Reconfigurable communications module

• US 5,751,222 A
• Filed: 12/26/1996
• Issued: 05/12/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy & Automation Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Reilly, Joseph F., Kinney, Michael A., Laplace, Carl J., Trainor, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C.
• Application Number:
  US08/774,003
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.05, 340/825.06, 340/825.07, 340/825.37, 340/825.79, 364/492, 364/188, 364/940, 364/926.93, 364/927.92, 395/325, 395/821, 379/102, 379/91
• US Class Current: 710/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00009 using pulsed signals
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

A reconfigurable communications module for power distribution and control apparatus is taught. Briefly stated, a communication module is rack insertable into a voltage regulator controller and has disposed therein a microprocessor board for communicating with host power distribution control apparatus and which also communicates with a transceiver board. The transceiver board may be one of several types of boards which provide a physical link with other equipment. Such boards may, for example, include a fiber optic, an RF based board, or a wire based board which is interchangeable in the communications module thereby allowing reconfiguration of the communication module to different media.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable communication module for facilitating communication to or among electric power control apparatus, comprising:

a reconfigurable communication module adaptable to communicate over a plurality of communication media, said reconfigurable communication module connectable to and collocated with said electric power control apparatus;

module communication means contained in said communication module for communicating with said electric power control apparatus and for also communicating with one of a group of replaceable module transceivers;

a plurality of communications protocols embedded in said reconfigurable communications module, wherein the module communication means includes means responsive to said electric power control apparatus for selecting one of the plurality of communications protocols to be used for communicating with said electric power control apparatus;

replaceable module transceiver means contained in said communication module for communicating with said module communication means and for facilitating external communication over a predetermined communications medium, said replaceable module transceiver means consisting of one of a group of replaceable module transceiver means, wherein each of said group of replaceable module transceiver means is adapted to communicate over a respectively different one of said communications media.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said replaceable module transceiver means is adapted so as to communicate over a fiber optic cable.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said replaceable module transceiver means is adapted to communicate over an electrical wire.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said replaceable module transceiver means is adapted to communicate via Radio Frequency modulated signals.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein said replaceable module transceiver means is adapted to light based communication.

6. A device according to claim 3 wherein said communication via an electrical wire is RS-232 and RS-485 based.

7. A device according to claim 1 further comprising a second reconfigurable communication module, connected by one of said communication mediums to the first reconfigurable communication module.

8. A device according to claim 1 further comprising a supervisory remote terminal unit, said supervisory remote terminal unit connected by one of said communication mediums to said reconfigurable communication module.

9. A device according to claim 1 wherein said electric power control apparatus is a voltage regulator controller.

10. A device according to claim 1 wherein said electric power control apparatus is a load tap changer controller.

11. A device according to claim 1 wherein said electric power control apparatus is a switchgear controller.

12. A device according to claim 1 wherein said electric power control apparatus is a circuit breaker.

13. A device according to claim 5 wherein said replaceable module transceiver means is adapted to communicate using infared light.

14. A device according to claim 1 wherein said reconfigurable communication module is disposed in a housing and wherein said housing is configured so as to be insertable into an expansion rack contained in an electric power control apparatus.

15. A device according to claim 14 wherein said electric power control apparatus is a voltage regulator controller.

16. A reconfigurable communication module for facilitating communication to or among electric power control apparatus, comprising:

a reconfigurable communication module adaptable to communicate over a plurality of communication media, said reconfigurable communication module connectable to and collocated with the electric power control apparatus;

module communication means contained in said communication module for communicating with the electric power control apparatus and for also communicating with one of a group of replaceable module transceivers;

a plurality of communications protocols embedded in said reconfigurable communications module, wherein one of the plurality of communications protocols to be used for communicating with the electric power control apparatus is selected by one or more jumper selections;

replaceable module transceiver means contained in said communication module for communicating with said module communication means and for facilitating external communication over a predetermined communications medium, said replaceable module transceiver means consisting of one of a group of replaceable module transceiver means, wherein each of said group of replaceable module transceiver means is adapted to communicate over a respectively different one of said communications media.

17. A device according to claim 16 wherein said replaceable module transceiver means is adapted so as to communicate over a communication means selected from a group consisting of:

fiber optic cable communications means;

RS-232 communication means;

RS-485 communication means;

radio Frequency communications means; and

infrared light based communications means.

18. A device according to claim 16 further comprising a second reconfigurable communication module, connected by one of said communication media to the first reconfigurable communication module.

19. A device according to claim 16 further comprising a supervisory remote terminal unit, said supervisory remote terminal unit connected by one of said communication media to said reconfigurable communication module.

20. A device according to claim 16 wherein said electric power control apparatus is selected from a group consisting of:

a voltage regulator controller;

a load tap changer controller;

a switchgear controller; and

a circuit breaker.