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EP-4178233-B1 - BROADCASTING COMMUNICATING DEVICES MANAGEMENT

EP4178233B1EP 4178233 B1EP4178233 B1EP 4178233B1EP-4178233-B1

Inventors

  • COUTELOU, OLIVIER
  • CHICHE, THIERRY

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20211108

Claims (15)

  1. . A method for managing a single function device, SFD, among communication devices, CD, configured for broadcasting messages to gateways, GWs, connected to a gateway manager, GM, the single function device, SFD, having a network interface which is configured to broadcast to GWs messages that include operating data that only correspond to a command, the method comprising: receiving (S1), by the gateways, GW, messages from respective communication devices, wherein each received message contains operating data and a communication device identifier, IdCD, that identifies a communication device which sent the received message; determining (S2), by the gateways, GW, respective quality metrics for each received message, wherein quality metrics for a message pertain to a radio link between the gateway which received the message and the communication device which sent the message; storing (S3), by the gateways, for each received message, a property vector, PV, comprising the communication device identifier of the communication device which sent the received message and the quality metrics for the received message; collecting (S4), by the gateway manager, GM, the property vectors from all the gateways; identifying (S5), by the gateway manager, GM, the single function device, SFD, by detecting a property vector comprising a communication device identifier that is included in a list of single function devices; determining (S6), by the gateway manager, GM, a location of the identified single function device, SFD, based on the quality metrics of the detected property vector; coupling (S7), by the gateway manager, GM, the identified single function device, SFD, with a feedback device, FD, based on the determined location of the single function device and on a location of said feedback device; and sending (S8), by the gateway manager, GM, an order to the coupled feedback device to perform a feedback signal, wherein the feedback signal is related to the command included in the message sent by the single function device, SFD,
  2. . A method according to claim 1, wherein the gateway manager , GM, instructs (S8) an application to perform an action corresponding to the command included in the message sent by the single function device.
  3. . A method according to claim 2, wherein the gateway manager, GM, instructs the application to perform the action according to the determined location of the selected single function device, SFD.
  4. . A method according to claim 3, wherein the gateway manager, GM, automatically infers the type of command included in the message based on the identifier of communication device and instructs the application to perform the action according the type of command.
  5. . A method according to any of the previous claims, wherein the location of feedback device, FD, coupled with the identified single function device, SFD, is predefined or determined based on the quality metrics of a property vector comprising an identifier of communication device that is included in a list of feedback devices.
  6. . A method according to any of the previous claims, wherein the coupling of the identified single function device, SFD, with the feedback device, FD, is based on a distance between the location of the identified single function device, SFD, and the location of the feedback device, FD.
  7. . A method according to claim 6, wherein the feedback device presenting the smallest distance with the single function device is selected.
  8. . A method according to claim 6, wherein a distance between the identified single function device and any feedback device is adapted according to the determined locations of the identified single function device and such any feedback device on a predetermined map with predetermined areas.
  9. . A method according to any of the previous claims, wherein the quality metrics comprise a received signal strength indicator and a link quality indicator.
  10. . A system comprising a gateway manager, GM, gateways, GW, connected to the gateway manager, GM, and single function devices, SFD, among communication devices, CD, configured for broadcasting messages to gateways, GW, a single function device, SFD, having a network interface which is configured to broadcast to GWs messages that include operating data that only correspond to a command, wherein: the gateways, GW, are configured to receive messages from respective communication devices, wherein each received message contains operating data and a communication device identifier, IdCD, that identifies a communication device which sent the received message, the gateways, GW, are further configured to determine respective quality metrics for each received message, wherein quality metrics for a message pertain to a radio link between the gateway which received the message and the communication device which sent the message, and the gateways, GW, are further configured to store, for each received message, a property vector, PV, comprising the communication device identifier of the communication device which sent the received message and the quality metrics for the received message, wherein the gateway manager, GM, is configured to collect the property vectors from all the gateways, the gateway manager, GM, is further configured to identify the single function device, SFD, by detecting a property vector comprising a communication device identifier that is included in a list of single function devices, the gateway manager, GM, is further configured to determine a location of the identified single function device, SFD, based on the quality metrics of the detected property vector, the gateway manager, GM, is further configured to couple the identified single function device, SFD, with a feedback device, FD, based on the determined location of the single function device and on a location of said feedback device, and the gateway manager, GM, is further configured to send an order to the coupled feedback device to perform a feedback signal, wherein the feedback signal is related to the command included in the message sent by the single function device, SFD.
  11. . A system according to claim 10, wherein the gateway manager, GM, is further configured to instruct (S8) an application to perform an action corresponding to the command included in the message sent by the single function device.
  12. . A system according to claim 11, wherein the gateway manager, GM, is further configured to instruct the application to perform the action according to the determined location of the selected single function device, SFD.
  13. . A system according to claim 12, wherein the gateway manager, GM, is further configured to automatically infer the type of command included in the message based on the identifier of communication device, and to instruct the application to perform the action according the type of command.
  14. . A system according to any of claims 10 - 13, wherein the location of feedback device, FD, coupled with the identified single function device, SFD, is predefined or determined based on the quality metrics of a property vector comprising an identifier of communication device that is included in a list of feedback devices.
  15. . A computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program for executing a method for managing single function devices among communication devices broadcasting messages to gateways connected to a gateway manager according to any of claims 1 to 9.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention generally relates to industrial automation systems, and more particularly relates to wireless device mobility in networks having a star topology. BACKGROUND The Internet of Things (IoT) is an essential element of the digital development of companies. On many markets, connected objects capture valuable information. Industrial IoT devices are mainly sensors linked to machines that are located in different areas of industrial sites and measure, record, and send operating data to a data center to be analyzed. These sensors are for example wireless devices that are powered by an internal battery. In networks for industrial automation systems, for example having a star topology, communication devices such as wireless sensors are permanently connected and paired to a unique gateway and communicate only with the paired gateway. Any packet exchange between communication devices must go through the gateway, thus advantageously packets go through at most one wireless hop to reach their destination. The disadvantage of this star topology is the operation of the network that depends on the gateway of the network, and as all packets must go through the gateway, the gateway may become bottlenecked. In networks for industrial automation systems, some communication devices are coupled with feedback devices in order that when a communication device is activated by a user by triggering a command, the coupled feedback device is able to inform the user about the status of the command. These communication devices and feedback devices are fixed, for example linked to a machine, and paired to a gateway. Typically, a communication device can be a wireless push button attached to a machine and the feedback device can be a stack light standing upon the machine. When the operator presses the push button, the stack light will blink to provide a feedback to the operator, by means of the paired gateway. However, when a communication device is out of range of its paired gateway, messages sent by said communication device are lost, and even if the message are received by another gateway (not paired with the wireless sensor), the messages will not be processed. There is no solution when the communication device is a mobile communication device like a self-powered wireless push button that does not have any interface (no LED, no vibration, no sound, etc.). The user is not confident when using a wireless actuator if there is no immediate confirmation that the action has been correctly received. There is therefore a need for supporting efficiently mobility of communication devices that trigger actions and require feedback devices. US 2015/256668 A1 discusses managing features associated with a user equipment based on a location of the user equipment within a vehicle. More specifically, US 2015/256668 A1 discusses a user equipment (UE) which is positioned within a driver operation zone of a vehicle, one or more UE-based user interfaces (UIs) are restricted and forwarded to a vehicle-based UI controller to permit access to the one or more UE-based features via a vehicle-based UI. In another aspect, the UE in the driver operation zone is engaged in hands-free speakerphone mode via a vehicle audio system of the vehicle, and an attempt to transition the UE to handset-based audio mode is blocked. In another aspect, when a handset-based audio capture and/or playback attempt of the UE is detected, the UE interacts with a vehicle audio system to temporarily reduce volume being output by one or more proximal speakers. In another aspect, the UE streams media to a media presentation device in its own zone or another zone of the vehicle for presentation thereon. SUMMARY The invention is defined by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous enhancements are subject to the dependent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some embodiments of system and/or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a communication system according to one embodiment of the invention for managing single function devices among communication devices broadcasting messages to gateways connected to a gateway manager;FIG. 2 illustrates an example of single function devices, feedback devices and gateways in predetermined areas; andFIG. 3 shows a flow chart illustrating a method for managing single function devices among communication devices broadcasting messages to gateways connected to a gateway manager according to one embodiment of the invention. The same refere