CONTROL SYSTEM SIMULATOR AND SIMPLIFIED INTERCONNECTION CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20110231176A1
• Filed: 03/22/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xio, Inc. (RIZAP GROUP, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xio, Inc. (RIZAP GROUP, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sagues, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,862,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/17
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30

Abstract

A computer-based simulator, separate from a computer process control system, that simplifies the electrical interconnection of the computer-based simulator to the computer control system and reduces the number of hardware components required to effect a computer-based simulator. The invention also facilitates remote configuration and operation of the control and simulator systems.

Claims

1. A process simulation system for a control system of a physical process comprising:

(a) a configurable connector module including;

(i) a device communication connector apparatus for connecting at least one conductor between said module and at least one control system input or output signal; and

(ii) interface apparatus for causing said module to place any of a plurality of signals on any of a plurality of contacts of said device communication connector apparatus, wherein said interface apparatus includes at least one electronic integrated circuit providing a selectable interconnection apparatus to a particular one of said contacts, wherein said interface apparatus is configurable by a user of said system; and

(b) a simulator for managing signals corresponding to a simulated physical process,

whereby the operations of the control system during the physical process are simulated.

2. The process simulation system of claim 1, wherein the simulator is external to the module.

3. The process simulation system of claim 2, wherein the simulator is connected to the module via a network connection.

4. The process simulation system of claim 1, wherein the simulator is internal to the module.

5. The process simulation system of claim 1, further comprising a second configurable connector module, wherein the second module is configured to simulate the control system.

6. A method of configuring simulator channels on a configurable connectorized system, said system comprising a module including (i) a device communication connector apparatus with a plurality of contacts and (ii) an interface apparatus including at least one electronic integrated circuit providing a selectable interconnection apparatus to a corresponding at least one of said contacts, said method comprising the steps of commanding said interface apparatus to place any of a plurality of signals on any of said plurality of contacts of said device communication connector apparatus wherein said commanding steps include a system controller commanding communication instructions to said module to simulate a plurality of steps in a physical process controlled by a control system.