The Foxboro Company

Invensys Systems, Inc.

Ekms, Inc.

Harold Lake

Simon Korowitz

Harris D Kagan

Paul E Grandmont

Charles Wilson Piper

David P Prentice

Richard A Anderson

Charles W Kellstedt

Donald O Hallee

John Greenup

Thomas B Graves

Kenneth L Johansson

A field controller for use in a distributed control system including an area controller and at least one field controller. The field controller manages at least one controlled device in an industrial process operation. The field controller comprises a processor module segment through which it can control a selected number of devices, and it may also include one or more expansion module segments to enable it to control a larger number of controlled devices. The processor module segment includes a processor module and at least one local interface module for interfacing to a controlled device, and the expansion module segment includes interface modules for interfacing to other controlled devices. In the processor module segment, the processor module and said local interface module are interconnected by a bus segment, which is also connected to an upstream off-module connector. Each expansion module segment includes at least one interface module, and also includes a downstream off-module connector and an upstream off-module connector, which are interconnected by a bus segment. The downstream off-module connector of each expansion module segment is adapted to mate with the upstream off-module connector of the processor module segment and of other expansion module segment, so as to facilitate the interconnection of the processor module segment and a sequence of expansion module segments by establishing a unitary multi-drop bus comprising the processor module's bus segment and the bus segments of expansion module in the sequence. The processor module controls each controlled device through the respective local interface module or expansion interface module connected thereto. The processor module segment and each expansion module segment are each mounted in a housing segment which is configured to form a unitary housing when they are interconnected.

Distributed control system with multiple control levels and/or downloading

Distributed control system including a compact easily-extensible and serviceable field controller

An I/O device in the form of an internal dongle includes a body having connective structure being arranged to removably attach the body to a housing of an electronic device. The dongle also includes a circuit assembly that has an exterior connector on the body for electrically connecting to a second electronic device, a dongle circuit being electrically coupled to the external connector through the body, an electronic cable having a first end electrically coupled to the dongle circuit, and a second end being structured and arranged to connect to an electronic component of the first mentioned electronic device within the housing.

Control device with PCMCIA card for communications with field device

A field controller for use in a distributed control system including an area controller and at least one field controller. The field controller manages at least one controlled device in an industrial process operation. The field controller comprises a processor module segment through which it can control a selected number of devices, and it may also include one or more expansion module segments to enable it to control a larger number of controlled devices. The processor module segment includes a processor module and at least one local interface module for interfacing to a controlled device, and the expansion module segment includes interface modules for interfacing to other controlled devices. In the processor module segment, the processor module and said local interface module are interconnected by a bus segment, which is also connected to an upstream off-module connector. Each expansion module segment includes at least one interface module, and also includes a downstream off-module connector and an upstream off-module connector, which are interconnected by a bus segment. The downstream off-module connector of each expansion module segment is adapted to mate with the upstream off-module connector of the processor module segment and of other expansion module segment, so as to facilitate the interconnection of the processor module segment and a sequence of expansion module segments by establishing a unitary multi-drop bus comprising the processor module's bus segment and the bus segments of expansion module in the sequence. The precessor module controls each controlled device through the respective local interface module or expansion interface module connected thereto. The processor module segment and each expansion module segment are each mounted in a housing segment which is configured to form a unitary housing when they are interconnected.

Distributed control system including a compact, easily-extensible and serviceable field controller

An article adapted to pass a cable through a housing includes a substantially solid body, including front and rear ends. A side surface of the body provides a groove extending into the body from the front to the rear end. The groove is sized to carry a selected size electric cable. The body also includes connective structure adapted to removably connect the body to the housing. The article also includes a sheet of nonconductive material extending across the groove at the front end of the body. The sheet provides a circular opening sized to allow the cable to pass therethrough. The sheet also has a slit extending from the side surface to the circular opening. The sheet is fabricated of a resilient material and is structured to allow the cable to be inserted through the slit and into the circular opening such that the cable extends along the groove and extends into the housing from the rear end of the body when the body is connected to the housing.

I/O connector module for a field controller in a distributed control system

Distributed control system including a compact easily-extensible and

I/O connector module for a field controller in a distributed control

An industrial computing device includes a field mountable primary housing having a removable side cover to facilitate expansion. Within the primary housing there is a head board having a processor on one side. On the opposite side, there is an expansion connector adapted to receive an expansion board and at least one peripheral connector, which is coupled to the processor within the housing. The peripheral connector receives at least one PCMCIA card such that the PCMCIA card is also within the housing when plugged into the peripheral connector. The expansion board includes at least one more peripheral connector to receive at least one more PCMCIA card. The peripheral connector, the expansion connector and the side cover are oriented orthogonal to a mounting plane of the computing device. The primary housing can also include a removable front cover, which together with a top or bottom portion of the primary housing, provides an aperture for flush-mounting an I/O device in the form of an internal dongle. The dongle can include a rear cable that connects to the PCMCIA card or other device within the housing, a front connector for coupling to a field device, and a circuit coupling the connector and the cable.

Industrial field controlling device with controller and expansion modules

Field controller housing

A microporous, photoprocessable, moderately hydrophilic material on which metal can be deposited directly using electroless plating techniques, and its use in preparing printed wiring boards and circuit components.

Multilayer circuit board having microporous layers and method for making

Multilayer circuit board having microporous layers and process for

A CAD driven photoplotter selectively exposes a photographic imaging layer without affecting the underlying UV sensitive resist on a substrate to make a printed wiring board, for example. The image layer is developed on the board and used as an in situ mask for the underlying UV resist during exposure to UV. After UV exposure, the image layer is peeled off to allow conventional processing of the resist. The in situ mask is preferably applied in the form of a baseless, high contrast, high gamma emulsion layer bonded to the protective cover sheet over the uncured resist. To facilitate application, the emulsion layer is carried by a release paper which is removed before photoplotting. After UV exposure, the cover sheet and emulsion layer are integrally peeled from the resist.

Method of patterning resist

A process for making additive multilayer circuit boards uses separately designed and fabricated composite structures each consisting of a patterned conductive metal foil supported by a photo-processible insulating film. The composite is bonded foil pattern side down to the substrate or pre-existing multilayer structure and selected areas of the insulating film are removed down to underlying metal sites for electroless plating. All of the apertures in the insulating film are then electrolessly plated full of metal flush to the upper surface. Additional patterned composites are applied and plated up as desired to create blind vias and new conductor patterns layer by layer. In an alternate process a foil clad composite is bonded to an existing substrate foil side up. The insulating layer is selectively etched through windows photoetched in the foil layer. The voids in the insulator layer expose copper sites on the underlying composite. The voids are plated full of metal to form vias and the foil layer is photoetched to make a conductor pattern. The process is repeated to make a multilayer PWB.

Growing community of inventors

Sharon, MA, United States of America

Harold Lake