Programmable device for distributing electrical control signals to technical equipment

• US 6,681,138 B2
• Filed: 09/14/1999
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Lenz, Christian, Möhler, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ramesh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gain, Edward F.
• Application Number:
  US09/395,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20030060908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17, 700/83, 345/965, 345/970
• US Class Current: 700/17
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0423 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/965 for process control and configuration

Abstract

The programmable device (V) has terminal connections (610, 620) for electrically connecting the technical equipment (B1 . . . Bm), process signal channels (K1 . . . Km), which can be programmed depending on the application, for the electrical control signals, a display device (A) for showing the programmable process signal channels (K1 . . . Km) and the terminal connections (610, 620), graphics control equipment (M, T) for the virtual association of the process signal channels (K1 . . . Km) with the terminal connections (610, 620), and at least one processing unit (X1, X2) which, on the basis of the graphical association, produces a corresponding control link.

Claims

1. A programmable device for distributing electrical control signals to technical equipment, comprising:

a) terminal connections for electrically connecting to the technical equipment;

b) programmable process signal channels each individually operable to bi-directionally carry a respective electrical control signal either to or from a respective terminal connection, wherein each of said process signal channels is application-dependently programmable to operate as either an input or an output;

c) a display device having a graphics user interface, said graphics user interface comprising;

c1) first graphics control fields for displaying said programmable process signal channels; and

c2) second graphics control fields for displaying said terminal connections;

d) graphics control equipment for establishing an application-dependent graphical association between a selected one of said first graphics control fields and a selected one of said second graphics control fields;

e) at least one processing unit which, on the basis of the application-dependent graphical association, produces a control link that selectively establishes one of two available physical connections between one of said programmable process signal channels that is represented by said selected first graphics control field, and one of said terminal connections that is represented by said selected second graphics control field, wherein the physical connection is defined to be either an input or an output based on the graphical association;

f) a central processing unit operable to control said graphics control equipment; and

g) a data bus for connecting between said central processing unit and said at least one processing unit,

wherein said at least one processing unit is a local connection module comprising said terminal connections for flexibly connecting said technical equipment and said at least one processing unit is software programmable to generate the control link based on the application dependent graphical association.

2. The programmable device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said graphics user interface further comprises:

separate process windows associated with each respective piece of the technical equipment, each of said separate process windows having at least any of said first and second graphics control fields that are used to show those of said process signal channels and those of said terminal connections that are linked to said respective piece of technical equipment.

3. The programmable device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said graphics user interface further comprises:

a) a graphics input area containing selected ones of said first graphics control fields that are linked, during the application-dependent graphical associations with selected ones of said second graphics control fields, to corresponding ones of

said terminal connections as input signal channels; and

b) a graphics output area containing selected ones of said first graphics control fields that are linked, during the application-dependent graphical associations with selected ones of said second graphics control fields, to corresponding ones of said terminal connections as output signal channels.

4. The programmable device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a graphics terminal area containing said second graphics control fields positioned to correspond approximately to a physical arrangement of said terminal connections.

5. The programmable device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said graphics user interface allows at least one of a respective color code and a respective number code to be associated with said terminal connections, which are represented by said second graphics control fields.

6. The programmable device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said central processing unit is a programmable logic controller that is used to process said electrical control signals.

7. A method of distributing electrical control signals to technical equipment via a programmable device, comprising:

a) electrically connecting the technical equipment to terminal connections of the programmable device;

b) displaying programmable process signal channels, which distribute the electrical control signals, as first graphics control fields via a graphics user interface on a display device;

c) displaying the terminal connections as second graphics control fields via the graphics user interface on a display device;

d) application-dependently programming one of the programmable process signal channels by establishing an application-dependent graphical association, via graphics control equipment, between a selected one of the first graphics control fields and a selected one of the second graphics control fields;

producing a control link, based on the application-dependent graphical association, in at least one processing unit such that the electrical control signals are transmitted via the one of said programmable process signal channels that is represented by the selected first graphics control field, and via one of the terminal connections that is represented by the selected second graphics control field;

f) processing the electrical control signals via a central processing unit; and

g) connecting the central processing unit and the at least one processing unit via a data bus;

wherein the at least one processing unit is a local connection module comprising the terminal connections for connecting the technical equipment and said at least one processing unit is software programmed to generate a control link based on the application dependent graphical association.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

associating separate process windows with each respective piece of the technical equipment, each of the separate process windows having at least any of the

first and second graphics control fields that are used to show those of the process signal channels and those of the terminal connections that are linked to the respective piece of technical equipment.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

a) displaying a graphics input area, via the graphics user interface, containing selected ones of the first graphics control fields that are linked, during the application-dependent graphical associations with selected ones of the second graphics control fields, to corresponding ones of the terminal connections as input signal channels; and

b) displaying a graphics output area, via the graphics user interface, containing selected ones of the first graphics control fields that are linked, during the application-dependent graphical associations with selected ones of the second graphics control fields, to corresponding terminal connections as output signal channels.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

displaying a graphics terminal area, via the graphics user interface, containing the second graphics control fields positioned to correspond approximately to a physical arrangement of the terminal connections.

11. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the graphics user interface allows at least one of a respective color code and a respective number code to be associated with the terminal connections, which are represented by the second graphics control fields.

12. A programmable device for distributing electrical control signals to technical equipment, comprising:

a) terminal connections for electrically connecting the technical equipment;

b) programmable process signal channels for the electrical control signals, wherein said process signal channels are application-dependently programmable;

c) a display device having a graphics user interface, said graphics user interface comprising;

c1) first graphics control fields for displaying said programmable process signal channels; and

c2) second graphics control fields for displaying said terminal connections;

d) graphics control equipment for establishing an application-dependent graphical association between a selected one of said first graphics control fields and a selected one of said second graphics control fields;

e) at least one processing unit which, on the basis of the application-dependent graphical association, produces a control link such that the electrical control signals are transmitted via one of said programmable process signal channels that is represented by said selected first graphics control field, and via one of said terminal connections that is represented by said selected second graphics control field;

f) a central processing unit; and

g) a data bus for connecting between said central processing unit and said at least one processing unit,

wherein said at least one processing unit is a local connection module comprising said terminal connections for connecting said technical equipment and said at least one processing unit is software programmed to generate a control link based on the application dependent graphical association and wherein further, said central processing unit is a programmable logic controller used to process said electrical control signals.