EP0109734A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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System for monitoring and control of electrical drive devices
Assignee: Swanson Engineering & Manufacturing Co
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Filing: 1983-09-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-09-16
Abstract
Abstract A Universal Control Module 10 is adaptable to the operating characteristics of any of the conventional electrical drive devices employed in electrical operating systems. The UCM 10 includes a microprocessor and memory, by virtue of which it becomes tailored to the characteristics of a given device 32 to be controlled upon plug-in of the UCM into a bussed rack associated with a Communication Module 26 preprogrammed with the set values for the drive. A basic control system includes corresponding Electrical Interface Modules 30 and their associated Communication Module 36 interconnected via a serial data communication link 38 extending between the respective Communication Modules for the UCMs and ElMs. As an option, an associated UCM and EIM can be directly connected via parallel leads 40 for direct control of a drive unit. Where appropriate, the basic system is incorporated with a plurality of other basic systems in a second level control system, accessed by a Programmable Logic Module 120. In turn, for large extended systems, such as may be utilized in a manufacturing plant, the second level system may be incorporated with a plurality of other second level systems, all intercommunicating via a data highway 112 and being accessed through a Supervisory Control Station 110.
Inventors
- 👤 John J. Power
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 18:32
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/04; G05B19/05; G05B19/052; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/10; G05B2219/12; G05B2219/1204; G05B2219/15; G05B2219/15011; G05B2219/15018; G05B2219/15078
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A universal control module (10) for controlling an individual electrical drive unit (30, 34) with which it may be associated including a microprocessor (50), non-volatile read only memory (52) containing a universal control program having a plurality of settable gate elements, random access memory (54, 56) for storing said program upon the application of power to the module, interface equipment (60, 62), and electrical circuit paths (70, 72) interconnecting the microprocessor (50), the read only memory (52), the random access memory (54, 56), and the interface equipment (60, 62); characterized by apparatus.(67, 62) for applying preset signal conditions to the random access memory (54, 5 6 ) to adapt the control program to the operating characteristics of the associated drive unit (30, 34) upon operative association of the control module (10) with an external coupling unit (26) containing said preset signal conditions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
142 words
A universal control module (10) for controlling an individual electrical drive unit (30, 34) with which it may be associated including a microprocessor (50), non-volatile read only memory (52) containing a universal control program having a plurality of settable gate elements, random access memory (54, 56) for storing said program upon the application of power to the module, interface equipment (60, 62), and electrical circuit paths (70, 72) interconnecting the microprocessor (50), the read only memory (52), the random access memory (54, 56), and the interface equipment (60, 62); characterized by apparatus.(67, 62) for applying preset signal conditions to the random access memory (54, 5 6 ) to adapt the control program to the operating characteristics of the associated drive unit (30, 34) upon operative association of the control module (10) with an external coupling unit (26) containing said preset signal conditions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The module of claim 1 wherein the plurality of settable gate elements constitutes, software programmable gate elements, and further characterized by apparatus (62, 67) for setting the condition of the gate elements in accordance with said preset signal conditions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The module of claim 1 or claim 2 further characterized by the control module (10) including display elements (20) which are selectively energizable to indicate operating conditions of the associated drive units.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
The module of any one of claims 1-3 further characterized by a printed circuit board (18) mounting the microprocessor (50), the non-volatile read only memory (52), the random access memory (54, 56), the interface equipment (60, 62) and the electrical circuit paths (70, 72) in coupled relationship with releasable interconnecting elements (12) for connecting the electrical circuit paths to circuitry in the external coupling unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The module of any one of claims 1-4 further characterized by the universal control program being adaptable in response to said preset signal conditions to control any one of a plurality of different types of drive units (30, 34) with which the module may be associated.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus including a plurality of the universal control modules of any one of claims 1-5 for controlling associated electrical drive units, characterized by the universal control modules (10) being programmable to control any selected one of the electrical drive units (30, 34).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
101 words
The apparatus of claim 6 further characterized by racks (12, 14) for releasably mounting a plurality of the universal control modules (10) in electrically coupled relationship with corresponding drive units, programmable memory (43, 44) associated with the mounting racks (12, 14) for storing preset signal conditions corresponding to the operating characteristics of the associated drive units (30, 34), and circuitry (26) for transferring said signal conditions corresponding to a given drive unit (30, 34) to the universal control module (10) mounted in a rack (12) corresponding to that drive unit in order to adapt the module to control that drive unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
79 words
The apparatus of claim 6 or claim 7 further characterized by the universal control module (10) including means (26) for receiving and transmitting signals relating to the control of an associated drive unit, means (54, 56) for storing the signal conditions transferred from the programmable means, and means (60, 64, 66, 120) for processing signals received from the associated drive unit (30, 34) and generating control signals to control the drive unit in accordance with said stored signal conditions.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of any one of claims 6-8 wherein the universal control module (10) is further characterized by drive unit interface equipment coupled between an individual universal control module (10) and its associated drive unit (30, 34) for converting signals between signal level circuitry and power level circuitry.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the drive unit interface equipment is characterized by devices for providing electrical isolation between the signal level circuitry and the power level circuitry.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of any one of claims 8-10 further characterized by the means for receiving and transmitting signals including first interface circuitry (120) for processing said signals in parallel between the universal control module (10) and the drive unit interface equipment.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of any one of claims 8-10 further characterized by the means for receiving and transmitting signals including second interface circuitry (26) for serial processing of signals between the universal control member (10) and the drive unit interface equipment.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 9 further characterized by serial data communication means (26, 38, 120) coupled between the universal control modules (10) and the drive unit interface equipment (30) to establish a single basic level control system.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 13 characterized by means (26) for processing serial data signals transmitted over the serial data communication means between the universal control modules and the drive unit interface equipment, and further characterized by the programmable memory including a microprocessor (42) and non-volatile electrically erasable and programmable read only memory (44) coupled to the microprocessor for storing the preset signal conditions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 14 further characterized by a programming device (81) coupled to establish selected preset signal conditions in the programmable memory.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further characterized by the signal processing means including means (120) for monitoring and controlling signals between the universal control module (10) and the drive unit interface equipment (30), and between the universal control module, the drive unit interface equipment and the programming device.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 15 characterized by the programming device including programmable logic means including a microprocessor, ROM and RAM memory, and further characterized by additional serial data communication means (112) interconnecting the programming device with a plurality of basic level control systems via the respective programmable memories of each basic level control system.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 17 further characterized by the programming device (120), the plurality of basic level control systems and the additional data communication means (38) forming a second level control system.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 17 characterized by the programmable logic means (120) further including interconnecting circuit paths for connecting with peripheral display and control devices.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 18 further characterized by a plurality of second level control systems, a supervisory control station (114) having computer peripheral terminals (90), and circuitry (112) interconnecting each of said second level control systems with the other second level control systems of said plurality and with the supervisory control station for data communication.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
79 words
The-apparatus of claim 6 characterized by the universal control module (10) including non-volatile read only memory (52) containing a universal control program having a plurality of interconnected gate elements and random access memory in which the program is stored upon application of power to the module, the conditions of said gate elements being selectable to adapt the control module to correspond to the operating characteristics of a selected drive unit upon operative association of the universal control module therewith.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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