Signal interface system and method

• US 8,704,693 B1
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Clemens, Steven Thomas, Jackson, Garth Maury
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khai M
• Application Number:
  US13/688,309
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 341/141, 341/155
• US Class Current: 341/155
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/054 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/21012 Configurable I-O

Abstract

A signal interface system and method of interfacing signal input sources with user output destination devices are provided. The signal interface system is configurable to accept one of a plurality of types of inputs. The signal interface system includes a common section, and a module section including two or more monitor modules. The two or more monitor modules condition a received signal for consumption by a user output destination device. The common input section allows monitor modules to be removed without impacting the function of other monitor modules in the system. The signal interface accepts either discrete inputs or process variable current inputs.

Claims

1. A signal interface system comprising:

a common front-end section, coupleable in communication to a signal input source, wherein the signal input source is one of a discrete input source and a process variable input source; and

a monitor module section coupleable in communication with the common front-end section, the monitor module section configurable to receive one of a discrete input signal and a process variable input signal from the signal input source, wherein the monitor module section is coupleable to a user output destination device.

2. A signal interface system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the monitor module section comprises a plurality of monitor modules coupleable in parallel communication with the common front-end section.

3. A signal interface system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the monitor module comprises a configurable input channel coupleable in communication with the common front-end section, for receiving an output signal from the common front-end section, the configurable input channel including a discrete input conditioner and a process variable input conditioner.

4. A signal interface system in accordance with claim 3, wherein the monitor module comprises a processing unit coupleable in communication with the configurable input channel, for receiving an output signal from the configurable input channel.

5. A signal interface system in accordance with claim 4, wherein the processing unit comprises:

an alarm unit coupleable directly to the discrete input conditioner, for receiving a digital output from the discrete input conditioner; and

an analog-to-digital converter coupleable to the process variable input conditioner, for receiving an output from the process variable input, the analog-to-digital converter coupled to the alarm unit.

6. A signal interface system in accordance with claim 5, wherein the monitor module comprises a relay output block coupleable to the processing unit, for receiving a digital output from the processing unit.

7. A signal interface system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the monitor modules are coupleable in parallel communication with a user output destination device.

8. A signal interface system in accordance with claim 3, wherein the configurable input channel is configurable to accept one of a discrete input signal and a process variable input signal, after receipt of at least one user instruction at the monitor module section.

9. A signal interface system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the processing unit is configured to transmit a channel configuration signal to the configurable input channel.

10. A signal interface system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the configurable input channel includes a plurality of switching devices associated with the discrete signal conditioner and the process variable input conditioner, each of the switching devices configured for changing an open/closed status thereof, in response to receipt of the channel configuration signal from the processing unit.

11. A method for interfacing a signal input source with a user output destination device, said method comprising:

providing a common-front end section, coupleable in communication to a signal input source, wherein the signal input source is one of a discrete input source and a process variable input source;

coupling a monitor module section in communication with the common front-end section, the monitor module section configurable to receive one of a discrete input signal and a process variable input signal from the signal input source;

coupling the monitor module section to a user output destination device; and

receiving at least one user instruction at the monitor module section.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein coupling a monitor module section in communication with the common front-end section comprises coupling a plurality of monitor modules in parallel communication with the common front-end section.

13. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the monitor module comprises a configurable input channel coupleable in communication with the common front-end section, for receiving an output signal from the common front-end section, the configurable input channel including a discrete input conditioner and a process variable input conditioner.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein coupling a monitor module section with the common front-end section comprises coupling a processing unit in communication with the configurable input channel, for receiving an output signal from the configurable input channel.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein coupling a processing unit in communication with the configurable input channel comprises:

coupling an alarm unit directly to the discrete input conditioner, for receiving a digital output from the discrete input conditioner;

coupling an analog-to-digital converter to the process variable input conditioner, for receiving an output from the process variable input; and

coupling the alarm unit to the analog-to-digital converter, for receiving a converted output from the process variable input conditioner.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein coupling a monitor module section in communication with the common front-end section comprises coupling a relay output block to the processing unit, for receiving a digital output from the processing unit.

17. A method in accordance with claim 12, further comprising coupling the monitor modules in parallel communication with a user output destination device.

18. A method in accordance with claim 13, further comprising configuring the configurable input channel to accept one of a discrete input signal and a process variable input signal, after receiving the at least one user instruction at the monitor module section.

19. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein configuring the configurable input channel comprises receiving at the configurable input channel a channel configuration signal from the processing unit.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the configurable input channel includes a plurality of switching devices associated with the discrete signal conditioner and the process variable input conditioner, and configuring the configurable input channel comprises changing an open/closed status for each of the plurality of switching devices, after receipt of the channel configuration signal from the processing unit.