Decentralized control system and shutdown control apparatus

• US 6,023,399 A
• Filed: 09/22/1997
• Issued: 02/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kogure, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Stephen W
• Application Number:
  US08/934,936
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 361/62, 361/64, 361/66, 361/78, 361/93, 361/115, 361/119, 361/23, 361/24, 361/25
• US Class Current: 361/23
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/21165 Zenerdiodes for protection of output of transmitter, input of receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24028 Explosion free control, intrinsically safe
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24117 If error detected, shut down
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24152 Normal and emergency program are integrated
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25232 DCS, distributed control system, decentralised control unit
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device

Abstract

In a decentralized control system configuring a network between plural field devices for measuring and controlling the controlled objects and plural upper-level apparatus for communicating data to the field devices and controlling the field devices, and forming a control loop among the devices, in which the field device has a normal communication means for communicating with other devices in a normal operation mode, and an emergency communication means for communicating with other devices in an emergent operation mode, in which the normal communication means and the emergency communication means use their own communication signals and the emergency communication means operates in an asynchronous communication mode. In addition, on the network, a shutdown control means is formed for transmitting a shutdown command signal to the shutdown target control device if necessary by detecting the abnormal state of the individual devices.

Claims

1. A decentralized control system configuring a network between plural field devices for measuring and controlling a controlled object and an upper-level apparatus for communicating data to said field devices and controlling said field devices, and forming a control loop among said devices, wherein

said field device has a normal communication means for communicating with other devices in a normal operation mode;

and

an emergency communication means for communicating with other devices in an emergent operation mode,

wherein said normal communication means and said emergency communication means use their own communication signals; and

said emergency communication means operates in an asynchronous communication mode.

2. A decentralized control system of claim 1, wherein

after said individual field device detects an emergency signal on said transmission path, said individual field device interrupts a control operation of a field device operated in a normal operation mode and switches an operation mode to an emergency operation mode in order to control a controlled object in a safer status.

3. A decentralized control system of claim 1, wherein

said emergency communication means is composed of an emergency signal transmitting circuit, an emergency signal receiving circuit and an emergency signal controller;

and said emergency signal receiving circuit and said emergency signal controller are connected to a field device through said emergency signal controller; and

an emergency signal is transmitted and received as a data sequence coded in a definite format.

4. A decentralized control system of claim 1, wherein

said emergency communication means is so configured as to enable to report a status of a field device urgently even in case that said normal communication means of said field device is in an abnormal state.

5. A decentralized control system of claim 1, wherein

said emergency communication means is composed of an emergency signal generating circuit and an emergency signal detecting circuit;

said emergency signal generating circuit and said emergency signal detecting circuit are connected to a field device through an I/O interfaces of said field device; and

an emergency signal is communicated with a series of signals used by a transmission method different from a transmission method used by a normal communication method.

6. A decentralized control system of claim 5, wherein said emergency signal detecting circuit generates an emergency signal in responsive to an emergency signal generating signal incoming from said I/O interface.

7. A decentralized control system configuring a network between plural field devices obtaining electric operation power from a transmission path for measuring and controlling a controlled object and plural upper-level apparatus for communicating data to said field device and controlling said field device, and forming a control loop among said devices, further comprising

a shutdown control means formed on said network for detecting an abnormal state of an individual device and, if necessary, supplying a shutdown command to a shutdown target control device for which a shutdown operation is required,

said shutdown control means and said shutdown target device being connected by an independent control signal line other than said transmission path.

8. A decentralized control system of claim 7, wherein

said shutdown control means and said shutdown target device are connected by an independent control signal line other than said transmission path.

9. A decentralized control system of claim 7, wherein

a device connected to said shutdown control means by said independent control signal line is a field device performing a physical control operation for said system.

10. A decentralized control system of claim 7, wherein

said shutdown control means is embedded in a field device.

11. A decentralized control system of claim 7, wherein

said shutdown control means is established to be independent of an individual field device on said transmission path.

12. A decentralized control system of claim 7, wherein

said shutdown control means is placed in a relay terminal assembly, and said independent signal line is connected between said relay terminal assembly and a shutdown target device.

13. A decentralized control system of claim 7, wherein an operation power supply from said transmission path to said shutdown target device is interrupted by means that said shutdown target device receives a shutdown signal supplied on said independent signal line.

14. A shutdown control apparatus arranged in a decentralized control system configuring a network between plural field devices obtaining electric operation power from a transmission path for measuring and controlling the controlled objects and plural upper-level apparatus for communicating data to a field device and controlling said field device, and forming a control loop among said devices, for shutting down an individual device, further comprising

an independent control signal line other than said transmission path connected to an individual shutdown target device requiring shutdown control;

an abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormal state of an individual device on said network; and

a shutdown control circuit for sending a shutdown command through said control signal line on the basis of a result of detection by said abnormality detection means,

said shutdown control circuit establishing connection between the field device requiring shutdown and a shutdown command dedicated line.

15. A shutdown control system of claim 14 wherein

said shutdown control means is embedded in a field device.

16. A shutdown control apparatus arranged in a test sample conveying system,

said test sample conveying system forming a control loop with the individual devices, and configuring a network through a transmission path between a field device composed of a motor for driving a conveying system or a sensor for detecting a position of a conveyed object, and an upper-level apparatus for communicating with said field device and controlling said field device,

further comprising, for shutting down an individual device,

a control signal line connected to said field device including the motor;

an abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormal state of an individual device on said network;

and a shutdown control circuit for sending a shutdown command through said control signal line for stopping said motor on the basis of a result of detection of said abnormality detection means,

said shutdown control circuit establishing connection between the field device requiring shutdown control and a shutdown command dedicated line.