Logic interchange system
First Claim
1. A controller system comprising the combination ofa control location having a plurality of programmable control modules, each said module having an input device connected thereto for supplying to said module an input signal capable of having only two states;
- a plurality of programmable controlled modules, each said controlled module having an output device connected thereto for performing a specified function, said controlled modules being physically separated from said control location;
each said control and controlled module being substantially identical to each other said control and controlled module apart from programming,a cable having no more than four operative wires interconnecting all of said control modules and all of said controlled modules and spanning the physical separation therebetween;
means connected to one of the wires in said cable for producing and delivering to said control and controlled modules a sequence of clock pulses of uniform duration periodically interrupted by an interval of no clock pulses to synchronize the operation of said modules; and
encoding/decoding means including a clock pulse counter in each of said control and controlled modules programmed to permit each said module to respond to a preselected count of said counter to thereby assign to each said module a unique code and thereby uniquely operatively associate each of said control modules with preselected one or ones of said controlled modules programmed to respond to the same count so that a control module responds to an input signal supplied to said control module by the input device connected thereto by producing and coupling to said four-wire cable a control signal at the count unique to said control module and so that said control signal generated by said one control device is recognized and acted upon by only said selected one or ones of said controlled modules programmed to respond to the same count to produce output signals for causing said output device or devices connected thereto to perform said specified functions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for remotely controlling electrical devices includes a plurality of identical modules which can be made as multiple copies of an integrated circuit chip. Each chip includes logic for recognizing a code, the logic being programmable by EEPROMs so that each chip can be set to recognize a unique address code. The modules can be connected to input or output devices, or both. All modules are interconnected by no more than four wires. A clock pulse source is connected to the system, the source being periodically interrupted to synchronize the system when the clock pulses restart.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A controller system comprising the combination of
a control location having a plurality of programmable control modules, each said module having an input device connected thereto for supplying to said module an input signal capable of having only two states; -
a plurality of programmable controlled modules, each said controlled module having an output device connected thereto for performing a specified function, said controlled modules being physically separated from said control location; each said control and controlled module being substantially identical to each other said control and controlled module apart from programming, a cable having no more than four operative wires interconnecting all of said control modules and all of said controlled modules and spanning the physical separation therebetween; means connected to one of the wires in said cable for producing and delivering to said control and controlled modules a sequence of clock pulses of uniform duration periodically interrupted by an interval of no clock pulses to synchronize the operation of said modules; and encoding/decoding means including a clock pulse counter in each of said control and controlled modules programmed to permit each said module to respond to a preselected count of said counter to thereby assign to each said module a unique code and thereby uniquely operatively associate each of said control modules with preselected one or ones of said controlled modules programmed to respond to the same count so that a control module responds to an input signal supplied to said control module by the input device connected thereto by producing and coupling to said four-wire cable a control signal at the count unique to said control module and so that said control signal generated by said one control device is recognized and acted upon by only said selected one or ones of said controlled modules programmed to respond to the same count to produce output signals for causing said output device or devices connected thereto to perform said specified functions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A programmable module usable as either a control module or a controlled module in a digital control system comprising the combination of
a signal input terminal, a signal output terminal and a data input/output terminal; -
a source of clock pulses; a counter connected to receive clock pulses from said source for producing a digital output representative of the pulse count; programmable logic circuit means connected to receive the output of said counter and programmed to produce an output in response to a preselected count; gate circuit means connected to receive the output of said logic circuit means and clock pulses from said source and connected to said input terminal; bistable circuit means connected to the output of said gate circuit means and to said data input/output terminal for assuming a state consistent with the high/low state on said data input/output terminal in response to the output of said gate circuit means; programmable means at the output of said bistable circuit means for producing a module output signal in response to the state of said bistable circuit means.
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5. A control system comprising the combination of
means for producing clock pulses each having first and second portions of substantially equal length; -
a plurality of substantially identical modules each having local input and output terminals and a data I/O terminal any of which are capable of assuming either one of two electrical levels, selected ones of said modules having input devices connected to their input terminals or output devices connected to their output terminals; a plurality of electrical conductors interconnecting said terminals of said modules with each other, one of said conductors being connected to said means for producing block pulses; and circuit means in each said module including a counter connected to receive and count said clock pulses, a count recognition circuit connected to receive the output of said counter and to produce an output when a specific count is reached, programmable means connected to said count recognition circuit for establishing the unique count to be recognizable by each of said count recognition circuit in each said module, and logic circuit means responsive to the state of one said input terminal, the output of said count recognition circuit and to said clock pulse for producing a module output signal on said data I/O line during one portion of said clock pulse and responsive to the output of said count recognition circuit and the state of said data I/O line for producing an output to said local output terminal during the other portion of said clock pulse. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A control system comprising the combination of
first and second structurally identical modules each including a clock pulse counter, programmable means for producing a control output in response to a predetermined count in said counter, a local input terminal and a local output terminal; -
input means connected to said input means of said first module and output means connected to said output terminal of said second module, said input means being operable to produce a signal at said input terminal at either of two electrical levels, and said output means being responsive to at least one of two electrical levels at said output terminal; a plurality of wires extending between said modules including a power wire, a clock pulse wire and a data wire, said clock pulse wire being connected to said counter; means for producing clock pulses connected to said clock pulse wire for delivery to both of said modules; first logic circuit means in said first module responsive to said control output to couple to said data wire a level representative of the signal at said input terminal during the clock pulse next following said predetermined count; and second logic circuit means in said second module responsive to said control output to provide to said output terminal a level representative of said level on said data wire during said clock pulse next following said predetermined count. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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Specification