System and method for controlling bus-networked devices via an open field bus

• US 9,164,934 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2014
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Electrical IP G.m.b.H. & Co. KG (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Reidt, Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): Mamo, Elias
• Application Number:
  US14/555,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20150149670A1
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/20 for access to input/output bus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40013 Details regarding a bus controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40045 Details regarding the feeding of energy to the node from the bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40234 Local Interconnect Network LIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/4026 Bus for use in automation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

A system for controlling bus-networked devices includes a gateway including a memory unit and having an interface to an open field bus. A power supply unit supplies primary power for the gateway and bus subscribers. An auxiliary power supply unit supplies auxiliary power for the bus subscribers independent of bus functionality. A pluggable connection cable is electrically connects the gateway to the bus subscribers and transmits the primary and the auxiliary power and control and/or status information between the gateway and the bus subscribers. An application bus networks the bus subscribers to each other and is operable by the connection cable. A bus controller writes a target bus configuration of the application bus and stores the target bus configuration in a non-volatile manner in the memory unit. The bus controller is also configured to overwrite the target bus configuration with a present, actual bus configuration.

Claims

1. A system for controlling bus-networked devices, the system comprising:

a gateway including at least one memory unit and having an interface to an open field bus;

a first power supply unit electrically connected to the gateway and configured to supply primary power for the gateway and a plurality of bus subscribers;

an auxiliary power supply unit configured to supply auxiliary power for the plurality of bus subscribers independent of bus functionality;

a pluggable connection cable configured to electrically connect the gateway to the plurality of bus subscribers and to transmit the primary and the auxiliary power and at least one of control information and status information between the gateway and the plurality of bus subscribers;

an application bus configured to network the plurality of bus subscribers to each other, the application bus being operable by the connection cable; and

a bus controller configured to write a target bus configuration of the application bus and to store the target bus configuration in a non-volatile manner in the at least one memory unit, the bus controller being further configured to overwrite the target bus configuration with a present, actual bus configuration of the application bus as a new target configuration.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the gateway includes at least one actuation element configured to initiate a configuration mode in the gateway in which the present, actual bus configuration is taken over by the gateway as the new target configuration, the new target configuration having at least one additional bus subscriber relative to the target configuration.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein, in the configuration mode, the gateway is configured to check how many bus subscribers are connected to the application bus.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of bus subscribers includes at least one report device configured to report at least one of an actuator action and an actuator position on the application bus.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the application bus is a Local Interconnect Network (LIN) bus, and wherein the transmission of the control information and the status information, and the configuration of the application bus is handled via a protocol that includes LIN data frames, the LIN data frames having a length of at least one byte and not more than 8 bytes.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of bus subscribers are industrial switching devices.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the industrial switching devices include at least one of power switches, motor circuit breakers and contactors, electronic motor-protection relays and frequency converters.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of bus subscribers are connected to each other on the application bus in a linear manner via the connection cable.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the connection cable is a 6-wire flat ribbon cable.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the connection cable includes lines for transmitting the primary and auxiliary power, at least one control line and at least one status line.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one control line includes a line configured to switch a contactor of the plurality of bus subscribers on and off, and wherein the at least one status line includes a line configured to query a switching position of the contactor or a status of a motor circuit breaker of the plurality of bus subscribers.