can include devices, such as, but not limited to, motors, welding machinery, computers, heaters, lighting, and/or other electrical equipment.  
         [0015]     System  14  is configured to distribute, control and monitor the power within the system via a central control processing unit  22  (hereinafter “CCPU”) and a number or plurality of data sample and transmission modules  24  (hereinafter “module”). CCPU  22  communicates with modules  24  over data network  12  and through device  10 . The communication speed of device  10  can be an important component of the operation of the system. Specifically, in order for system  14  to control and monitor the power within the system, the communication between CCPU  22  and modules  24  should have a minimal latency.  
         [0016]     In the illustrated embodiment, modules  24  receive/collect data related to a condition of the power in bus  16  from sensors  26 . Sensors  26  can include current transformers (CTs), potential transformers (PTs), and any combination thereof. Sensors  26  monitor a condition of power in circuits  20  and provide data representative of the condition of the power to module  24 . In operation, each module  24  simultaneously communicates the data from modules  24  to CCPU  22  over network  12 . In response to the data from modules  24 , CCPU  22  sends a broadcast message back to all of the modules to control its respective breaker  18 , as required.  
         [0017]     Centralized protection and control as in system  14  requires reliable, low latency, high bandwidth, synchronized message delivery. While current Ethernet is capable of meeting these performance requirements, the available communication devices (e.g., hubs and switches) are typically not capable of meeting all these requirements. However, it has been determined that the desired minimal latency required by system  14  can be achieve by device  10 , which is configured to handle some messages using a switch portion, while handling other messages using a hub function.  
         [0018]     A first exemplary embodiment of device  10  is described with reference to  FIG. 2 . Device  10  includes a switch portion  30  and a hub portion  32  integrated to function together to transmit messages across network  12 . In the illustrated embodiment, switch and hub portions  30 ,  32  are illustrated as separate digital devices. However, it is contemplated by the present disclosure for switch and hub portions  30 ,  32  to reside in a single digital device.  
         [0019]     The simultaneous messages from modules  24  to CCPU  22 , namely upward messages  34 , can collide as they are transmitted through device  10 . By arranging the message from CCPU  22  from modules  24  as a single broadcast message, namely downward message  36 , the downward message does not have an issue with collisions.  
         [0020]     Device  10  is configured to transmit upward messages  34  through switch portion  30  to manage collisions. The management of upward messages  34  by switch portion  30  adds some latency to the speed with which the upward messages travel through device  10 . Conversely, device  10  is configured to transmit downward message  36  through hub portion  32 , which transmits the downward messages with minimal latency.  
         [0021]     Device  10  isolates upward messages  34  from downward messages  36  by relaying the upward messages through switch portion  30 , while relaying the downward messages through hub portion  32 . Switch portion  30  ensures collision free access for upward messages  34 . Further, hub portion  32  transmits downward messages  36 , without compromising collision-free channel access, since the single data source (e.g., CCPU  22 ) guarantees that the channel is always contention free, reducing the overall system latency and cost. It has also been found that isolation of the upward and downward messages  34 ,  36  permits full duplex communication through network  12 . It has also been found that the network adapters (not shown) in CCPU  22  and modules  24  must operate in a mode where collision detection, if any, is disabled in order to achieve the aforementioned full duplex operation.  
         [0022]     As such, device  10  provides low latency, simultaneous data distribution for the contention-free downward messages  36  via hub portion  32 . However, contention-free communication (e.g., upward messages  34 ) to a common point (e.g., CCPU  22 ) is controlled through switch portion  30 .  
         [0023]     A second exemplary embodiment of device  10  is described with reference to  FIG. 3 . Here, switch portion  30  is illustrated as a digital switch, while hub portion  32  is illustrated as an analog hub. Specifically, hub portion  32  can include a number or plurality of amplifiers  38 .  
         [0024]     A third exemplary embodiment of device  10  is described with reference to  FIG. 4 . Here, switch portion  30  is illustrated as an analog switch, while hub portion  32  is illustrated as a digital hub. Specifically, switch portion  30  is illustrated as a static switch having a number or plurality of amplifiers packer buffers  40  in electrical communication with a buffering circuit  42 .  
         [0025]     In the exemplary embodiments of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , switch and hub portions  30 ,  32  are illustrated as separate analog and digital devices. However, it is contemplated by the present disclosure for switch and hub portions  30 ,  32  to reside in a single combined analog digital device. Moreover, it is contemplated for both switch and hub portions  30 ,  32  to be separate or combined analog devices.  
         [0026]     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4 , device  10  has eight connection points  44 . Here, connection points  44  can be, for example, standardized or off the shelf Ethernet cable connections to allow device  10  to be easily integrated into network  12 . Thus, the interconnection of network  12  to device  10  can be made by way of standardized or off-the-shelf Ethernet cable connections.  
         [0027]     Advantageously, device  10  is configured to route the upward and downward messages  34 ,  36  in a manner that takes into account the need for both collision management and minimal latency. Specifically, device  10  is a bi-directional network communication device that transmits messages in a first direction in a first manner, but transmits messages in a second direction in a second manner.  
         [0028]     In another embodiment of the present disclosure also illustrated in  FIG. 4 , device  10  can be connected to network  12  by way of a bifurcated cable  46 . Here, bifurcated cable  46  can be configured to route the upward and downward messages  34 ,  36  into and out of device  10 . For example, bifurcated cable  46  can include a first end  48 , a second end  50 , and a third or combined end  52 . Bifurcated cable  46  is configured to transmit upward messages  34  between first and third ends  48 ,  52 . In addition, bifurcated cable  46  is configured to transmit downward messages  36  between second and third ends  50 ,  52 . Thus, third end  52  of bifurcated cable  46  is standard, while the other end (e.g., first and second ends  48 ,  50 ) is split. In this manner, cable  46  routes messages to and from device  10  so that the device can provide the aforementioned collision management and minimal latency.  
         [0029]     In all embodiments, , device  10  provides improved performance (reduced latency and jitter, greater data capacity, tighter inter-port synchronization, etc.) at a lower cost as compared with existing general purpose switch and hub technologies by focusing on the specific characteristics of the upward and downward messages  34 ,  36 . Furthermore, device  10  interfaces with present Ethernet endpoint adapters and/or cables, and retains the ability to provide performance/cost improvements through the integration of Ethernet hubs and switches.  
         [0030]     It should be recognized that device  10  is illustrated herein by way of example in use with centrally controlled power distribution system  14 . Of course, it is contemplated by the present disclosure for device  10  to find use with other “one-to-many” bi-directional communication architectures.  
         [0031]     It should also be noted that the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, “upper”, “lower”, and the like may be used herein to modify various elements. These modifiers do not imply a spatial, sequential, or hierarchical order to the modified elements unless specifically stated.  
         [0032]     While the instant disclosure has been described with reference to one or more exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope thereof. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.