Patent ID: 8780702

Claim:
An adaptive multi-redundant ring network system comprising: a main network system including a first main control unit and a plurality of first slaves; and a sub-network system including a second main control unit and a plurality of second slaves, the plurality of second slaves being different than the plurality of first slaves, wherein each of the plurality of first slaves and each of the plurality of second slaves include 2-port Ethernet communication modules so as to form: a first path connecting the first main control unit and the plurality of first slaves; a second path connecting the second main control unit and the plurality of second slaves; a third path connecting the first main control unit, at least two first slaves and at least two second slaves; and a fourth path connecting the second main control unit, at least two first slaves and at least two second slaves, wherein the first path has higher priority than the second path which has higher priority than the third path or the fourth path, and wherein each of the 2-port Ethernet modules is configured to store, in a path routing table, status about a currently connected path, the currently connected path being one of the first through fourth paths, update the path routing table when a path disconnect or a path change is detected, the path disconnect being a disconnect from the currently connected path, the path change being a change from the currently connected path to another of the first through fourth paths, and share updated path information with another connected 2-port Ethernet module.