Fault tolerant multipoint control and data collection system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A multipoint control and data collection system comprising:
- a plurality of parallel data buses forming a cable, each data bus being connected to carry data collected by the multipoint control and data collection system, and not connected to carry an address signal for controlling the system;
a control bus included in the cable, the control bus being connected to carry the address signal for controlling the multipoint control and data collection system, and not connected to carry data collected by the system;
a central controller including;
a plurality of bus interface circuits corresponding to the plurality of parallel data buses, each bus interface circuit being connected to the corresponding data bus for receiving the data over the corresponding data bus,a control interface circuit connected to the control bus, the control interface circuit being adapted to send the address signal over the control bus, the address signal specifying a sensor interface address and a selected one of the plurality of data buses; and
a plurality of sensor interfaces having corresponding sensor interface addresses, each sensor interface being connected to more than one of the data buses, each sensor interface including a sensor connection point adapted for connection to a sensor and each sensor interface including an address recognition circuit connected to the control bus, the address recognition circuit of each sensor interface being responsive to the address signal on the control bus to connect the sensor connection point to the selected one of the plurality of data buses specified in the address signal when the corresponding sensor interface address of the sensor interface is included in the address signal, and the address recognition circuit of each sensor interface ignoring the data carried on the data buses.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multipoint data collection system uses multiple parallel data buses connecting a central controller to addressable sensor interfaces to permit any sensor to be connected to a central controller over any one of the data buses. Both ends of each data bus are connected to the central controller, allowing sensor interfaces to be addressed even if all data buses are cut. Faults on a data bus and defective sensor interfaces may be bypassed through one or more bypass buses that may be addressably switched into use as desired.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A multipoint control and data collection system comprising:
-
a plurality of parallel data buses forming a cable, each data bus being connected to carry data collected by the multipoint control and data collection system, and not connected to carry an address signal for controlling the system; a control bus included in the cable, the control bus being connected to carry the address signal for controlling the multipoint control and data collection system, and not connected to carry data collected by the system; a central controller including; a plurality of bus interface circuits corresponding to the plurality of parallel data buses, each bus interface circuit being connected to the corresponding data bus for receiving the data over the corresponding data bus, a control interface circuit connected to the control bus, the control interface circuit being adapted to send the address signal over the control bus, the address signal specifying a sensor interface address and a selected one of the plurality of data buses; and a plurality of sensor interfaces having corresponding sensor interface addresses, each sensor interface being connected to more than one of the data buses, each sensor interface including a sensor connection point adapted for connection to a sensor and each sensor interface including an address recognition circuit connected to the control bus, the address recognition circuit of each sensor interface being responsive to the address signal on the control bus to connect the sensor connection point to the selected one of the plurality of data buses specified in the address signal when the corresponding sensor interface address of the sensor interface is included in the address signal, and the address recognition circuit of each sensor interface ignoring the data carried on the data buses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification