The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 26, 1989
Filed:
May. 17, 1988
William J Ketelhut, Charlottesville, VA (US);
Charles E Konrad, Roanoke, VA (US);
GE Fanuc Automation North America, Inc., Charlottesville, VA (US);
Abstract
The invention disclosed provides an intelligent input/output system for a programmable controller and includes a plurality of input/output (I/O) modules, each of which may be located in proximity to the process being controlled. Each module is interconnected, via a communications link, to a central processor unit (CPU) through an I/O controller. Each module is made up of a plurality of input/output circuits and each may be selectively operated as an input circuit or as an output circuit. The selection is preferably under control of the CPU. Each I/O module includes an operations control unit for controlling each I/O circuit and for providing an exchange of diagnostic and control signals between each I/O circuit and the I/O controller and CPU. Communications between the operations control unit and each I/O circuit is preferably carried out via a pair of conductors, one conductor of which conveys a set of recurring control signals (e.g., in signal frames) and the other of which conveys encoded diagnostic signals.