Industrial IR based instrumentation area network

• Main Author: Tshikalaha, Takalani Raymond
• Other Authors: Wolhuter, R.
• Format: Others
• Language: en_ZA
• Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2012
• Subjects: Wireless communication systems; Wireless LANs; Dissertations > Electronic engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/49990

Thesis (MScEng) -- Stellenbosch University, 2004. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Wireless Area Network technology for industrial and factory applications is important for satisfying inflexible (safety-critical) real-time requirements in sometimes harsh environments. Many of these applications involve mobile subsystems and could benefit from recent Wireless LAN technologies replacing the current cable-based systems. An immediate question is how this technology can be used for wireless Area Network systems? An important aspect of this question is the development of time-variable wireless links with good real-time performance. This project will attempt to answer some aspects of this question. The main objective of this thesis is to create a wireless area network for instrumentation purposes, interconnecting various monitoring and control transducers to a central master station. This project focuses on three transmission technologies used for wireless LANs with low power consumption; capable of close range positioning, indoors as well as outdoors. These transmission technologies are Infrared LAN (IrDA), Spread Spectrum LAN and Narrowband Microwave LAN. As a result of the evaluation of the three technologies, an Infrared LAN (IrDA) system was implemented as an area network, utilising an IrLAP protocol (Master and Slave) as a communication protocol. The Master is enabled to monitor and control all slaves interfaced to it. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Draadlose netwerktegnologie vir industrietoepassings, is nodig om aan te pas by spesifieke veiligheids- en omgewingstoestande. Baie van hierdie toepassings het betrekking op mobiele substelsels en kan baat by vervanging van bekabeling met onlangse draadlose netwerktegnologie. Die ontwikkeling van sulke netwerke met goeie tydreaksie, is hier belangrik. Die hoofdoel van hierdie tesis is om ’n draadlose areanetwerk te skep vir instrumentasiedoeleindes, wat verskeie monitor-en beheeromsetters aan ’n sentrale meesterstasie sal verbind. Hierdie projek fokus op 3 sulke benaderings, nl. Infrarooi AN (IrDA), Spreispektrum AN en Nouband Mikrogolf AN. Na ondersoek is ’n stelsel gebaseer op IrDA, geimplementeer as areanetwerk, met behulp van die IrLAP protokol. Die meester beheer alle kommunikasie met- en beheeraksies van die buitestasies.