Distributed control system including a compact, easily-extensible and serviceable field controller

• US 6,324,607 B1
• Filed: 11/19/1999
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Systems USA, Inc. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: The Foxboro Company (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Korowitz, Simon, Kagan, Harris D., Lake, Harold
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoleil, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, RAYMOND NGAN
• Application Number:
  US09/443,774
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 710/101-103, 710/128-129, 710/62, 710/63, 710/64, 710/72, 710/73-74, 361/686
• US Class Current: 710/300
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0423 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25314 Modular structure, modules
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25322 Stackthrough modules, modules are stacked, no need for backplane
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25335 Each module has connections to actuator, sensor and to a fieldbus for expansion
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25336 Cascaded modules, one module connects to other, I-O, computing expansion
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31121 Fielddevice, field controller, interface connected to fieldbus
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33179 Pcmcia
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33273 DCS distributed, decentralised controlsystem, multiprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33279 Expansion by using secondary access to each module, extension module
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34436 Interface circuit build into connector, dongle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2658 with built-in data-bus connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A field controller for use in a distributed control system including an area controller and at least one field controller. The field controller manages at least one controlled device in an industrial process operation. The field controller comprises a processor module segment through which it can control a selected number of devices, and it may also include one or more expansion module segments to enable it to control a larger number of controlled devices. The processor module segment includes a processor module and at least one local interface module for interfacing to a controlled device, and the expansion module segment includes interface modules for interfacing to other controlled devices. In the processor module segment, the processor module and said local interface module are interconnected by a bus segment, which is also connected to an upstream off-module connector. Each expansion module segment includes at least one interface module, and also includes a downstream off-module connector and an upstream off-module connector, which are interconnected by a bus segment. The downstream off-module connector of each expansion module segment is adapted to mate with the upstream off-module connector of the processor module segment and of other expansion module segment, so as to facilitate the interconnection of the processor module segment and a sequence of expansion module segments by establishing a unitary multi-drop bus comprising the processor module'"'"'s bus segment and the bus segments of expansion module in the sequence. The processor module controls each controlled device through the respective local interface module or expansion interface module connected thereto. The processor module segment and each expansion module segment are each mounted in a housing segment which is configured to form a unitary housing when they are interconnected.

Claims

1. An industrial computing device comprising:

a field mountable housing;

a processor, said processor being internal to said housing; and

at least one peripheral connector adapted to receive at least one PCMCIA card such that when said PCMCIA card is plugged into said peripheral connector, said PCMCIA card is enclosed internal to said housing, said peripheral connector being electrically coupled to said processor, wherein said industrial computing device is self contained and without full user I/O in that said industrial computing device is without at least one of a full display and a full keyboard.

2. The industrial computing device of claim 1, further comprising a first PCMCIA card plugged into a first peripheral connector of said at least one peripheral connector.

3. The industrial computing device of claim 1, further comprising an expansion connector adapted to receive an expansion board having at least one more peripheral connector thereon, said at least one more peripheral connector being adapted to receive at least one more PCMCIA card.

4. The industrial computing device of claim 1, wherein said processor and said at least one peripheral connector are disposed on a common circuit board.

5. The industrial computing device of claim 2, further comprising an electrical connector electrically coupled to said first PCMCIA card by a cable, said cable being internal to said housing, said electrical connector being accessible external to said housing.

6. The industrial computing device of claim 5, wherein said electrical connector is flush mounted to said housing.

7. The industrial computing device of claim 3, wherein said housing defines an interior space large enough to accommodate at least one expansion board.

8. The industrial computing device of claim 3, further including said expansion board, wherein said expansion board has two PCMCIA type peripheral connectors disposed thereon.

13. The industrial computing device of claim 7, wherein said interior space is large enough to accommodate two expansion boards.

9. A computing device comprising:

a field mountable housing;

a processor, said processor being internal to said housing; and

at least one peripheral connector adapted to receive at least one PCMCIA card such that when said PCMCIA card is plugged into said peripheral connector, said PCMCIA card is enclosed internal to said housing, said peripheral connector being electrically coupled to said processor, wherein said computing device is self contained and without full user I/O in that said computing device is without at least one of a full display and a full keyboard,

an expansion connector adapted to receive an expansion board having at least one more peripheral connector thereon, said at least one more peripheral connector being adapted to receive at least one more PCMCIA card,

wherein multiple expansion cards are electrically coupled to said expansion connector, a first expansion card directly plugging into said expansion connector, further expansion cards plugging into a previous expansion card and being coupled to said expansion connector therethrough, said computing device further comprising an addressing circuit for automatically assigning said expansion cards unique addresses wherein individual addressing of said expansion card is unnecessary.

10. An industrial computing device comprising;

a field mountable housing;

a processor, said processor being internal to said housing; and

at least one peripheral connector adapted to receive at least one PCMCIA card such that when said PCMCIA card is plugged into said peripheral connector, said PCMCIA card is enclosed internal to said housing, said peripheral connector being electrically coupled to said processor, wherein said industrial computing device is self contained and without full user I/O in that said industrial computing device is without at least one of a full display and a full keyboard

an expansion connector adapted to receive an expansion board having at least one more peripheral connector thereon, said at least one more peripheral connector being adapted to receive at least one more PCMCIA card,

wherein said at least one peripheral connector is oriented parallel to a mounting plane of said industrial computing device.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein said computing device includes a DIN rail mounting coupler for field mounting in an environment, and wherein said expansion connector is oriented such that said computing device physically expands in a direction away from said mounting coupler as said expansion board is added.

12. The industrial computing device of claim 11, wherein said expansion board is internal to said housing.

14. An industrial computing device comprising:

a field mountable housing;

a processor, said processor being internal to said housing; and

at least one peripheral connector adapted to receive at least one PCMCIA card such that when said PCMCIA card is plugged into said peripheral connector, said PCMCIA card is enclosed internal to said housing, said peripheral connector being electrically coupled to said processor, wherein said industrial computing device is self contained and without full user I/O in that said industrial computing device is without at least one of a full display and a full keyboard,

an expansion connector adapted to receive an expansion board having at least one more peripheral connector thereon, said at least one more peripheral connector being adapted to receive at least one more PCMCIA card,

wherein said at least one peripheral connector is oriented orthogonal to a mounting plane of said industrial computing device.

15. The industrial computing device of claim 14, wherein said housing includes a removable side cover to facilitate addition of said expansion board.

16. The industrial computing device of claim 14, wherein said housing comprises a primary housing, and wherein said industrial computing device further comprises said expansion board in an expansion housing, said expansion housing being mechanically coupled to said primary housing.

17. The industrial computing device of claim 16, wherein said expansion housing and said primary housing are both oriented in a plane orthogonal to said mounting plane of said industrial computing device.

18. The industrial computing device of claim 17, wherein said expansion housing includes a removable cover to facilitate further expansion of said industrial computing device.

19. The industrial computing device of claim 18, wherein said removable cover is disposed on a side of said expansion housing and is disposed orthogonal to said mounting plane of said industrial computing device.

21. The industrial computing device of claim 17, wherein said expansion board has at least one PCMCIA card coupled thereto, said at least one PCMCIA card being connected to said I/O connector by a cable internal to said expansion housing.

20. The industrial computing device 19, wherein said expansion housing includes at least one I/O connector, said I/O connector being mounted integral with said expansion housing.

22. A computing device comprising;

a field mountable housing;

a processor, said processor being internal to said housing; and

at least one peripheral connector adapted to receive at least one PCMCIA card such that when said PCMCIA card is plugged into said peripheral connector, said PCMCIA card is enclosed internal to said housing, said peripheral connector being electrically coupled to said processor wherein said computing device is self contained and without full user I/O in that said computing device is without at least one of a full display and a full keyboard,

wherein said processor and said at least one peripheral connector are disposed on common circuit board,

wherein said processor and said at least one peripheral connector are disposed on opposite sides of said common circuit board, and wherein said at least one peripheral connector comprises two PCMCIA type peripheral connectors.

23. The industrial computing device of claim 22, wherein said processor comprises a plug-in processor module.

24. The industrial computing device of claim 23, wherein said processor comprises said plug-in processor module with system memory integral therewith.

25. A computing device comprising:

a field mountable housing;

a processor, said processor being internal to said housing;

at least one peripheral connector oriented parallel to a mounting plane of said computing device, and adapted to receive at least one PCMCIA card such that when said PCMCIA card is plugged into said peripheral connector, said PCMCIA card is enclosed internal to said housing, said peripheral connector being electrically coupled to said processor;

an expansion connector coupled to sad processor and within said housing, wherein said expansion connector is adapted to receive an expansion board having at least one more peripheral connector adapted to receive at least one more PCMCIA card; and

a DIN rail mounting coupler for field mounting an environment, wherein said expansion connector is oriented such that said computing device physically expands in a direction away from said mounting coupler as said expansion board is added.

26. A computing device comprising:

a field mountable housing;

a processor internal to said field mountable housing;

at least one peripheral connector adapted to receive at least one PCMCIA card such that when said PCMCIA card is plugged into said peripheral connector, said PCMCIA card is enclosed internal to said housing, said peripheral connector being electrically coupled to said processor;

a first PCMCIA card plugged into a first peripheral connector of said at least one peripheral connector, said first PCMCIA card having a first interface to facilitate communications with a industrial process; and

a second PCMCIA card plugged into a second peripheral connector of said at least one peripheral connector, said second PCMCIA card facilitating communication over a network connection to another computer.

27. The computing device of claim 26, wherein said first PCMCIA card communicates through said first interface using a first protocol.

28. The computing device of claim 26, wherein said second PCMCIA card communicates using a second interface.

29. The computing device of claim 28, wherein said first interface and said second interface utilize protocols.

30. The computing device of claim 28, wherein said first PCMCIA card communicates through said first interface using a first protocol and said second PCMCIA card communicates through said second interface using a second protocol such that said computing device is capable of communicating through multiple I/O streams.

31. The computing device of claim 30, wherein said first protocol and said second protocol are one of a same type and a different type.

32. The industrial computing device of claim 26, wherein said network connection comprises an ethernet.

33. The industrial computing device of claim 26, wherein said another computer comprises a supervisory control system.

34. A computing device comprising:

a field mountable housing;

a processor internal to said field mountable housing;

at least one peripheral connector adapted to receive at least one PCMCIA card such that when said PCMCIA card is plugged into said peripheral connector, said PCMCIA card is enclosed internal to said housing, said peripheral connector being electrically coupled to said processor;

a first PCMCIA card plugged into a first peripheral connector of said at least one peripheral connector, said first PCMCIA card having a first interface to facilitate communications with a process; and

a second PCMCIA card plugged into a second peripheral connector of said at least one peripheral connector, said second PCMCIA card facilitating communication over a network connection to another computer, and

further comprising an expansion board electrically coupled to said processor, and wherein said at least one peripheral connector is disposed on at least one of said expansion board and a native board within said computing device.