Controller for switch machine
First Claim
1. A controller for a switch machine including an indication rod having a target and also including a lock box having a target, the indication rod positionable between a first point position and a second point position, the lock box positionable between a first lock position and a second lock position, said controller comprising:
- point detecting means for detecting when said indication rod is in said first point position and when said indication rod is in said second point position, said point detecting means including a first proximity sensor for detecting the target of said indication rod when said indication rod is in said first point position and a second proximity sensor for detecting the target of said indication rod when said indication rod is in said second point position, said first proximity sensor generating a first point detection signal and said second proximity sensor generating a second point detection signal, said first point detection signal having a value within a first predetermined range of values when said indication rod is in said first point position and having a value within a second predetermined range of values, which is different from said first predetermined range of values, when said indication rod is not in said first point position, said second point detection signal having a value within a third predetermined range of values when said indication rod is in said second point position and having a value within a fourth predetermined range of values, which is different from said third predetermined range of values, when said indication rod is not in said second point position;
lock detecting means for detecting when said lock box is in said first lock position and when said lock box is in said second lock position, said lock detecting means including a first proximity sensor for detecting the target of said lock box when said lock box is in said first lock position and a second proximity sensor for detecting the target of said lock box when said lock box is in said second lock position, said first proximity sensor of said lock detecting means generating a first lock detection signal and said second proximity sensor of said lock detecting means generating a second lock detection signal, said first lock detection signal having a value within a first predetermined range of values when said lock box is in said first lock position and having a value within a second predetermined range of values, which is different from said first predetermined range of values of said first lock detection signal, when said lock box is not in said first lock position, said second lock detection signal having a value within a third predetermined range of values when said lock box is in said second lock position and having a value within a fourth predetermined range of values, which is different from said third predetermined range of values of said second lock detection signal, when said lock box is not in said second lock position;
means for processing point detection information from said first and second point detection signals and said first and second lock detection signals to provide a first output and a second output, said means for processing enabling said first output when said first point detection signal has a value within the first predetermined range of values thereof, said second point detection signal has a value within the third predetermined ranges of values thereof, said first lock detection signal has a value within the first predetermined ranges of values thereof, and said second lock detection signal has a value within the third predetermined ranges of values thereof, said means for processing enabling said second output when said first point detection signal has a value within the second predetermined range of values thereof, said second point detection signal has a value within the fourth predetermined ranges of values thereof, said first lock detection signal has a value within the second predetermined ranges of values thereof, and said second lock detection signal has a value within the fourth predetermined ranges of values thereof, said means for processing disabling the first and second outputs when any of said first point detection signal has a value different than the first and second predetermined ranges of values thereof, said second point detection signal has a value different than the third and fourth predetermined ranges of values thereof, said first lock detection signal has a value different than the first and second predetermined ranges of values thereof, and said second lock detection signal has a value different than the third and fourth predetermined ranges of values thereof; and
means for indicating the first and second outputs.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A switch machine electronic controller includes a point detecting circuit having Namur sensors for detecting an indication rod target in first and second point positions, and a lock detecting circuit having Namur sensors for detecting a lock box target in first and second lock positions. A microprocessor processes the signals to provide Normal and Reverse outputs. The Normal output is enabled when the first point and lock detection signals have values within a predetermined ON value range, and the second point and lock detection signals have values within a predetermined OFF value range. The reverse output is enabled when the second point and lock detection signals have values within the ON value range, and the first point and lock detection signals have values within the OFF value range. Both outputs are disabled when any of the signals has a value that corresponds to a shorted, open or indeterminate value range.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A controller for a switch machine including an indication rod having a target and also including a lock box having a target, the indication rod positionable between a first point position and a second point position, the lock box positionable between a first lock position and a second lock position, said controller comprising:
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point detecting means for detecting when said indication rod is in said first point position and when said indication rod is in said second point position, said point detecting means including a first proximity sensor for detecting the target of said indication rod when said indication rod is in said first point position and a second proximity sensor for detecting the target of said indication rod when said indication rod is in said second point position, said first proximity sensor generating a first point detection signal and said second proximity sensor generating a second point detection signal, said first point detection signal having a value within a first predetermined range of values when said indication rod is in said first point position and having a value within a second predetermined range of values, which is different from said first predetermined range of values, when said indication rod is not in said first point position, said second point detection signal having a value within a third predetermined range of values when said indication rod is in said second point position and having a value within a fourth predetermined range of values, which is different from said third predetermined range of values, when said indication rod is not in said second point position;
lock detecting means for detecting when said lock box is in said first lock position and when said lock box is in said second lock position, said lock detecting means including a first proximity sensor for detecting the target of said lock box when said lock box is in said first lock position and a second proximity sensor for detecting the target of said lock box when said lock box is in said second lock position, said first proximity sensor of said lock detecting means generating a first lock detection signal and said second proximity sensor of said lock detecting means generating a second lock detection signal, said first lock detection signal having a value within a first predetermined range of values when said lock box is in said first lock position and having a value within a second predetermined range of values, which is different from said first predetermined range of values of said first lock detection signal, when said lock box is not in said first lock position, said second lock detection signal having a value within a third predetermined range of values when said lock box is in said second lock position and having a value within a fourth predetermined range of values, which is different from said third predetermined range of values of said second lock detection signal, when said lock box is not in said second lock position;
means for processing point detection information from said first and second point detection signals and said first and second lock detection signals to provide a first output and a second output, said means for processing enabling said first output when said first point detection signal has a value within the first predetermined range of values thereof, said second point detection signal has a value within the third predetermined ranges of values thereof, said first lock detection signal has a value within the first predetermined ranges of values thereof, and said second lock detection signal has a value within the third predetermined ranges of values thereof, said means for processing enabling said second output when said first point detection signal has a value within the second predetermined range of values thereof, said second point detection signal has a value within the fourth predetermined ranges of values thereof, said first lock detection signal has a value within the second predetermined ranges of values thereof, and said second lock detection signal has a value within the fourth predetermined ranges of values thereof, said means for processing disabling the first and second outputs when any of said first point detection signal has a value different than the first and second predetermined ranges of values thereof, said second point detection signal has a value different than the third and fourth predetermined ranges of values thereof, said first lock detection signal has a value different than the first and second predetermined ranges of values thereof, and said second lock detection signal has a value different than the third and fourth predetermined ranges of values thereof; and
means for indicating the first and second outputs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
an analog to digital converter having a plurality of analog inputs, a plurality of digital inputs to select one of the analog inputs, and a digital output having a value;
a processor having first and second outputs adapted to enable or disable a corresponding one of said first and second proximity sensors of said point detecting means, a plurality of outputs adapted to control the digital inputs of said analog to digital converter, an input electrically interconnected with the output of said analog to digital converter, and a routine to read the value of the digital output of said analog to digital converter;
a power supply having an output to power the first and second proximity sensors of said point detecting means;
first and second switches, each of said first and second switches having an output adapted to enable or disable a corresponding one of said first and second proximity sensors of said point detecting means, said first and second switches also having first and second inputs electrically interconnected with the first and second outputs, respectively, of said processor; and
first and second dividers, each of said dividers having an input electrically interconnected with a corresponding one of the first and second outputs of said first and second switches, each of said dividers also having an output with a unique voltage electrically interconnected with one of the analog inputs of said analog to digital converter, whereby the routine of said processor reads the value of the output of said analog to digital converter corresponding to one of said first and second proximity sensors, reads the value of the digital output of said analog to digital converter corresponding to one of said first and second dividers, and determines if the value of the digital output of said analog to digital converter corresponding to one of said first and second dividers is within a predetermined value of a corresponding one of the unique voltages.
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34. The controller of claim 33 wherein the routine of said processor reads the value of the digital output of said analog to digital converter corresponding to the other one of said first and second proximity sensors, and determines if the last said value is within a predetermined value of zero, in order to determine that said other one of said first and second proximity sensors was disabled.
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35. The controller of claim 1 wherein said means for processing point detection information includes a digital to analog converter having an digital input and an analog output;
- an analog to digital converter having an analog input electrically interconnected with the analog output of said digital to analog converter and a digital output having a value; and
a processor having an output electrically interconnected with the digital input of said digital to analog converter to output one of a predetermined set of values thereto, said processor also having an input electrically interconnected with the digital output of said analog to digital converter to read said digital output of said analog to digital converter and to determine if the value of the digital output of said analog to digital converter is within a predetermined value of said one of a predetermined set of values.
- an analog to digital converter having an analog input electrically interconnected with the analog output of said digital to analog converter and a digital output having a value; and
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36. The controller of claim 1 wherein said means for processing point detection information includes means for providing an output having a unique voltage value;
- an analog to digital converter having an analog input electrically interconnected with the output of said means for providing, a digital output having a value, and a plurality of analog inputs electrically interconnected with the first and second proximity sensors of said point detecting means; and
a processor having an input electrically interconnected with the digital output of said analog to digital converter to read said digital output of said analog to digital converter and determine if the value of the digital output of said analog to digital converter is within a predetermined value of said unique voltage value.
- an analog to digital converter having an analog input electrically interconnected with the output of said means for providing, a digital output having a value, and a plurality of analog inputs electrically interconnected with the first and second proximity sensors of said point detecting means; and
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37. The controller of claim 1 wherein said means for processing point detection information includes a power supply having an output to power the first and second proximity sensors of said point detecting means;
- a divider having an input electrically interconnected with the output of said power source, said divider having an output; and
an analog to digital converter having an analog input electrically interconnected with the output of said divider and a digital output having a value; and
a processor having an input electrically interconnected with the digital output of said analog to digital converter to read the value of the digital output of said analog to digital converter and to determine if the last said value is within a predetermined range of values.
- a divider having an input electrically interconnected with the output of said power source, said divider having an output; and
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38. The controller of claim 1 wherein the first predetermined range of values of said first point detection signal, the fourth predetermined range of values of said second point detection signal, the first predetermined range of values of said first lock detection signal and the fourth predetermined range of values of said second lock detection signal have the same range of values.
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39. The controller of claim 1 wherein the second predetermined range of values of said first point detection signal, the third predetermined range of values of said second point detection signal, the second predetermined range of values of said first lock detection signal and the third predetermined range of values of said second lock detection signal have the same range of values.
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40. The controller of claim 10 wherein said means for processing point detection information includes a processor and a separate junction box including the first selector and the second selector.
Specification