Ics Triplex Technology Limited

Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

Linda Murphy, Legal Representative

Thomas Bruce Meagher

Kenneth John Murphy

Gerald Robert Creech

Philip John Agar

Ian David Wynne Jones

An industrial process control apparatus and method that includes a number of processors and a number of input/output modules. Each processor is connected to a plurality of the input/output modules by a unidirectional command line. Each input/output module is connected to a plurality of the processors by a unidirectional response line. The processors are arranged to issue an identifier request to all of the connected input/output modules and each input/output module is arranged to respond to the identifier request via the respective response line with a response that includes a unique identifier. Such a configuration allows each processor to identify the physical location of each respective input/output module.

Method and apparatus for interconnecting modules

This invention relates to line frequency synchronisation for use in diagnostics for alternating current electrical circuits. The invention provides a method of synchronising measurement system frequency with an alternating current line frequency comprising the steps of: adjusting the frequency of the measurement system frequency using a frequency locked loop until the measurement system frequency is within a predetermined range of said alternating current line frequency; and when the measurement system frequency is within a predetermined range of said alternating current line frequency adjusting the phase and the frequency of the measurement system frequency using a phase and frequency locked loop.

Line frequency synchronization

This invention relates to fault detection in electrical circuits. The invention provides a switch for a fault tolerant digital output module comprising: an output transistor pair for enabling and disabling an alternating output current; and a current limiter for clamping the output current to a predetermined maximum value.

Overload protection method

This invention relates to overload protection for a circuit driving a direct current (DC) load. The invention provides a method of generating an overload condition for an output module driving a load having a load current and a load voltage comprising the steps of: monitoring the load current at sample intervals; comparing the monitored load current to a predetermined load current threshold; starting an overload timer in the event that the timer is not running and the monitored load current is greater than said load current threshold; monitoring the load voltage at said sample intervals; generating a ramped load voltage waveform for reference purposes in dependence upon an initial load voltage and a predetermined step size load voltage in the event that the overload timer is running; generating an overload condition in the event that the monitored load voltage is less than said ramped load voltage reference waveform, the ramped load voltage is less than a predetermined positive ramp limit and the overload timer is running.

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Henderson, NV, United States of America

Linda Murphy, Legal Representative