US4591967A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Distributed drum emulating programmable controller system
Assignee: Andover Controls Corp
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Filing: 1985-07-25
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Granted: 1986-05-27
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Expires: 2005-07-25
Abstract
Abstract Master units and slave units are preferably housed in identical housings. Each master unit comprises a Central Intelligence Unit (CIU) which in turn comprises a drum processor and a communications processor, and an Input/Output Unit (IOU) having input terminals and relays for connection to external devices. Each slave unit comprises an IOU. Each IOU is connected to its CIU through a Local bus (L-bus). Up to sixteen IOU's may be controlled by a single CIU. Up to 16 master units may be connected together by means of console bus (C-bus) and a data exchange bus (X-bus), in which case each master unit is given control of specified "X" variables for update. Each "X" variable has a specific time slot on the X-bus and all "X" variables are stored on an X-drum at each master unit. The C-bus may be connected to a computer terminal at each master for programming of all CIU's, or to computer devices, or to long distance communication lines. Each IOU monitors continuously 32 identical input ports and maintains in a table the voltage at that port, whether the voltage has gone up or down through preselected voltages and the number of times this has happened since the last interrogation by its CIU on the L-bus. These tables are transmitted upon interrogation to its CIU. The program at the master can therefore interpret each input as a voltage, a switch, or a pulse source. Each IOU employs a digital filter in its program for interpreting the voltage of the inputs.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald A. Mattes
- 👤 Steven G. Landry
- 👤 James M. Kendall
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 07:53
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/04; G05B19/05; G05B19/052; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/10; G05B2219/15; G05B2219/15102
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
A programmable controller system comprising: a plurality of central processing units; a data exchange bus interconnecting each of said central processing units for the transmission and receipt of data between all of said central processing units; each of said central processing units being adapted to transmit preselected data assigned to said unit to each of said other central processing units along said data exchange bus; each of said central processing units including a memory for storage of data; said memory in each of said central processing units being adapted to store all preselected data assigned to that unit and all data transmitted by each of said other units along said data exchange bus such that all of said preselected data assigned to each of said plurality of units is stored in every one of said units.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
136 words
A programmable controller system comprising: a plurality of central processing units; a data exchange bus interconnecting each of said central processing units for the transmission and receipt of data between all of said central processing units; each of said central processing units being adapted to transmit preselected data assigned to said unit to each of said other central processing units along said data exchange bus; each of said central processing units including a memory for storage of data; said memory in each of said central processing units being adapted to store all preselected data assigned to that unit and all data transmitted by each of said other units along said data exchange bus such that all of said preselected data assigned to each of said plurality of units is stored in every one of said units.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
75 words
A programmable controller system as claimed in claim 1 including at least one input/output unit associated with each of said central processing units and a local bus connecting each of said input/output units to its respective central processing unit for transmission of data therebetween such that data received from said input/output unit by said associated central processing unit is transmitted to each of the other of said central processing units along said data exchange bus.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said data exchange bus is an asynchronous bus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
The system of claim 1 wherein each of said Central Processing Units comprises a console port for data exchange connection to peripheral equipment, and C. a console bus to which each of said console ports in each of said Central Processing Units is connected, whereby peripheral equipment connected to the console port of one of said Central Processing Units may communicate with each of said Central Processing Units.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 4 wherein said console bus has a different protocol than said console ports, and D. a console port converter connected between each said port and said console bus at each of said Central Processing Units.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
33 words
The system of any one of claims 1, 3, 4 or 5, wherein each of said Central Processing Units controls a plurality of output circuits in response to a plurality of input conditions.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
59 words
The system of any one of claims 1, 3, 4, or 5, and E. a plurality of Input/Output Units, each controlling a plurality of output circuits and responsive to a plurality of input conditions, and each of said Central Processing Units having connected thereto a local bus and a plurality of said Input/Output Units connected to each local bus.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 7 wherein at least one of said Input/Output Units is provided with a plurality of identical electrical inputs and repetitively records an analog electrical condition at all of said inputs and whether said analog condition has become greater or lesser than at least one preselected value.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 8 wherein at least one Input/Output Unit also records the number of times said condition has become greater (or lesser) than one of said preselected values since the last time it transmitted its recorded information to said Central Processing Unit connected to the same local bus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 9 wherein at least one of said Input/Output Units comprises a digital filter utilizing the prior recorded analog value and the new analog value to arrive at a new recorded value.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
129 words
A programmable controller system for monitoring a plurality of input conditions and input events and for controlling a plurality of output conditions and output events in accordance with a stored control program and said input and output conditions comprising: A. a plurality of identical electrical inputs, and B. a computer system connected to said plurality of electrical inputs, a. said computer system adapted to repetitively record for each of said inputs the value of an identical analog condition at all of said inputs and a binary condition defined by whether said analog condition has become greater or lesser than at least one preselected value, and b. said computer system being user programmable to select said analog condition or said binary condition derived therefrom as an input condition or event.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
129 words
A programmable controller system for monitoring a plurality of input conditions and input events and for controlling a plurality of output conditions and output events in accordance with a stored control program and said input and output conditions comprising: A. a plurality of identical electrical inputs, and B. a computer system connected to said plurality of electrical inputs, a. said computer system adapted to repetitively record for each of said inputs the value of an identical analog condition at all of said inputs and a binary condition defined by whether said analog condition has become greater or lesser than at least one preselected value, and b. said computer system being user programmable to select said analog condition or said binary condition derived therefrom as an input condition or event.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 11 wherein said computer system comprises a conversion table for converting the values of said analog condition according to at least one preselected function under user control.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
27 words
The system of claims 11 or 12 wherein said computer system further comprises a digital filter for smoothing the values of said analog condition that are recorded.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 13 wherein said filter utilizes the prior recorded filtered value and the existing value to compute the new value to be recorded.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
59 words
The system of claim 14 wherein the algorithm of said filter has the formula ##EQU2## Where: Filtered 1 is the newly computed filtered value, i.e., the value to be recorded; Filtered 0 is the filtered value from the prior scan, i.e., the previously recorded value; Raw 1 is the newly sampled unfiltered value; and K is the filter factor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 11 or 12 wherein said computer system further records the number of times said binary condition has changed from one value to the other.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 11 wherein said binary condition is determined by two preselected values.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
132 words
A programmable controller system comprising: A. a Central Intelligence Unit for executing a control program, B. a local bus connected to said Central Intelligence Unit, C. a plurality of electrically identical inputs, D. a plurality of outputs, E. a plurality of Input/Output Units to which said inputs and outputs are connected a. said Input/Output Units being repetitively polled at a polling rate by said Central Intelligence Unit as to the condition of their inputs, b. each of said Input/Output Units recording repetitively for each of said inputs, at a greater rate than said polling rate, an identical analog condition and a binary condition defined by whether said analog condition has become greater or less than at least one predetermined value, both said records being transmitted to said Central Processing Unit when polled.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
132 words
A programmable controller system comprising: A. a Central Intelligence Unit for executing a control program, B. a local bus connected to said Central Intelligence Unit, C. a plurality of electrically identical inputs, D. a plurality of outputs, E. a plurality of Input/Output Units to which said inputs and outputs are connected a. said Input/Output Units being repetitively polled at a polling rate by said Central Intelligence Unit as to the condition of their inputs, b. each of said Input/Output Units recording repetitively for each of said inputs, at a greater rate than said polling rate, an identical analog condition and a binary condition defined by whether said analog condition has become greater or less than at least one predetermined value, both said records being transmitted to said Central Processing Unit when polled.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 18 wherein said at least one Input/Output Unit also records with respect to each of said inputs the number of times said binary condition has changed from one value to the other.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
34 words
The system of claims 18 or 19, wherein said Central Intelligence Unit is adapted to execute a user program which may call up a preselected type of information recorded for each of said inputs.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 18 and a digital filter executed in at least one of said Input/Output Units for smoothing the value of said analog condition that is recorded.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 21 wherein said filter utilizes the prior recorded filtered value and the existing value to compute the new value to be recorded.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
59 words
The system of claim 22 wherein the algorithm of said filter has the formula ##EQU3## Where: Filtered 1 is the newly computed filtered value, i.e., the value to be recorded; Filtered 0 is the filtered value from the prior scan, i.e., the previously recorded value; Raw 1 is the newly sampled unfiltered value; and K is the filter factor.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
190 words
In a programmable controller system for monitoring a plurality of input conditions and input events and for controlling a plurality of output conditions and events in accordance with a control program and said input and output conditions, comprising: A. an input unit comprising, a. a plurality of input terminal pairs, b. an analog to digital converter, c. multiplex means for connecting each of said input terminal pairs in turn to said analog to digital converter, d. a first table for storing the digital value of an identical electrical condition at each of said terminal pairs, e. a second table for storing a first binary value when the value of said condition increases to above a predetermined value and the opposite binary value when the value of said condition decreases to below a predetermined value, and B. a Central Intelligence Unit connected to said input unit for storing a control program and providing for user selection of whether the digital value stored in said first table or the binary value stored in said second table shall be used by said program as the input condition of the corresponding input terminal pair.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
190 words
In a programmable controller system for monitoring a plurality of input conditions and input events and for controlling a plurality of output conditions and events in accordance with a control program and said input and output conditions, comprising: A. an input unit comprising, a. a plurality of input terminal pairs, b. an analog to digital converter, c. multiplex means for connecting each of said input terminal pairs in turn to said analog to digital converter, d. a first table for storing the digital value of an identical electrical condition at each of said terminal pairs, e. a second table for storing a first binary value when the value of said condition increases to above a predetermined value and the opposite binary value when the value of said condition decreases to below a predetermined value, and B. a Central Intelligence Unit connected to said input unit for storing a control program and providing for user selection of whether the digital value stored in said first table or the binary value stored in said second table shall be used by said program as the input condition of the corresponding input terminal pair.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
73 words
A programmable controller system as defined in claim 24, and said input unit forther comprising: f. a third table for storing the number of times each of the binary values stored in said second table has changed its value; said Central Processing Unit further providing for user selection of the number stored in said third table as the input condition of the corresponding input terminal pair that shall be used by said program.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system defined in claim 24 or 25 and said input/output unit further comprising: g. means for biasing said input terminal pairs to a common voltage.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system defined in claim 26 wherein one of the terminals of each of said input terminal pairs are connected together.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system as defined in claim 24 and C. at least a second identical input unit connected to said Central Intelligence Unit, and said Central Intelligence Unit further comprising means for repetitively transferring the user chosen values in said tables to said central processing unit.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as defined in claim 28 wherein the entire contents of said tables are transferred.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
161 words
A programmable controller system comprising: A. a data exchange bus; and B. a plurality of Central Processing Units connected to said data exchange bus, a. each of said Central Processing Units comprises a memory and has assigned to it the transmission of one or more data exchange variables on said bus, b. a plurality of said Central Processing Units storing all of said data exchange variables in their memories, and c. a plurality of Input/Output Units, each controlling a plurality of output circuits and responsive to a plurality of input conditions, and each of said Central Processing Units having connected thereto a local bus and a plurality of said Input/Output Units connected to each local bus, wherein at least one of said Input/Output Units is provided with a plurality of identical electrical inputs and repetitively records an analog electrical condition at all of said inputs and whether said analog condition has become greater or lesser than at least one preselected value.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
161 words
A programmable controller system comprising: A. a data exchange bus; and B. a plurality of Central Processing Units connected to said data exchange bus, a. each of said Central Processing Units comprises a memory and has assigned to it the transmission of one or more data exchange variables on said bus, b. a plurality of said Central Processing Units storing all of said data exchange variables in their memories, and c. a plurality of Input/Output Units, each controlling a plurality of output circuits and responsive to a plurality of input conditions, and each of said Central Processing Units having connected thereto a local bus and a plurality of said Input/Output Units connected to each local bus, wherein at least one of said Input/Output Units is provided with a plurality of identical electrical inputs and repetitively records an analog electrical condition at all of said inputs and whether said analog condition has become greater or lesser than at least one preselected value.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 30 wherein at least one Input/Output Unit also records the number of times said condition has become greater (or lesser) than one of said preselected values since the last time it transmitted its recorded information to said Central Processing Unit connected to the same local bus.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 31 wherein at least one of said Input/Output Units comprises a digital filter utilizing the prior recorded analog value and the new analog value to arrive at a new recorded value.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-05-26 | 1989-11-25 | 1990-05-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-05-26 | 1993-11-25 | 1994-05-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-05-26 | 1997-11-25 | 1998-05-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |