Node Discovery in Physically Segmented Logical Token Network

Abstract

Token authorized node discovery between a plurality of nodes in a downhole networking environment and respective applications for data processing and communication are described herein.

1 . A networking node comprising:
 at least two communication interfaces configurable to couple the networking node to at least a predecessor node and a successor node;   a timing module configurable to track one or more timing periods; and   a communication module coupled to the at least two communication interfaces and the timing module, and adapted to perform at least one of:   (a) generate a first token, upon expiration of a response timing period or receipt of a second token via one of the at least two communication interfaces from the immediately coupled successor node, and transmit the first token via the same communication interface to the immediately coupled successor node to facilitate selective data communication with at least the immediately coupled successor node;   (b) receive a third token, from the predecessor node, via one of the at least two communication interfaces and transmit the third token to the successor node and/or receive a fourth token, different from the third token, from the successor node via the other one of the at least two communication interfaces and transmit the fourth token to the predecessor node;   (c) receive a fifth token, via only one of the at least two communication interfaces from the predecessor node and generate and transmit a sixth token to the predecessor node;   (d) transmit a seventh token upon expiration of a discovery timing period, via one of the at least two communication interfaces to determine if the successor node is coupled;   (e) selectively suspending the networking node after expiration of at least one response timing period associated with one of the at least two communication interfaces; and   (f) receive an eighth token to restore the networking node to an operational state after a previous suspension of the networking node, and in response, transmit a ninth token to at least a selected one of the predecessor node and the successor node.   
   
   
       2 . The networking node of  claim 1 , wherein the networking node is adapted to perform at least (c) and (d). 
   
   
       3 . The networking node of  claim 2 , wherein the networking node is further adapted to perform at least (b), the third token and the fifth token are the same token, and the fourth token and the sixth token are the same token. 
   
   
       4 . The networking node of  claim 2 , wherein the networking node is further adapted to perform at least (e) and (f), the seventh token and the eighth token are the same token, and the sixth token and the ninth token are the same token. 
   
   
       5 . The networking node of  claim 1 , wherein the networking node is adapted to perform at least (e) and (f). 
   
   
       6 . The networking node of  claim 5 , wherein the networking node is further adapted to perform at least (b) and at least one of the third token and the fourth token are the same token as the eighth token. 
   
   
       7 . The networking node of  claim 1 , wherein the networking node is adapted to perform at least (b) and (c) and (d) and (e) and (f), the third token and the fifth token and eighth token are the same token, and the fourth token and the sixth token and the seventh token and ninth token are the same token. 
   
   
       8 . The networking node of  claim 1 , wherein the first token, the third token, the fifth token, the seventh token, and the eighth token are a down-token and the second token, the fourth token, the sixth token, and the ninth token are an up-token in a downhole network associated with a drill string, the downhole network formed by a plurality of networking nodes coupled together in a hierarchal physically segmented logical token configuration. 
   
   
       9 . The networking device of  claim 1 , wherein the timing module resets the response timing period associated with each of the at least two communication interfaces upon transmission of a token. 
   
   
       10 . The networking device of  claim 1 , wherein previously suspended nodes are suspended due to the expiration of the response timing periods associated with all of the at least two communication interfaces. 
   
   
       11 . An article of manufacture comprising:
 storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions; and   at least one of first, second, third, and fourth sets of programming instructions, the at least one sets of programming instructions being stored in the storage medium,   the first sets of programming instructions are adapted to enable a networking node to generate a first token and to transmit the first token via at least one communication interface to a first immediately coupled successor node to facilitate selective data communication among nodes of a first serial network, the networking node and the first immediately coupled successor node being members of the first serial network, the selective data communication among nodes being suspended via a second token different from the first token,   the second sets of programming instructions are adapted to enable a networking node to receive a third token, via the at least one communication interface, from a first immediately coupled predecessor node, and to transmit the third token to a second immediately coupled successor node, the third token being employed to facilitate selective data communication among nodes of a second serial network, the networking node, the first immediately coupled predecessor node, and the second immediately coupled successor node are members of the second serial network, the selective data communication among nodes being suspended via a fourth token different from the third token,   the third sets of programming instructions are adapted to enable a networking node to receive a fifth token, via the at least one communication interface, from a second immediately coupled predecessor node, and to generate and to transmit a sixth token, via the at least one communication interface, to the second immediately coupled predecessor node, the sixth token being employed to facilitate selective data transmission from the networking node to the other nodes of a third serial network and to selectively suspend data communication by other nodes of the third serial network, the networking node and the second immediately coupled predecessor node are members of the third serial network, and   the fourth sets of programming instructions are adapted to enable a networking node to suspend transmissions upon expiration of a response timer until a seventh token is received via the at least one communication interface, from a third immediately coupled predecessor node, and upon receipt of the seventh token to generate and to transmit a eighth token, via the at least one communication interface, to the third immediately coupled predecessor node.   
   
   
       12 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11 , wherein the article of manufacture comprises at least two of the first, the second, the third, and the fourth sets of programming instructions. 
   
   
       13 . The article of manufacture of  claim 12 , wherein the article of manufacture comprises three of the first, the second, the third, and the fourth sets of programming instructions. 
   
   
       14 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13 , wherein the article of manufacture comprises all four of the first, the second, the third, and the fourth sets of programming instructions.