ELECTRICAL INTERFACE MODULE

• US 20160080526A1
• Filed: 04/28/2014
• Published: 03/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Meyer-Graefe, Karsten
• Granted Patent: US 10,165,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0423 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/21005 Several slave modules connected to same I-O of master, multiplexed by master
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2231 Master slave
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2237 Selection of master or slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols

Abstract

The object of the invention is an electrical interface module. The electrical interface module has a memory device for storing data and an integrated interface that provides data to an external reading device, wherein the electrical interface module contains a carrier on which the memory device and the integrated interface are arranged, wherein the electrical interface module can exchange data and/or power with other electrical interface modules as set forth in any one of the preceding claims in the vicinity via the integrated interface, and wherein adjacent electrical interface modules form a logical data bus via the integrated NFC interfaces, which can be addressed and/or controlled by means of at least one head module or a master module with a higher control and/or monitoring device.

Claims

1. An electrical interface module wherein the electrical interface module comprises a memory device for storing data and an integrated interface that provides data to an external reading device, with the electrical interface module containing a carrier on which the memory device and the integrated interface are arranged, and the electrical interface module being capable of exchanging data and/or power via other electrical interface modules in the vicinity as set forth in any one of the preceding claims via the integrated interface, wherein adjacent electrical interface modules form a logical data bus via the integrated interfaces that can be addressed and/or controlled by means of at least one head module or a master module with a higher control and/or monitoring device.

2. The electrical interface module as set forth in claim 1, wherein adjacent electrical interface modules form an ad hoc network in which one of the adjacent interface modules assumes a master function and the other interface modules adjacent thereto assume a slave function, with the selection of the master being determined on the basis of a predetermined sequence, and the selection containing one or more of the following criteria:

product data

configuration data

first operational interface module

lapse of time.

3. The electrical interface module as set forth in claim 1, wherein the adjacent electrical interface modules exchange data via the interfaces by means of a higher network protocol.

4. The electrical interface module as set forth in claim 1, wherein the electrical interface module stores at least portions of configuration data of at least one directly adjacent electrical interface module, and the availability of this directly adjacent electrical interface module is monitored.

5. The electrical interface module as set forth in claim 4, wherein, if the directly adjacent electrical interface module is replaced, the electrical interface module supplies the replaced electrical interface module with at least the stored portions of the configuration data.

6. The electrical interface module as set forth in claim 4, wherein, if the directly adjacent electrical interface module is replaced, the electrical interface module compares the previously stored portions of configuration data with the current configuration data of the exchanged electrical interface module, and insofar as the compared configuration data match, the replaced electrical interface module is put into an operating mode.