Method and apparatus for controlling at least one piece of equipment
First Claim
1. Apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of controllable pieces of equipment each having a storage device in which data representing a respective control structure definition is stored therein and means for transmitting the stored data representing said respective control structure definition from the respective storage device in response to a signal requesting said data;
control means including user operable input means which are programmable to have respective functions, programmable display means, means responsive to an initial operation of the input means for transmitting to at least one of said controllable pieces of equipment said signal requesting said data representing said respective control structure definition, and means for programming at least one of the display means and said input means with respective allocated functions in response to said stored data representing the respective control structure definition transmitted from each of said controllable pieces of equipment; and
a data line coupled to said control means and each of said controllable pieces of equipment for enabling a transfer of data therebetween;
each of said controllable pieces of equipment are arranged in a serial daisy chain manner such that said control means is connected to a first controllable piece of equipment by way of said data line and said first controllable piece of equipment is connected to a second controllable piece of equipment by way of said data line.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An arrangement is provided which enables one or more controllable pieces of equipment to be controlled by a control unit. Each piece of controllable equipment includes a control structure definition for that equipment. The controllable equipment is responsive to a request from the control unit to supply the control structure definitions to the control unit where it is used for programming that control unit. The control unit has a number of user operable input devices, at least some of which are programmable, and a programmable display. The control unit responds to an initial operation (e.g. an initial operation of one of the input devices) to transmit a message to the controllable equipment requesting the control structure definitions for programming the display and/or the input devices. The control unit responds to a message from the controllable unit to carry out the programming. The control structure definitions can be supplied in the form of menus and/or representations of control parameters for display on the control unit.
79 Citations
29 Claims
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1. Apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of controllable pieces of equipment each having a storage device in which data representing a respective control structure definition is stored therein and means for transmitting the stored data representing said respective control structure definition from the respective storage device in response to a signal requesting said data; control means including user operable input means which are programmable to have respective functions, programmable display means, means responsive to an initial operation of the input means for transmitting to at least one of said controllable pieces of equipment said signal requesting said data representing said respective control structure definition, and means for programming at least one of the display means and said input means with respective allocated functions in response to said stored data representing the respective control structure definition transmitted from each of said controllable pieces of equipment; and a data line coupled to said control means and each of said controllable pieces of equipment for enabling a transfer of data therebetween; each of said controllable pieces of equipment are arranged in a serial daisy chain manner such that said control means is connected to a first controllable piece of equipment by way of said data line and said first controllable piece of equipment is connected to a second controllable piece of equipment by way of said data line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of controlling a plurality of controllable pieces of equipment each having a storage device in which data representing a respective control structure definition is stored therein, by means of a programmable control unit having user operable input devices which are programmable to have respective functions and a programmable display, in which each of said controllable pieces of equipment are arranged in a serial daisy chain manner such that said control unit is connected to a first controllable piece of equipment by way of a data line and said first controllable piece of equipment is connected to a second controllable piece of equipment by way of said data line, said method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting, in response to an initial operation of one of the input devices, a signal to at least one of said controllable pieces of equipment requesting said data representing said respective control structure definition of said at least one of said controllable pieces of equipment; transmitting, from each of said controllable pieces of equipment, the stored data representing said respective control structure definition from the respective storage device, to said programmable control unit in response to reception of said signal; and programming at least one of said programmable display and said input devices with respective allocated functions in response to said stored data representing the respective control structure definition transmitted from each of said controllable pieces of equipment. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification