Control device with PCMCIA card for communications with field device

• US 6,496,892 B1
• Filed: 06/12/2000
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• 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: Lake, Harold, Piper, Charles, Prentice, David P., Korowitz, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, RAYMOND NGAN
• Application Number:
  US09/591,730
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 710/128-131, 710/2, 710/102-103, 710/62, 710/63-64, 710/71-72, 710/300-301, 710/305, 710/306, 710/313, 439/502, 439/76.1, 439/77, 439/493
• 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 2219/21103 Connect pc to machine, controller, module via PCMCIA
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/942 Comblike retainer for conductor

Abstract

An I/O device in the form of an internal dongle includes a body having connective structure being arranged to removably attach the body to a housing of an electronic device. The dongle also includes a circuit assembly that has an exterior connector on the body for electrically connecting to a second electronic device, a dongle circuit being electrically coupled to the external connector through the body, an electronic cable having a first end electrically coupled to the dongle circuit, and a second end being structured and arranged to connect to an electronic component of the first mentioned electronic device within the housing.

Claims

1. A control device comprising:

a housing,

at least one PCMCIA card enclosed internal to said housing, said PCMCIA card being adapted for communications with a field device,

said PCMCIA card being coupled to said field device via at least a circuit device.

2. A control device according to claim 1, further comprising an electrical connector in electrical communication with the PCMCIA card, said electrical connector being accessible external to said housing for coupling to said field device.

3. A control device according to claim 2, at least a portion of the circuit device is mounted to the electrical connector.

4. A control device according to claim 2, wherein said electrical connector is mounted to said housing.

5. A control device according to claim 2, wherein said electrical connector is in electrical communication with the PCMCIA card via at least one or more wires that are enclosed internal to said housing.

6. A control device according to claim 1, wherein said PCMCIA card is adapted for communications with a field device that comprises any of a sensor, a valve, a controller, and a controlled device.

7. A control device according to claim 1, further comprising a processor that is in electrical communication with said PCMCIA card.

8. A control device according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the control device is adapted for use in process control.

9. A control device according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the control device is adapted to any of monitor and control an industrial operation, a commercial application, a home application and an environmental factor.

10. A control device according to claim 9,

wherein any of monitoring and controlling an industrial operation includes any of controlling a portion of a plant, controlling a machine, controlling a robot, controlling a valve, controlling a reaction chamber, controlling a rate of flow, controlling a reaction parameter, managing a controlled device, receiving status information, receiving information from a sensor, receiving information regarding a process under control, notifying a controller, performing a bookkeeping operation, tracking inventory, transferring a component from inventory, and

wherein any of monitoring and controlling an environmental application includes any of a heating operation, an air conditioning operation, a ventilation operation, an illumination operation, an energy consumption operation, an energy supply operation.

11. A control device according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the circuit device is a dongle.

12. A control device according to claim 11, wherein the dongle comprises a passive circuit.

13. A control device according to claim 11, wherein the dongle comprises an active circuit.

14. A control device according to claim 11, wherein the dongle comprises a circuit board.

15. A control device according to claim 11, wherein the dongle provides signal conditioning.

16. A control device according to claim 11, wherein the dongle comprises any of an active circuit and a passive circuit disposed on a circuit board and providing signal conditioning.

17. A control device according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the circuit device comprises a passive circuit.

18. A control device according to claim 17, wherein the passive circuit is disposed on a circuit board.

19. A control device according to claim 17, wherein the passive circuit provides signal conditioning.

20. A control device according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the circuit device comprises an active circuit.

21. A control device according to claim 20, wherein the active circuit is disposed on a circuit board.

22. A control device according to claim 20, wherein the passive circuit provides signal conditioning.

23. A control device according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the circuit device comprises a circuit board.

24. A control device comprising:

a housing,

at least one PCMCIA card enclosed internal to said housing, said PCMCIA card being adapted for communications with a field device that comprises any of a sensor, a valve, a controller, and a controlled device, and

an electrical connector in electrical communication with the PCMCIA card via at least one or more wires and via one or more circuit devices, said electrical connector being accessible external to said housing for coupling to said field device.

25. A control device according to claim 24, at least a portion of the circuit device is mounted to the electrical connector.

26. A control device according to claim 24, wherein said electrical connector is mounted to said housing.

27. A control device according to any one of claims 24-26, wherein the control device is adapted for use in process control.

28. A control device according to any one of claims 24-26, wherein the control device is adapted to any of monitor and control an industrial operation, a commercial application, a home application and an environmental factor.

29. A control device according to claim 28,

wherein any of monitoring and controlling an industrial operation includes any of controlling a portion of a plant, controlling a machine, controlling a robot, controlling a valve, controlling a reaction chamber, controlling a rate of flow, controlling a reaction parameter, managing a controlled device, receiving status information, receiving information from a sensor, receiving information regarding a process under control, notifying a controller, performing a bookkeeping operation, tracking inventory, transferring a component from inventory, and

wherein any of monitoring and controlling an environmental application includes any of a heating operation, an air conditioning operation, a ventilation operation, an illumination operation, an energy consumption operation, an energy supply operation.

30. A control device according to any one of claims 24-26, wherein the circuit device is a dongle.

31. A control device according to claim 30, wherein the dongle comprises a passive circuit.

32. A control device according to claim 30, wherein the dongle comprises an active circuit.

33. A control device according to claim 30, wherein the dongle comprises a circuit board.

34. A control device according to claim 30, wherein the dongle provides signal conditioning.

35. A control device according to claim 30, wherein the dongle comprises any of an active circuit and a passive circuit disposed on a circuit board and providing signal conditioning.

36. A control device according to any one of claims 24-26, wherein the circuit device comprises a passive circuit.

37. A control device according to claim 36, wherein the passive circuit is disposed on a circuit board.

38. A control device according to claim 36, wherein the passive circuit provides signal conditioning.

39. A control device according to any one of claims 24-26, wherein the circuit device comprises an active circuit.

40. A control device according to claim 39, wherein the active circuit is disposed on a circuit board.

41. A control device according to claim 39, wherein the active circuit provides signal conditioning.

42. A control device according to any one of claims 24-26, wherein the circuit device comprises a circuit board.

43. A control device, comprising

a processor,

at least one PCMCIA card that is in electrical communication with the processor, said PCMCIA card adapted for communications with a field device,

said PCMCIA card being coupled to said field device via at least a circuit device,

the processor being configured to any of monitor and control the field device,

a housing,

the PCMCIA card being enclosed internal to said housing.

44. A control device according to claim 43, further comprising an electrical connector in electrical communication with the PCMCIA card, said electrical connector being accessible external to said housing for coupling to a field device.

45. A control device according to claim 44, wherein at least a portion of the circuit device is mounted to the electrical connector.

46. A control device according to claim 44, wherein said electrical connector is mounted to said housing.

47. A control device according to claim 44, wherein said electrical connector is in electrical communication with the PCMCIA card via at least one or more wires that are enclosed internal to said housing.

48. A control device according to any one of claims 43-47, wherein the control device is adapted for use in process control.

49. A control device according to any one of claims 43-47, wherein the control device is adapted to any of monitor and control an industrial operation, a commercial application, a home application and an environmental factor.

50. A control device according to any one of claims 43-47, wherein the circuit device is a dongle.

51. A control device according to any one of claims 43-47, wherein the circuit device comprises a passive circuit.

52. A control device according to any one of claims 43-47, wherein the circuit device comprises a circuit board.

53. A control device according to claim 49,

wherein any of monitoring and controlling an industrial operation includes any of controlling a portion of a plant, controlling a machine, controlling a robot, controlling a valve, controlling a reaction chamber, controlling a rate of flow, controlling a reaction parameter, managing a controlled device, receiving status information, receiving information from a sensor, receiving information regarding a process under control, notifying a controller, performing a bookkeeping operation, tracking inventory, transferring a component from inventory, and

wherein any of monitoring and controlling an environmental application includes any of a heating operation, an air conditioning operation, a ventilation operation, an illumination operation, an energy consumption operation, an energy supply operation.

54. A control device according to claim 50, wherein the dongle comprises a passive circuit.

55. A control device according to claim 50, wherein the dongle comprises an active circuit.

56. A control device according to claim 50, wherein the dongle comprises a circuit board.

57. A control device according to claim 50, wherein the dongle provides signal conditioning.

58. A control device according to claim 50, wherein the dongle comprises any of an active circuit and a passive circuit disposed on a circuit board and providing signal conditioning.

59. A control device according to claim 51, wherein the passive circuit is disposed on a circuit board.

60. A control device according to claim 51, wherein the passive circuit provides signal conditioning.

61. A control device according to any one of claims 43-47, wherein the circuit device comprises an active circuit.

62. A control device according to claim 61, wherein the active circuit is disposed on a circuit board.

63. A control device according to claim 61, wherein the active circuit provides signal conditioning.