Standalone automation device and a machine

• US 10,019,269 B2
• Filed: 07/04/2014
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Technology AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Wang, Xiaobo, He, Liang, Shi, Huan, Liu, Zhe, Lohbeck, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Yanchus, III, Paul
• Application Number:
  US14/781,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20160124758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/00 Programme-control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A standalone automation device (100) comprises: a removable memory port (101), configured to transmit data between the device (100) and the equipment (200) which also has a removable memory port; a removable memory control unit (102), comprising a signal convertor (112) for converting a removable memory interface to a serial interface; a power supply unit (103), configured to provide power supply when the device (100) is connected to the equipment (200) and disconnected to the field, and an isolation unit (104), configured to isolate the power supply. Compared with the existing prior arts, the proposed solution is convenient for connecting with the computer or cellphone, especially with isolation solution for power supply.

Claims

1. A standalone automation device, comprising:

a removable memory port configured to transmit data in signals between the device and equipment which also has a removable memory port connected to the configured removable memory port, wherein the configured removable memory port is at least one of a USB, a mini-USB or a micro-USB port;

a removable memory control unit comprising a signal convertor connected to the configured removable memory port for converting the signals to UART signals, wherein the signal convertor is a USB to UART convertor;

a power supply unit configured to provide power supply when the device is connected to the equipment and disconnected to a field of a machine;

an isolation unit configured to isolate the power supply and isolate the signals between the device and the equipment with a magnetic coupler; and

wherein the USB to UART convertor is capable of switching the power supply unit of the device between a normal mode and a low current mode, and

wherein the configured removable memory port the removable memory control unit and the isolation unit are connected in series effective to electrically isolate the configured removable memory port and the removable memory control unit from other components of the standalone automation device including an automation controller of the standalone automation device.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the isolation unit comprises a transformer to isolate the power supply.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic coupler comprises a single or dual channel digital isolator IC.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the USB to UART convertor is configured to switch on or switch off a MOSFET for switching the power supply of the device between the normal mode and the low current mode.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the USB, the mini-USB or the micro-USB port is arranged in a front panel of the device.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the USB, the mini-USB or the micro-USB port is covered by a rubber cap.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the USB to UART convertor comprises a full speed USB to basic UART IC, which offers a compact bridge from USB2.0 full speed interfaces to basic UART interfaces.

8. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display and an input means for display, controlling and monitoring.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is capable of connecting to the equipment through a common cable.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the equipment is a computer or a cellphone.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is capable of being configured, monitored, and firmware/features updated by the equipment using the signals.

12. A machine used in the field, comprising:

the standalone automation device according to claim 1, which is removably embedded into a panel of the machine.