APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR IMPROVED WIRELESS COMMUNICATION RELIABILITY AND PERFORMANCE IN PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEM

摘要

An apparatus includes a transceiver (206, 210) configured to transmit wireless signals to and receive wireless signals from wireless nodes (108a-108e, 110a-110e, 112) associated with an industrial process. The apparatus also includes a controller (202) configured to initiate transmission of the wireless signals and to process data contained in the received wireless signals. The transceiver includes a diversity receiver (400, 500) configured to process the wireless signals from the wireless nodes. The transceiver may be further configured to perform beam-shaping in order to transmit a directional beam to at least one of the wireless nodes. Also, the controller may be configured to perform spatial routing by identifying a target of a wireless transmission and to initiate transmission of the directional beam towards a known or estimated location associated with the identified target.