ABSTRACT
The telephone system is an example of a system containing many communication networks, which can be considered to be a single communication network as an abstract example. Communication networks are commonly used in various industries and applications to provide an economical means to allow multiple, geographically separated users to exchange information. Networked sensors can be distinguished into two components: those performing the measurement function and those components performing the communication function. In some cases, these two functions may be designed as a single unit, such that the “sensor” intrinsically includes communication capability. Most networks involve some sort of configuration. The most common configurable parameter in many networks is the station address. Some networks may require other parameters to be preset, such as the communication speed or bit rate. Some networks have the capability to autoconfigure, which means to assign parameters automatically to stations as part of the network start-up process, without explicit user intervention.
