I/O scanner for an industrial control
First Claim
1. An input/output system for an industrial control system which comprises:
- a control processor having memory means for storing an input image table, an output image table, and configuration data, and having a serial output port for transmitting data packets and command packets, and having a serial input port for receiving data packets; and
a plurality of I/O modules each having a serial input port and a serial output port, the I/O modules being connected in series, and the input port of the first I/O module being connected to the serial output port of the control processor and the serial output port of the last I/O module being connected to the serial input port of the control processor to form a serial I/O ring, and the serial input port of each module being selectively connected to the serial output port of that module, and wherein each I/O module includes;
(a) a temporary storage latch for storing data packets received at the serial input port of that I/O module, and for selectively sending data packets to the serial output port of that I/O module;
(b) an output latch for applying output data from a data packet received from the temporary storage latch to a set of output terminals;
(c) an input latch for selectively applying input data received at a set of I/O module input terminals to the serial output port of that module;
(d) configuration means operatively connected to the temporary storage latch for controlling the operating configuration of the I/O module, the configuration means including a configuration latch; and
(e) control means operatively connected to the temporary storage latch, the output latch, the input latch, the configuration means, the serial input port and the serial output port for directing data through the I/O module whereby upon receipt of a first data packet at the serial input port, input data from the input latch is directed to the serial output port and said first data packet is directed to the temporary storage latch, and upon receipt of a next data packet consecutively after said first data packet, the contents of the temporary storage latch are directed to the serial output port and said next data packet is directed to the temporary storage latch, and upon receipt of an update command pocket at the serial input port, the contents of the temporary storage latch are directed to the output latch and the update command packet is directed to the serial output port, and upon receipt of a configure command packet at the serial input port, the contents of the temporary storage latch are directed to the configuration latch and the configure command packet is directed to the serial output port.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The I/O modules for an industrial control processor are connected together in a serial I/O ring. The processor performs an I/O scan sequence in which output data for the I/O modules is shifted serially from an output image table onto the I/O ring and input data from the I/O modules is pushed around the I/O ring and into the processor where it updates an input image table. Each I/O module can be configured to perform digital filtering and input pulse catching on the inputs and to enable a watchdog timer. Configuration data is sent out from the processor like output data and is latched into a configuration latch in the I/O module by a configure command from the processor.
30 Citations
9 Claims
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1. An input/output system for an industrial control system which comprises:
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a control processor having memory means for storing an input image table, an output image table, and configuration data, and having a serial output port for transmitting data packets and command packets, and having a serial input port for receiving data packets; and a plurality of I/O modules each having a serial input port and a serial output port, the I/O modules being connected in series, and the input port of the first I/O module being connected to the serial output port of the control processor and the serial output port of the last I/O module being connected to the serial input port of the control processor to form a serial I/O ring, and the serial input port of each module being selectively connected to the serial output port of that module, and wherein each I/O module includes; (a) a temporary storage latch for storing data packets received at the serial input port of that I/O module, and for selectively sending data packets to the serial output port of that I/O module; (b) an output latch for applying output data from a data packet received from the temporary storage latch to a set of output terminals; (c) an input latch for selectively applying input data received at a set of I/O module input terminals to the serial output port of that module; (d) configuration means operatively connected to the temporary storage latch for controlling the operating configuration of the I/O module, the configuration means including a configuration latch; and (e) control means operatively connected to the temporary storage latch, the output latch, the input latch, the configuration means, the serial input port and the serial output port for directing data through the I/O module whereby upon receipt of a first data packet at the serial input port, input data from the input latch is directed to the serial output port and said first data packet is directed to the temporary storage latch, and upon receipt of a next data packet consecutively after said first data packet, the contents of the temporary storage latch are directed to the serial output port and said next data packet is directed to the temporary storage latch, and upon receipt of an update command pocket at the serial input port, the contents of the temporary storage latch are directed to the output latch and the update command packet is directed to the serial output port, and upon receipt of a configure command packet at the serial input port, the contents of the temporary storage latch are directed to the configuration latch and the configure command packet is directed to the serial output port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for processing data in an industrial control I/O module which is part of an I/O communications ring for transmitting data and command packets of information comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving an input packet from the communications ring into a receive register; (b) if the input packet is a data packet, and the data packet is the first data packet in a series of consecutive data packets, then storing the data packet in a temporary storage latch, latching input data from a set of input terminals into an input latch, and transmitting an output packet containing the contents of the input latch onto the communications ring; (c) upon receipt of a second consecutive data packet and subsequent consecutive data packets, transmitting an output packet containing the contents of the temporary storage latch onto the communications ring and latching the data packet from the receive register into the temporary storage latch; (d) if the input packet is an update command packet, then latching the contents of the temporary storage latch into an output latch connected to a set of output terminals and transmitting an output packet containing the update command packet from the receive register onto the communications ring; (e) if the input packet is a configure command packet, then latching the contents of the temporary storage latch into a configuration latch for controlling the configuration of the I/O module, and transmitting an output packet containing the configure command packet from the receive register onto the communications ring.
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6. An I/O module for a serial I/O communications ring comprising:
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a serial input port for receiving data and command packets from the communications ring; a temporary storage latch for storing data packets received at the serial input port of that module and for selectively sending data packets to a serial output port of that module; an output latch for applying output data from a data packet received from the temporary storage latch to a set of output terminals; an input latch for selectively applying input data received at a set of I/O module input terminals to the serial output port of that module;
a serial output port for transmitting data and command packets onto the communications ring, the serial output port being selectively connected to either the serial input port, the temporary storage latch, or the input latch;configuration means operatively connected to the temporary storage latch for controlling the operating configuration of the I/O module, the configuration means including a configuration latch; and control means operatively connected to the temporary storage latch, the output latch, the input latch, the configuration means, the serial input port and the serial output port for directing data through the I/O module whereby upon receipt of a first data packet at the serial input port, input data from the input latch is directed to the serial output port and said first data packet is directed to the temporary storage latch, and upon receipt of a next data packet consecutively after said first data packet, the contents of the temporary storage latch are directed to the serial output port and said next data packet is directed to the temporary storage latch, and upon receipt of an update command packet at the serial input port, the contents of the temporary storage latch are directed to the output latch and the update command packet is directed to the serial output port, and upon receipt of a configure command packet at the serial input port, the contents of the temporary storage latch are directed to the configuration latch and the configure command packet is directed to the serial output port. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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Specification