APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INTELLIGENT FREQUENCY-HOPPING DISCOVERY AND SYNCHRONIZATION

摘要

A process control system or other system includes multiple nodes that communicate using frequency-hopping patterns. Each node may operate using its own frequency-hopping pattern. Each node may also broadcast information identifying its frequency-hopping pattern to other nodes, such as any neighboring nodes. Each node may further receive information identifying the frequency-hopping patterns of any neighboring nodes. The nodes may then operate in a non-synchronized manner and use the frequency-hopping patterns of neighboring nodes to communicate. For example, each node may use the identified frequency-hopping pattern of a neighboring node to synchronize with and communicate data to the neighboring node. In this way, the nodes need not maintain synchronization at all times during operation. Also, different nodes may use different frequency channels at the same time, helping to increase the bandwidth available for wireless communications.