Customizable frequency converter

• US 9,274,813 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2005
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Technology OY (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Hindsberg, Anders
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): APONTE, FRANCISCO JAVIER
• Application Number:
  US11/667,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20080092135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,759 Days
• Field of Search: 717101-178, 700/18, 700/86, 702/65, 713/1, 719/331, 714/725, 324118-119, 326/39
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44521 Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading

Abstract

A frequency converter (100) comprises a processor (102), memory (104) and basic software (106) in the memory, the execution of which software implements the basic functionality of the frequency converter. For application-specific customization, the memory of the frequency converter is arranged to include application software (108) that contains callable functions (210) and is installable separately from the basic software. The frequency converter is arranged to execute the basic software (106) and the application software (108) with the same processor (102). The basic software (106) calls a function of the application software and/or provides functions of its own to be called by the application software indirectly via a link (240_k) in a call table (240), the location of the link in the call table being independent of the location of the function (210) corresponding to the link in the memory.

Claims

1. A frequency converter comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing basic software which when executed with the processor implements the basic functionality of the frequency converter, which comprises at least control of a power stage,

wherein;

the memory of the frequency converter is arranged to include application software that contains at least one callable function and is installable separately from the basic software;

the frequency converter is arranged to execute the basic software and the application software with the the processor;

the basic software is arranged to call said at least one function of the application software and to provide at least one function of the basic software to be called by the application software indirectly via a link in a call table; and

the location of said link in the call table is independent of the location of the function corresponding to the link in the memory.

2. The frequency converter according to claim 1, wherein the basic software comprises a routine to check the correctness of the application program.

3. The frequency converter according to claim 1, wherein the basic software comprises a loading program for loading the application software or a part of it.

4. The frequency converter according to claim 3, comprising interface means for connection to an external system and that the loading program is arranged to load the application software or a part of it via said interface means.

5. The frequency converter according to claim 3, wherein the loading program is arranged to copy the application software or a part of it from a detachable memory to a fixed memory.

6. The frequency converter according to claim 3, wherein the loading program is arranged to copy the application software or a part of it between fixed memory areas of the frequency converter.

7. The frequency converter according to claim 3, wherein the loading program is arranged to copy the application software or a part of it from the frequency converter to an external memory or interface.

8. The frequency converter according to claim 1, wherein each function of the application software is stored as an alternative piece of application software.