Operating a network node

1 . A method of operating a network node in a multi-node network having one or more Master Control Units (MCUs) configured to control network nodes of the multi-node network when the one or more MCUs are available, the method comprising:

in one or more memory regions of the network node having a header and a payload:

storing one or more conditions in the header,

storing one or more commands in the payload associated with the one or more conditions, and

configuring at least one of the one or more conditions to comprise using a time base of the network node, the time base including a starting timestamp and a programmable period of time T; and

in a control device of the network node:

determining, according to the time base, whether a condition stored in a header of a selected region occurs, and

performing a node control action based on whether the condition is determined to have occurred.

2 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein storing the one or more conditions and the one or more commands comprises establishing the one or more conditions and the one or more commands by the one or more MCUs.

3 . The method in accordance with claim 2 , wherein establishing the one or more conditions includes configuring at least one of the one or more conditions to comprise an indication of (i) a malfunction or (ii) disconnection of at least one MCU of the one or more MCUs, (iii) a node being in a safe mode, (iv) a processing time having been reached, (v) a pin of the network node being asserted or (vi) not asserted, (vii) an internal signal being asserted or (viii) not asserted, (ix) an execution counter associated with the selected region being above an execution threshold, or (x) a sensor input being above an input threshold.

4 . The method in accordance with claim 2 , further comprising:

configuring the network node to perform the node control action independently from the one or more MCUs responsive to an occurrence of the condition.

5 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the node control action, upon determining that the condition stored in the header of the selected region occurs, includes executing a command stored in a payload of the selected region.

6 . The method in accordance with claim 5 , wherein executing the command includes at least one of:

transmitting the one or more commands in the payload of the selected region;

writing to memory locations of the network node via the multi-node network;

executing at least one of the one or more commands at a peripheral of the network node; or

executing at least one of the one or more commands at another node of the multi-node network.

7 . The method in accordance with claim 6 , further comprising configuring the one or more commands to comprise reversing at least one of a motor and illuminating a warning light emitting diode.

8 . The method in accordance with claim 5 , wherein determining whether the one or more conditions in the header of the selected region occur comprise determining whether a processing time has been reached and, if so, then the method further comprises executing the command periodically by erasing a timestamp of the processing time.

9 . The method in accordance with claim 8 , further comprising configuring at least another one of the one or more conditions to comprise determining whether the timestamp of the processing time exists at a next processing time and, if not, then the one or more commands comprise skipping to a next region at the next processing time to permit a device to write to memory location corresponding to the timestamp of the next processing time for later evaluation at a subsequent processing time after the next processing time.

10 . The method in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises executing the command periodically according to the time base, and wherein determining whether the one or more conditions in the header of the selected region occur comprise determining whether an execution counter associated with the selected region has exceeded an execution threshold within a present period of time and, if so, then the method further comprises stopping periodic execution of the command.

11 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein determining whether the one or more conditions occur comprises determining whether a plurality of conditions stored in the header of the selected region occur.

12 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein determining whether the one or more conditions in the header of the selected region occur includes determining whether all of the one or more conditions stored in the header of the selected region occur.

13 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the programmable period of time T is measured using a generic precision time protocol (gPTP) or a crystal oscillator (XTAL) or a clock synthesizer.

14 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising, in the control device, identifying the selected region responsive to a triggered state of at least one of the one or more conditions.

15 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the node control action, upon determining that the condition stored in the header of the selected region does not occur, includes advancing to a region in a next header, or to a header in a next region, and determining whether a condition stored therein occurs.

16 . The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the control device is configured to execute a loop through multiple regions once every programmable period of time T, wherein the multiple regions comprise a header and one or more commands.

17 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising performing an iterative loop over a local table specifying header locations by iterating through headers stored in at least one of the one or more memory regions to determine the one or more conditions from corresponding payloads.

18 . The method in accordance with claim 16 , further comprising restarting processing of an iterative loop in a cycle responsive to entering a safe mode irrespective if the control device is idle and waiting for another cycle.

19 . A network node in a multi-node network having one or more Master Control Units (MCUs) configured to control network nodes of the multi-node network when the one or more MCUs are available, the network node comprising:

one or more memories, individually or in combination, configured to store instructions, headers and payloads in at least one of one or more memory regions; and

one or more control devices, each coupled to at least one of the one or more memories, configured to execute the instructions to, in the one or more memory regions of the network node having a header and a payload:

store one or more conditions in the header,

store one or more commands in the payload associated with the one or more conditions, and

configure at least one of the one or more conditions to comprise using a time base of the network node, the time base including a starting timestamp and a programmable period of time T,

wherein the one or more control devices are further configured to:

determine, according to the time base, whether a condition stored in a header of a selected region occurs, and

perform a node control action based on whether the condition is determined to have occurred.

20 . A computer program product for operating a network node in a multi-node network having one or more Master Control Units (MCUs) configured to control network nodes of the multi-node network when the one or more MCUs are available, the computer program product being configured to simulate various functions of a remote network node, and including one or more non-transitory computer-readable media, having instructions stored thereon that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors, individually or in combination, to perform a method including:

in one or more memory regions of the network node having a header and a payload:

storing one or more conditions in the header,

storing one or more commands in the payload associated with the one or more conditions, and

configuring at least one of the one or more conditions to comprise using a time base of the network node, the time base including a starting timestamp and a programmable period of time T; and

in a control device of the network node:

determining, according to the time base, whether a condition stored in a header of a selected region occurs, and

performing a node control action based on whether the condition is determined to have occurred.

21 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more conditions relate to the control device and at least one parameter of the control device.