Manufacturing and testing communications system
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a product having a plurality of components where at least some of the components are manufactured by different companies at differing locations. The method comprises the steps of: providing an electronic specification sheet describing the product and its components; forwarding the specification sheet to one of the several companies; the specific company building the component or product; the specific company testing the component or product; the specific company appending the test results to the specification; the specific company determining if the product is completed; and either shipping the finished product to the customer or forwarding the specification to another one of the several companies.
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Citations
59 Claims
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23. A method of manufacturing a distributed control system for a product having a plurality of components, each component including a functional portion and a controller portion, the method comprising the steps of:
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attaching a communications bus to the product;
attaching the functional portion of a component to the product and attaching the controller portion of a component to the bus;
causing the controller portion to send a self-identifying signal on the bus;
receiving the self-identifying signal in a configuring controller;
transmitting from the configuring controller to the controller portion a signal including an identifier and operating parameters;
receiving the identifier and the operating parameters in the controller portion; and
configuring the controller portion in accordance with the identifier and the operating parameters. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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53. A bus analyzer system comprising:
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a communications bus;
an integral analyzer device operably connected to the bus and configured to receive signals thereon, the analyzing device including a scope instrument and a voltage meter instrument configured to receive those signals, and a computer operably connected to the scope and voltage meter instruments wherein the scope and voltage meter instruments and the computer collectively analyze the bus and take corrective actions as needed. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56)
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57. A bus analyzer system comprising:
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a communications bus;
an integral analyzer device operably connected to the bus and configured to receive signals thereon, the analyzing device including a scope instrument and a voltage meter instrument configured to receive those signals, and a computer operably connected to the scope and voltage meter instruments wherein the scope and voltage meter instruments and the computer collectively analyze the bus and take corrective actions as needed;
wherein the scope and voltage meter instruments include the capability to analyze 24 VDC signals and ground signals for DC voltage magnitude and AC components;
wherein the scope and voltage meter instruments include the capabilities to analyze communications plus and minus lines for magnitude and to determine an RS485 differential signal to verify signals to be within design limits; and
wherein the scope and voltage meter instruments include the capability to test for common mode characteristics such as magnitude with respect to ground and differential and common mode signal aspects for logic 1 and logic 0 signals.
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58. A method of verifying the integrity of a communications bus having a power line and a communications line, the method comprising the steps of:
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analyzing a signal on the power line to determine a quality thereof;
analyzing a signal on the communications line to determine a quality thereof;
generating a power analysis result signal as a function of the power line signal analysis;
generating a communications line analysis result signal as a function of the communications line signal analysis;
receiving the power line and communications line result signals in a controller;
evaluating the received signals; and
providing a comprehensive analysis of the power line, the communications line, the power line signal, the communications line signal, communications bus, and any components attached thereto.
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59. A monitor for a communications bus having a power line and a communications line comprising:
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a power line analyzer operably connected to a source of power and having circuitry and programs to analyze the transmissions on the power line and generate a first signal with the analysis results thereof;
a communications line analyzer operably connected to the communications line having circuitry and programs to analyze communication signals on the communications line and generate a second signal with the results thereto;
a controller operably connected to the power line analyzer and the data line analyzer for receiving the first and second signals and being operably capable of evaluating the content of the first and second signals and providing an analysis of the signals, the power line, the communications line and the communications bus as well as any components attached thereto.
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Specification