CONTROL SYSTEM SIMULATOR AND SIMPLIFIED INTERCONNECTION CONTROL SYSTEM
First Claim
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1. A process simulation system for a control system of a physical process comprising:
- (a) a configurable connector module including;
(i) a device communication connector apparatus for connecting at least one conductor between said module and at least one control system input or output signal; and
(ii) interface apparatus for causing said module to place any of a plurality of signals on any of a plurality of contacts of said device communication connector apparatus, wherein said interface apparatus includes at least one electronic integrated circuit providing a selectable interconnection apparatus to a particular one of said contacts, wherein said interface apparatus is configurable by a user of said system; and
(b) a simulator for managing signals corresponding to a simulated physical process,whereby the operations of the control system during the physical process are simulated.
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Abstract
A computer-based simulator, separate from a computer process control system, that simplifies the electrical interconnection of the computer-based simulator to the computer control system and reduces the number of hardware components required to effect a computer-based simulator. The invention also facilitates remote configuration and operation of the control and simulator systems.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A process simulation system for a control system of a physical process comprising:
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(a) a configurable connector module including; (i) a device communication connector apparatus for connecting at least one conductor between said module and at least one control system input or output signal; and (ii) interface apparatus for causing said module to place any of a plurality of signals on any of a plurality of contacts of said device communication connector apparatus, wherein said interface apparatus includes at least one electronic integrated circuit providing a selectable interconnection apparatus to a particular one of said contacts, wherein said interface apparatus is configurable by a user of said system; and (b) a simulator for managing signals corresponding to a simulated physical process, whereby the operations of the control system during the physical process are simulated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of configuring simulator channels on a configurable connectorized system, said system comprising a module including (i) a device communication connector apparatus with a plurality of contacts and (ii) an interface apparatus including at least one electronic integrated circuit providing a selectable interconnection apparatus to a corresponding at least one of said contacts, said method comprising the steps of commanding said interface apparatus to place any of a plurality of signals on any of said plurality of contacts of said device communication connector apparatus wherein said commanding steps include a system controller commanding communication instructions to said module to simulate a plurality of steps in a physical process controlled by a control system.
Specification