Improved Latency Management

Abstract

A method for use in an automated wireless industrial system comprising a device ( 100, 210,220 ) configured to act as a control node and at least one field level device ( 100 ), 230 ), wherein the method comprises: issuing a control communication ( 510 ); inserting at least one5 time delay (tk) to the control communication ( 520 ); noting ( 530 ) the communication time (TCL) for the communication; comparing ( 540 ) the time for communication (TCL) to an expected time for communication (TR); and determining ( 550 ) if any of the at least one time delay (tk) should be adapted, and if so, adapting at least that time delay ( 560 ).

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method for use in an automated wireless industrial system comprising a device configured to act as a control node and at least one field level device, wherein the method comprises:
 issuing a control communication;   inserting at least one time delay (tk) to the control communication;   noting the communication time for the communication;   comparing the time for communication to an expected time for communication; and   determining if any of the at least one time delay (tk) should be adapted, and if so, adapting at least that time delay.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising determining if a system parameter should be changed and/or adapted, and if so, changing and/or adapting the parameter. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising determining if a system should be shut down, and if so, shutting down the system. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising determining if a system should be shut down based on a value of at least one of the at least one time delay (tk). 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising determining if a system should be shut down based on a rate of change of at least one of the at least one time delay (tk). 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the at least one of time delay is inserted by the field device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the at least one of time delay is added by the control node. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises, if the time for the communication is lower than the expected time for communication (TCL<TR) adjusting the time delay to a higher value, and if the time for the communication is higher than the expected time for communication (TCL>TR), adjusting the time delay to a lower value. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises adapting the time delay (tk) in proportion to the difference between the time for the communication and the expected time for communication. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises adapting the time delay (tk) in proportion to the quota of the time delay and the difference between the time for the communication and the expected time for communication. 
     
     
         23 . A device comprising a processor arrangement and a wireless interface, wherein said processor arrangement is configured to act as a control node by:
 issuing a control communication to which at least one of time delay (tk) is inserted;   noting the communication time (TCL) for the communication;   comparing the time for communication (TCL) to an expected time for communication (TR); and   determining if any of the at least one of time delay (tk) should be adapted, and if so, adapting at least that time delay.