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:
May. 04, 1999
Filed:
Jan. 03, 1994
Jon B Milliken, Marshalltown, IA (US);
Richard J Vanderah, Marshalltown, IA (US);
Dennis G Sickels, Marshalltown, IA (US);
Fisher Controls International, Inc., Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
A controller of the type used in process control includes a plurality of modular I/O units. The I/O units includes I/O circuits which may be of four basic types: digital input circuits, digital output circuit, analog input circuits and analog output circuits. Each of the I/O circuits has a code generator that generates a binary code indicating the type of I/O circuit. The controller is microprocessor-controlled and periodically communicates with the I/O circuits and determines the type of each I/O unit based upon the binary code. The I/O units may be temperature-compensated based upon the temperature within the housing of the controller, and other integrity checks may be performed on the I/O units. The controller also has a change module routine which allows the I/O units to be installed or removed during operation of the controller.