Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.

Texas Instruments Corporation

Siemens Industrial Automation, Inc.

Siemens Industry, Inc.

Harold Jay Licht

Garland Spears

Steven Lawrence

Gordon R Potts

Norman Schultz

A programmable logic controller has a wireless communication interface. A radio frequency identification chip set is mounted to, and is in communication with, the active elements of an integrated circuit on one or more circuit boards in the programmable controller. The chip set provides for radio frequency communication between the controller and other components either inside the controller or external to the controller. Identification information recorded on the chip may be interfaced over a network, particularly, an on-line network such as the Internet.

Programmable controller with RF wireless interface

A connection scheme for a Programmable Logic Controller is taught. Briefly stated, a printed circuit board having a plurality of electrically conductive traces therein and a plurality of electrically conductive fingers associated with the conductive traces is disclosed. The pitch and size of the conductive fingers coincide with that of a PLC I/O connector. One or more of a plurality of interconnective devices may be connected to the printed circuit board thereby minimizing adverse thermal effects from adjacent thermocouple wires or providing for use of various interconnection devices or signal conditioning such as switches, displays, discrete devices and the like.

Connector for programmable logic controller having modifiable

A high power density field wireable connector wherein both the wire insertion and the screw tightening mechanism for retaining an inserted wire in the connector are front accessible and negate the requirement to remove the module as in the prior art. The wiring is located toward the interior of the connector rather than the exterior so that the screws are more accessible. The connector housing includes a mechanism for captivating the mounting screws and a two position locator so that various modules already located in the field can use the same connector. Fingers on the circuit board make contact with contact fingers within the connector. Both the fingers on the circuit board and the contact fingers within the connector are preferably plated with gold. A normal spring force on the fingers within the connector is provided by the cantilever action of interior walls of the connector housing with the contact fingers disposed within the housing. The housing is designed with specific dimensions and tolerances both are compatible with both DIN 41612 and VME standards.

Field wirable VME compatible edge card connector

An operator interface console for protecting a process control equipment such as an industrial computer in a harsh factory environment has a central processing unit and a video display uit for the computer accommodated in a compartment behind a sealed door which has a sealed keyboard and a window to permit operating of the computer and viewing of the display unit while the door is closed, the window being disposed at an ergonomically desirable oblique angle facing somewhat downward to facilitate clear viewing of the display unit under changing lighting, dust and other conditions encountered in many process control situations. Both the video display unit and the central processing unit are mounted on shelf support means which are adjustable for height and through the door opening when desired for supporting the unit outside the compartment for servicing, the shelf support means for the display unit being adjustable for selectively tilting the video display unit to align the screen of the unit in closely spaced, parallel relation to the window for facilitating viewing of the screen through the window, whereby the console is adapted to receive and advantageously mount industrial computers and display units of various manufacturers with equal facility.

Growing community of inventors

Johnson City, TN, United States of America

Harold Jay Licht