Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel method to implement a Smart Device Network Application Infrastructure (SDNA) that supports and facilitates the development, deployment and management of device networks and device network applications. The Smart Device Network Application infrastructure (SDNA) refers to an integrated processing platform that supports and facilitates the development, deployment and management of distributed applications based on device networks. It involves the concurrent execution of several processes that interact to provide support and resources for said applications.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method of source routing to implement device-to-device communications across a hybrid distributed device control network. The method is based in packet communications in which packets are structured so that they can be readily converted between communications protocols, and in which packets enclose routing information and parameters.

Abstract: This invention comprises a method to manage the efficient routing of messages in a multi-hop network. This method can be implemented using a low cost, low processing power hardware platform, whereby each network node consists of an 8-bit microcontroller and additional peripherals. The data storage unit is implemented by an external memory. This method uses four internal data buffers and an extremely efficient algorithm to manage traffic of messages and buffers within the microcontroller.

Abstract: This inventions discloses a fault or abnormal status detection mechanism applied to distributed networks considering a shared media. A set of programmed routines executing in every node connected to a distributed network establish pairs of inter-monitoring nodes. At system power up, every node searches for another free, unpaired node using random timeout messaging generation to prevent collisions of network messages. After all pairs have been formed, a periodic check message is sent from one node to its associated partner (and vice versa) requesting its operating status. A response, containing a node's status, is generated upon receipt of a check message. If an abnormal status is received, or there is no response, a report is sent to a monitoring station or stored as a failure network event. The timeout period, in the order of seconds, between each check message is adjusted according to the number of connected nodes and available network bandwidth.