System for interfacing a computer to a machine
First Claim
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1. A control system for controlling a physical system, said control system comprising:
- a stored program data processor for processing digital information in response to a stored program, said data processor including(a) a memory for storing the program,(b) means for generating a first output signal under control of the program stored in said memory,(c) means for generating a first time delay following generation of the first output signal under control of the program stored in said memory,(d) means for generating a second output signal following said first time delay under control of the program stored in said memory,(e) means for generating a second time delay following generation of the second output signal under control of the program stored in said memory, and(f) means for generating a third output signal following said second time delay under control of the program stored in said memory; and
a controller for controlling a physical system, said controller including(a) means for controlling a first operation of a physical system in response to the first output signal,(b) means for controlling a second operation of a physical system in response to the second output signal, and(c) means for controlling a third operation of a physical system in response to the third output signal.
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Abstract
A machine control system employs a general purpose digital computer to directly interact with a machine, providing increased versatility and capability with reduced system cost. Machine control operations are performed under program control by the computer in real time and communicated to the machine through a minimal interface. Machine conditions are sampled under program control by the computer in real time through a minimal interface to the computer. Special system partitioning reduces interconnections and cabling to provide an improved machine interface.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A control system for controlling a physical system, said control system comprising:
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a stored program data processor for processing digital information in response to a stored program, said data processor including (a) a memory for storing the program, (b) means for generating a first output signal under control of the program stored in said memory, (c) means for generating a first time delay following generation of the first output signal under control of the program stored in said memory, (d) means for generating a second output signal following said first time delay under control of the program stored in said memory, (e) means for generating a second time delay following generation of the second output signal under control of the program stored in said memory, and (f) means for generating a third output signal following said second time delay under control of the program stored in said memory; and a controller for controlling a physical system, said controller including (a) means for controlling a first operation of a physical system in response to the first output signal, (b) means for controlling a second operation of a physical system in response to the second output signal, and (c) means for controlling a third operation of a physical system in response to the third output signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 8, 13)
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4. A control system for controlling a physical system, said system comprising:
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a first feedback channel for generating a first feedback signal in response to a first condition of a physical system; a second feedback channel for generating a second feedback signal in response to a second condition of a physical system; a third feedback channel for generating a third feedback signal in response to a third condition of a physical system; a data link for receiving data link commands from a remote computer; an integrated circuit stored program computer for processing digital information in response to a stored program, said computer including (a) an integrated circuit main memory for storing the computer program, (b) means for generating a first time delayed signal in response to the first feedback signal, (c) means for generating a first command signal in response to the first time delayed signal, (d) means for generating a second time delayed signal in response to the second feedback signal, (e) means for generating a second command signal in response to the second time delayed signal, (f) means for generating a third command signal in response to the third feedback signal, and (g) means for generating a fourth command signal in response to the data link commands from the remote computer; and an interface for controlling a physical system in response to the command signals from said stored program computer;
wherein said interface includes(a) a first controller for controlling the physical system in response to the first command signal, (b) a second controller for controlling the physical system in response to the second command signal, (c) a third controller for controlling the physical system in response to the third command signal, and (d) a fourth controller for controlling the physical system in response to the fourth command signal. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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9. A machine control system comprising:
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input means for providing input command signals related to desired machine operations; feedback means for providing a discrete feedback signal related to a discrete machine condition; a stored program data processor for processing the input command signals from said input means under control of a stored program, said data processor including (a) a program memory for storing a data processor program, (b) receiving logic for receiving the discrete feedback signal from said feedback means under control of the program stored in said program memory, and (c) processing logic for generating a plurality of discrete command signals in response to the discrete feedback signal under control of the program stored in said program memory, and (d) output logic for outputting a sequence of two command signals having a timing interval therebetween under control of the program stored in said program memory in response to the plurality of discrete command signals generated with said processing logic; and interface means for controlling a machine operation in response to a sequence of two discrete machine commands signals from said output logic;
said interface means including(a) an interface register for storing the sequence of two discrete machine command signals output with said data processor output logic, (b) an amplifier for generating a sequence of control signals in response to the sequence of two discrete machine command signals stored in said interface register, and (c) means for controlling a machine in response to the control signals. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 14, 15)
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16. A machine control system having a stored program data processor for providing magnetics computational operations to eliminate machine magnetic devices used for control of a machine;
- said system comprising;
input means for providing input command signals related to desired machine operations; feedback means for providing a discrete feedback signal related to a discrete machine condition; a stored progam data processor for processing the input command signals from said input means under control of a stored program, said data processor including (a) a program memory for storing a data processor program, (b) receiving logic for receiving the discrete feedback signal from said feedback means under control of the program stored in said program memory, and (c) processing logic for generating a plurality of discrete command signals in response to the discrete feedback signals under control of the program stored in said program memory, and (d) output logic for outputting a sequence of two command signals having a time interval therebetween under control of the program stored in said program memory in response to the plurality of discrete command signals generated with said processing logic; and interface means for controlling a machine operation in response to a sequence of two discrete machine command signals from said output logic; and
interface means including(a) an interface register for storing the sequence of two discrete machine command signals output with said data processor output logic, (b) an amplifier for generating a sequence of control signals in response to the sequence of two discrete machine command signals stored in said interface register, and (c) means for controling a machine in response to the control signal.
- said system comprising;
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17. A machine control system comprising:
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a data link for communicating machine control information with a remote computer; machine feedback means for generating a machine feedback signal related to a machine operation, said machine feedback means including (a) a transducer for generating a transducer signal in response to a controlled machine operation and (b) feedback interface circuitry for generating the machine feedback signal in response to the transducer signal from said transducer; an integrated circuit stored program computer for generating a machine command signal in response to the machine feedback signal from said machine feedback means, said computer including (a) an integrated circuit main memory for storing a program, (b) an integrated circuit operand memory for storing machine control operands, (c) integrated circuit data link input circuitry for loading machine control operands into said operand memory in response to the machine control information communicated with said data link, (d) integrated circuit machine feedback input circuitry for generating a computer input signal in response to the machine feedback signal from said machine feedback means, (e) integrated circuit processing circuitry for processing the machine control operands stored in said operand memory in response to the computer input signal from said machine feedback input circuitry and under control of the program stored in said main memory, and (f) integrated circuit output circuitry for generating the machine command signal in response to the computer input signal responsive processing of the machine control operands with said processing circuitry; interface circuitry for generating a machine control signal in response to the machine command signal from said computer output circuitry, said interface circuitry including (a) means for storing an interface signal in response to the machine command signal from said computer output circuitry and (b) means for generating the machine control signal in response to the interface signal stored with said interface signal storing means. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A machine control system comprising:
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a data link for communicating input machine command signals from a remote computer; an input command memory for storing input machine command signals communicated from said remote computer with said data link; machine feedback means for generating a machine feedback signal related to a machine operation, said machine feedback means including (a) a transducer for generating a transducer signal in response to a controlled machine operation and (b) feedback interface circuitry for generating the machine feedback signal in response to the transducer signal from said transducer; an integrated circuit stored program computer for generating a machine command signal in response to the machine feedback signal from said machine feedback means, wherein said computer includes (a) an integrated circuit main memory for storing a program, (b) an integrated circuit operand memory for storing machine control operands, (c) edit means for editing the input machine command signals stored in said input command memory under control of the program stored in said main memory, (d) integrated circuit command memory input circuitry for loading machine control operands into said operand memory in response to the input machine command signals stored in said input command memory, (e) integrated circuit machine feedback circuitry for processing the machine control operands stored in said operand memory in response to the machine feedback signal from said machine feedback means, (f) integrated circuit processing circuitry for processing the machine control operands stored in said operand memory in response to the computer input command signals stored in said input command memory under control of the program stored in said main memory, and (f) integrated circuit output circuitry for generating the machine command signal in response to the processing of the machine control operands with said machine feedback circuitry and with said processing circuitry; and interface circuitry for generating a machine control signal in response to the machine command signal from said computer output circuitry, said interface circuitry including (a) means for storing an interface signal in response to the machine command signal from said computer output circuitry and (b) means for generating the machine control signal in response to the interface signal stored with said storing means.
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30. A machine control system comprising:
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a data link for communicating machine commands from a remote location; machine feedback means for generating a machine feedback signal related to a machine operation, said machine feedback means including (a) a transducer for generating a transducer signal in response to a controlled machine operation and (b) feedback interface circuitry for generating the machine feedback signal in response to the transducer signal from said transducer; a stored program computer for generating a machine command signal in response to the machine feedback signal from said machine feedback means, said computer including (a) a computer main memory for storing a program, (b) machine input circuitry for generating a machine input signal in response to the machine feedback signal from said machine feedback means, (c) data link input circuitry for generating a data link input signal in response to the machine commands communicated with said data link, (d) processing circuitry for processing the machine input signal from said machine input circuitry in response to the data link input signal from said data link input circuitry under control of the stored program from said main memory, and (e) control circuitry for generating the machine command signal in response to the processing of the machine input signal with said processing circuitry; and interface circuitry for generating a machine control signal in response to the machine command signal from said computer processing circuitry, said interface circuitry including (a) means for storing an interface signal in response to the machine command signal from said computer output circutry and (b) control means for generating the machine control signal in response to the interface signal stored with said storing means. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A machine control system comprising:
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a data link for communicating machine commands from a remote location; machine feedback means for generating a machine feedback signal related to a machine operation, said machine feedback means including (a) a transducer for generating a transducer signal in response to a controlled machine operation and (b) feedback interface circuitry for generating the machine feedback signal in response to the transducer signal from said transducer; a machine command memory for storing machine commands communicated with said data link from said remote location; a stored program computer for generating a machine command signal in response to the machine feedback signal from said machine feedback means, wherein said computer includes (a) a computer main memory for storing a program, (b) machine input circuitry for generating a machine input signal in response to the machine feedback signal from said machine feedback means, (c) edit means for editing the machine commands stored in said machine command memory under control of the program stored in said computer main memory, (d) processing circuitry for processing the machine input signal from said machine input circuitry in response to the machine commands stored in said machine command memory under control of the program stored in said main memory, and (e) control circuitry for generating the machine command signal in response to the processing of the machine commands with said processing circuitry; and interface circuitry for generating a machine control signal in response to the machine command signal from said computer processing circuitry, said interface circuitry including (a) means for storing an interface signal in response to the machine command signal from said computer output circuitry and (b) control means for generating the machine control signal in response to the interface signal stored with said storing means.
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43. A machine control system comprising:
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a data link for communicating machine commands from a remote location; a disk memory for storing the machine commands communicated with said data link as a disk command signal; machine feedback means for generating a machine feedback signal related to a machine operation, said machine feedback means including (a) a transducer for generating a transducer signal in response to a controlled machine operation and (b) feedback interface circuitry for generating the machine feedback signal in response to the transducer signal from said transducer; a stored program computer for generating a machine command signal in response to the machine feedback signal from said machine feedback means, wherein said computer includes (a) a computer main memory for storing a program, (b) machine input circuitry for generating a machine input signal in response to the machine feedback signal from said machine feedback means, (c) disk input circuitry for generating a disk input signal in response to the disk command signal from said disk memory, (d) processing circuitry for processing the machine input signal from said machine input circuitry in response to the disk command signal from said disk input circuitry under control of the program stored in said main memory, and (e) control circuitry for generating the machine command signal in response to the processing of the machine input signal with said processing circuitry; and interface circuitry for generating a machine control signal in response to the machine command signal from said computer processing circuitry, said interface circuitry including (a) means for storing an interface signal in response to the machine command signal from said computer output circuitry and (b) control means for generating the machine control signal in response to the interface signal stored with said storing means.
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44. A control system comprising:
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a feedback device for generating a feedback signal related to a monitored condition; an operator command device for generating an operator command signal in response to operator actuation; a data link for communicating a remote command signal from a remote computer; an integrated circuit stored program computer for generating an output command signal in response to the feedback signal from said feedback device and in response to the command signals from said operator command device and from said data link, said computer including (a) an integrated circuit main memory for storing a program, (b) an integrated circuit operand memory for storing control-related operands, (c) integrated circuit feedback input circuitry for generating a computer input feedback signal in response to the feedback signal from said feedback device, (d) integrated circuit operator command input circuitry for generating a computer input operator command signal in response to the operator command signal from said operator command device, (e) integrated circuit data link input circuitry for generating a computer input data link command signal in response to the remote command signal from said data link, (f) integrated circuit processing circuitry for processing the control related operands stored in said operand memory to generate a time delay in response to the computer input feedback signal from said feedback input circuitry and in response to the input command signals from said operator command input circuitry and said data link input circuitry under control of the program stored in said main memory, and (g) integrated circuit output circuitry for generating the output command signal after a time delay in response to the processing of control-related operands with said processing circuitry; and interface circuitry for generating a control signal in response to the output command signal from said computer output circuitry to initiate a controlled operation after a feedback signal related time delay, said interface circuitry including (1) a register for storing the output command signal and (2) amplifying means for generating the control signal in response to the output command signal stored in said register. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A control system comprising:
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a feedback device for generating a feedback signal related to a monitored condition; an operator command device for generating an operator command signal in response to operator actuation; a data link for communicating remote command signals from a remote computer; an input command memory for storing the remote command signals from said data link; an integrated circuit stored program computer for generating an output command signal in response to the feedback signal from said feedback device and in response to the command signal free said opertor command device and the remote command signals stored in said input command memory, said computer includes (a) an integrated circuit main memory for storing a program, (b) an integrated circuit operand memory for storing control-related operands, (c) means for editing the input commands stored in said input command memory under control of the program stored in said main memory, (d) integrated circuit feedback input circuitry for generating a computer input feedback signal in response to the feedback signal from said feedback device, (e) integrated circuit operator command input circuitry for generating a computer input operator command signal in response to the operator command signal from said operator command device, (f) integrated circuit command memory input circuitry for generating a computer input command memory signal in response to the remote command signals stored in said input command memory, (g) integrated circuit processing circuitry for processing the control-related operands stored in said operand memory to generate a time delay in response to the computer input feedback signal from said feedback input circuitry and in response to the input command signal from said operator command input circuitry and to response to the input command memory signal under control of the program stored in said main memory, and (g) integrated circuit output circuitry for generating the output command signal after a time delay in response to the processing of control-related operands with said processing circuitry; and interface circuitry for generating a control signal in response to the output command signal from said computer output circuitry to initiate a controlled operation after a feedback signal related time delay, said interface circuitry including (1) a register for storing the output command signal and (2) amplifying means for generating the control signal in response to the output command signal stored in said register.
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Specification