Abstract: In an industrial automation system including a first and a second wireless communication device communicating with each other via a cellular network, the first wireless communication device obtains, while the first wireless communication device is attached to a first base station of the cellular network, knowledge about to which base station the second wireless communication device is attached and if the second wireless communication device is attached to a second allowable base station, the first wireless communication device detaches from the first base station and attaches to the second base station.

Abstract: A safety network for supporting mobile robots in a facility including: one or more zone safety controllers each operating a zone safety loop responsible for a predefined zone of the facility, including monitoring zone safety sensors and taking actions in response to detected safety events with effect in the zone only; a fleet management system configured to perform mobile robot route planning and repeatedly associate each of the one or more mobile robots with a responsible zone safety controller; and wherein each zone safety loop exchanges safety event messages with an onboard safety loop in each mobile robot, for which the zone safety controller is responsible.

Abstract: In an industrial automation system including a first and a second wireless communication device communicating with each other via a cellular network, the first wireless communication device obtains, while the first wireless communication device is attached to a first base station of the cellular network, knowledge about to which base station the second wireless communication device is attached and if the second wireless communication device is attached to a second allowable base station, the first wireless communication device detaches from the first base station and attaches to the second base station.

Abstract: A method of operating an intelligent electronic device that is in a wireless communication with a base station of a wireless communication system is described. The method includes monitoring at least two QoS parameters of the wireless communication and controlling the operation of the intelligent electronic device based on the at least two QoS parameters, wherein the intelligent electronic device includes a wireless communication module, wherein the wireless communication is carried out between the wireless communication module and the base station of the wireless communication system, and wherein the at least two QoS parameters are determined at least in part in the wireless communication module and are transferred to a control module of the intelligent electronic device over an interface.

Abstract: A method of operating an intelligent electronic device that is in a wireless communication with a base station of a wireless communication system is described. The method includes monitoring at least two QoS parameters of the wireless communication and controlling the operation of the intelligent electronic device based on the at least two QoS parameters, wherein the intelligent electronic device includes a wireless communication module, wherein the wireless communication is carried out between the wireless communication module and the base station of the wireless communication system, and wherein the at least two QoS parameters are determined at least in part in the wireless communication module and are transferred to a control module of the intelligent electronic device over an interface.

Abstract: An energy storage robot configured to be used to power electric underground equipment, the energy storage robot including a propulsion system being arranged to move the energy storage robot, an energy storage unit, a control unit being connected to the propulsion system and the energy storage unit. The energy storage unit is connectable to the electric underground equipment for powering the electric underground equipment and the control unit is arranged to communicate a level of energy of the energy storage unit to a coordinating module or another energy storage robot.

Abstract: A method of scheduling field devices in a wireless network of an industrial process system is provided. The method is performed in a scheduling device and includes scheduling one or more field devices on uplink resources and on downlink resources, such that, for at least one of the field devices, a periodicity of uplink resources is different than a periodicity of downlink resources.

Abstract: There is provided a method for determining passage of a portable wireless transceiver device along a constrained path. The method comprises acquiring at least one time of flight (ToF) measurement and auxiliary information, the at least one ToF measurement being measured between a portable wireless transceiver device and a single network node. The network node is mounted proximate a constrained path. The method comprises determining whether the portable wireless transceiver device has passed the network node along the constrained path or not based on the at least one ToF measurement and the auxiliary information.

Abstract: A method of scheduling field devices in a wireless network of an industrial process system is provided. The method is performed in a scheduling device and includes scheduling one or more field devices on uplink resources and on downlink resources, such that, for at least one of the field devices, a periodicity of uplink resources is different than a periodicity of downlink resources.

Abstract: A wireless communication device providing a node in an industrial wireless network investigates if there is more than one data packet with process control data from the same data originating device destined for a process control device in a transmission queue, where the data originating device is an interface to the process being controlled and transmits data packets in the transmission queue. If there is more than one such data packet, the wireless communication device further compares time stamps of the data packets, where a time stamp reflects the time of generation of a corresponding data packet, keeps the newest data packet and discards older data packets, so that only the most recent data packets from a data originating device are sent to the process control device from the node.

Abstract: There is provided a method for determining passage of a portable wireless transceiver device along a constrained path. The method comprises acquiring at least one time of flight (ToF) measurement and auxiliary information, the at least one ToF measurement being measured between a portable wireless transceiver device and a single network node. The network node is mounted proximate a constrained path. The method comprises determining whether the portable wireless transceiver device has passed the network node along the constrained path or not based on the at least one ToF measurement and the auxiliary information.

Abstract: An energy storage robot configured to be used to power electric underground equipment, the energy storage robot including a propulsion system being arranged to move the energy storage robot, an energy storage unit, a control unit being connected to the propulsion system and the energy storage unit. The energy storage unit is connectable to the electric underground equipment for powering the electric underground equipment and the control unit is arranged to communicate a level of energy of the energy storage unit to a coordinating module or another energy storage robot.

Abstract: A wireless communication device providing a node in an industrial wireless network investigates if there is more than one data packet with process control data from the same data originating device destined for a process control device in a transmission queue, where the data originating device is an interface to the process being controlled and transmits data packets in the transmission queue. If there is more than one such data packet, the wireless communication device further compares time stamps of the data packets, where a time stamp reflects the time of generation of a corresponding data packet, keeps the newest data packet and discards older data packets, so that only the most recent data packets from a data originating device are sent to the process control device from the node.

Abstract: A method of allocating time slots for sensor node sample transmission from sensor nodes in a wireless sensor node network which forms part of a control system for controlling an industrial process includes receiving a sample from a first sensor node in a first time slot of a superframe, which first sample has a value outside an accepted range of values, obtaining an identification of a second time slot of the superframe in which second time slot the first sensor node is to send a further sample in a subsequent superframe, and providing instructions to the first sensor node to send the further sample in the second time slot of a subsequent superframe. A computer program product and a sensor node network interface system are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A wireless network managing device for a wireless network that is part of a process control system. The wireless network managing device includes a node determination element configured to receive an operator selection of at least one node in the process control system via an operator terminal and determine a field device implementing the functionality of the node, and a bandwidth control element configured to adjust a bandwidth assigned to the at least one field device in an auxiliary data section of a communication structure used by the wireless network based on the received operator selection in order to increase system responsiveness.

Abstract: A method of allocating time slots for sensor node sample transmission from sensor nodes in a wireless sensor node network which forms part of a control system for controlling an industrial process includes receiving a sample from a first sensor node in a first time slot of a superframe, which first sample has a value outside an accepted range of values, obtaining an identification of a second time slot of the superframe in which second time slot the first sensor node is to send a further sample in a subsequent superframe, and providing instructions to the first sensor node to send the further sample in the second time slot of a subsequent superframe. A computer program product and a sensor node network interface system are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A wireless network managing device for a wireless network that is part of a process control system. The wireless network managing device includes a node determination element configured to receive an operator selection of at least one node in the process control system via an operator terminal and determine a field device implementing the functionality of the node, and a bandwidth control element configured to adjust a bandwidth assigned to the at least one field device in an auxiliary data section of a communication structure used by the wireless network based on the received operator selection in order to increase system responsiveness.

Abstract: A wireless network managing device for a wireless network that is part of a process control system. The wireless network managing device includes a node determination element configured to receive an operator selection of at least one node in the process control system via an operator terminal and determine a field device implementing the functionality of the node, and a bandwidth control element configured to adjust a bandwidth assigned to the at least one field device in an auxiliary data section of a communication structure used by the wireless network based on the received operator selection in order to increase system responsiveness.

Abstract: A method in a wireless process control system for reducing power consumption of a sensor node of the wireless process control system. The wireless process control system further includes a controller in wireless communication with the sensor node wherein the sensor node is in a sleep mode. The method includes the steps of: predicting based on an error signal, when sensor measurement data is needed from the sensor node and determining an instant of time for communication between the controller and the sensor node based thereon; and the sensor node re-entering the sleep mode. The invention also relates to computer program products and a controller.

Abstract: A wireless network managing device for a wireless network that is part of a process control system. The wireless network managing device includes a node determination element configured to receive an operator selection of at least one node in the process control system via an operator terminal and determine a field device implementing the functionality of the node, and a bandwidth control element configured to adjust a bandwidth assigned to the at least one field device in an auxiliary data section of a communication structure used by the wireless network based on the received operator selection in order to increase system responsiveness.