Device and method for discrete signal conditioning
First Claim
1. A method of performing signal conditioning of I/O discretes between a legacy system and a distributed control system comprising:
- determining at least one conditioning operation that must be performed on a discrete;
manufacturing a circuit card comprising at least one circuit performing the determined conditioning operation on the discrete; and
installing the circuit card between the legacy system and the control system.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A circuit card assembly provides signal conditioning for signal discretes in control systems integrating a legacy, distributed processing architecture and a distributed I/O control system. Signal conditioning functions are determined, and the necessary physical circuits to perform the signal conditioning functions are incorporated into a circuit card. The Integrated Signal Conditioning Circuit Card Assembly is installed within the control system between legacy controllers and distributed I/O modules. The Integrated Signal Conditioning Circuit Card Assembly may leave any discrete signal unaltered or otherwise condition discretes with interrupt, interrupt on demand, over-ride, and monitor circuits. The centralized processor accesses and controls the conditioned discretes transmitted over a common hardware connection for use in system feedback and control.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of performing signal conditioning of I/O discretes between a legacy system and a distributed control system comprising:
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determining at least one conditioning operation that must be performed on a discrete;
manufacturing a circuit card comprising at least one circuit performing the determined conditioning operation on the discrete; and
installing the circuit card between the legacy system and the control system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A control system comprising:
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a discrete signal source that transmits discrete signals;
a circuit card assembly connected to the discrete signal source comprising pre-determined signal conditioning circuitry that receives the discrete signal from the discrete signal source, conditions the discrete signal with the pre-determined signal conditioning circuitry, and transmits a conditioned discrete signal; and
a processing component, connected to said circuit card assembly, comprising hardware that receives the conditioned discrete from the circuit card assembly, and memory storing logic instructions for processing the conditioned discrete signal and generating a control function. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 9)
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8. The control system of claim 8 wherein the hardware connection is selected from the group consisting of:
- a common buss, a network connection, a FieldBUS, or hard-wired connections.
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10. A circuit card assembly for receiving or transmitting discrete signals from a legacy system, conditioning discrete signals, and transmitting conditioned signals to a distributed system comprising:
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a plurality of legacy system connections, each legacy system connection receiving or transmitting discrete signals from or to a legacy system;
a plurality of corresponding conditioning circuits, each conditioning circuit electrically joined to its corresponding legacy system connection, wherein said conditioning circuit processes a discrete to form a conditioned signal according to its structure; and
a plurality of distributed system connections electronically joined to said plurality of conditioning circuits;
wherein the discrete signal from the legacy system enters the circuit card assembly through the legacy system connection, the discrete signal is transmitted to its corresponding conditioning circuit through the legacy system connection, the conditioning circuit conditions the discrete signal according to its structure forming a conditioned signal, and the conditioned signal is transmitted through the distributed system connection. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A signal conditioning circuit card for interfacing a legacy I/O system and a distributed I/O system comprising at least one conditioning circuit wherein the conditioning circuit is selected from the group consisting of:
- a monitor circuit, an interrupt on demand circuit, an interrupt circuit, an over-ride circuit, or a pass-through circuit.
- View Dependent Claims (19)
- 20. A legacy controller comprising a circuit card assembly for conditioning discrete signals and providing conditioned discrete signals to a distributed control system.
Specification