Mini controller

• US 6,633,278 B1
• Filed: 05/26/2000
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Moeller GmbH (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Moeller GmbH (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Hoegener, Juergen, Kress, Wolfram, Dung, Olaf
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CUNNINGHAM, GREGORY F
• Application Number:
  US09/555,337
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 200/52, 345/169, 345/156, 345/172, 712/247, D13/162.1
• US Class Current: 345/172
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC

Abstract

A mini controller has an intelligent central unit; a storage unit, an operating unit and a display unit. The display unit is subdivided into a sign matrix with n*m sign locations, each sign location in turn being formed by an x*y pixel matrix. Each sign location is associated with a particular type of object, so that only particular types of objects can be input and processed at particular sign locations. Sign locations are provided for at least one object of the operand type, of the connection type and of the assignment type. The object types, the momentary operand states and the resulting connection states are stored in an object assignment table, so that logic-forming current paths can be created by inputting in rows and/or columns the operand, connection and assignment objects into their associated sign locations.

Claims

1. A mini-controller comprising:

an intelligent central processing unit;

an operating unit;

a display unit subdivided into a character matrix including a plurality of lines and columns of character positions, each character position having assigned to it a respective one of a plurality of object types, the object types including at least one of an operand object type, a connection object type, and an allocation object type, each object type having a fixed character length; and

a memory unit including a non-volatile memory area for storing the object types in an object allocation table, and a volatile memory area for storing a mapping of the character matrix, the mapping being executable by the central processing unit, wherein each of the plurality of object types capable of being linked to another object type so that lines including current paths producing a logic array are formed on the display unit.

2. The mini-controller as recited in claim 1 wherein the mini-controller is a logic relay.

3. The mini-controller as recited in claim 1 wherein each operand object type is designed in the form of at least one of a circuit diagram symbol and a circuit diagram symbol designation.

4. The mini-controller as recited in claim 1 wherein the display unit includes a visible area of four lines.

5. The mini-controller as recited in claim 1 wherein the display unit includes a visible area, and contents of the object allocation table is capable of being scrolled up and down over the visible area.

6. The mini-controller as recited in claim 1 wherein the operating unit includes four positioning keys and four function keys.

7. The mini-controller as recited in claim 1 wherein the connection objects enable adjacent rows and columns to be logically interconnected.

8. The mini-controller as recited in claim 1 further comprising a parameter table for storing a plurality of parameters of a plurality of functional modules.

9. The mini-controller as recited in claim 1 wherein the memory unit includes an interchangeable storage module.