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

• US 6,418,499 B1
• Filed: 06/12/2000
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• 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): Wong, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, RAYMOND NGAN
• Application Number:
  US09/592,014
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 710/129, 710/128, 710/62, 710/63, 710/64, 710/72, 710/101-103, 710/305, 710/314, 710/300-302, 712/73-74, 712/131, 712/126, 709/200-203, 361/686, 361/685, 361/730
• US Class Current: 710/301
• 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 precessor 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. A process control system comprising

one or more industrial computing devices that include

a field mountable housing;

a processor, said processor being internal to said 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, 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;

a first PCMCIA card plugged into a first peripheral connector of said at least one peripheral connector; and

an electrical connector attached to said first PCMCIA card by a cable, said cable being internal to said housing, said electrical connector being accessible external to said housing.

2. A process control system comprising:

one or more industrial computing devices that include

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;

a first PCMCIA card plugged into a first peripheral connector of said at least one peripheral connector; and

an electrical connector attached to said first PCMCIA card by a cable, said cable being internal to said housing, said electrical connector being accessible external to said housing, wherein said electrical connector is flush mounted to said housing.

3. A process control system comprising:

one or more industrial computing devices that include

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, wherein said processor and said at least one peripheral connector are disposed on a common circuit board and wherein said processor and said at least one peripheral connector are disposed on opposite sides of said common circuit board.

4. A process control system comprising

one or more industrial computing devices that include

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, and wherein said processor and said at least one peripheral connector are disposed on opposite sides of a common circuit board.