Control device
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A control device for controlling a system having a processor for executing control programs, memory means for storing data and control programs, and interface modules which can be used to transfer control instructions to actuators or to further control devices is connected to other control devices by means of a data bus. The control device includes a plurality of cells of the same type, each of which has a piece of reconfigurable hardware and peripheral modules. These cells can be reconfigured by configuration data, so that hardware connections for each cell can be adjusted to adapt to a desired control process. One or more cells together form a processor and/or interface modules.
34 Citations
25 Claims
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1-9. -9. (canceled)
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10. A control device for controlling a system having a plurality of control units that are networked via a first data bus, each control unit having a processor for executing control programs, at least one memory unit for storing data and control programs, and an interface module which can be used to transfer the control instructions to actuators or to the further control units, wherein:
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at least one of the control units includes a plurality of cells of the same type which cells are in the form of separate electronic elements having cell communication units;
the plurality of similar cells are networked to one another by a second, internal, data bus in the control device;
each cell has a piece of reconfigurable hardware with a multiplicity of networked memory cells that can be connected to one another in different ways by means of variably switchable connecting lines, and a cell communication unit;
the reconfigurable hardware in each cell can be reconfigured by configuration data, so that hardware connections of each cell can be adjusted to perform a particular desired control process;
a number of said cells together form a processor or peripheral modules in a control unit; and
further cells can be interfaced or retrospectively configured using an interface, in order to increase the processing power of the control unit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24)
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11. A control device for controlling a system having a plurality of control units that are networked via a first data bus, each control unit having a processor for executing control programs, at least one memory unit for storing data and control programs, and an interface module which can be used to transfer the control instructions to actuators or to the further control units, wherein:
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at least one of the control units includes a plurality of cells of the same type which cells are in the form of separate electronic elements having cell communication units;
the plurality of similar cells are networked to one another by a second, internal, data bus in the control device;
each cell has a piece of reconfigurable hardware with a multiplicity of networked memory cells that can be connected to one another in different ways by means of variably switchable connecting lines, and a cell communication unit;
the reconfigurable hardware in each cell can be reconfigured by configuration data, so that hardware connections of each cell can be adjusted to perform a particular desired control process;
a number of said cells together form a processor or peripheral modules in a control unit; and
the cells are configurable by downloading a hardware description language, with each cell simulating a subfunction of a conventional microcontroller in a control unit. - View Dependent Claims (13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25)
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Specification