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:
Aug. 01, 2000
Filed:
Apr. 30, 1997
Kenneth G Lunz, Allison Park, PA (US);
Daniel Louis Simon, Glenshaw, PA (US);
Westinghouse Process Control, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
A modular input/output (I/O) system for field wiring includes a plurality of base units into which electronics modules providing appropriate signal processing are plugged. A backplane in each base unit provides leads between the electronics module and associated terminals to which the field wiring is connected and also hosts a communications bus through which the electronics modules on serially connected base members communicate with a controller. Switching modules plugged into some of the base members selectively switch field signals applied to terminals for an associated electronics module to another electronics module for redundancy, or switch test signals into the associated electronics module in place of the field wiring signals. The test signals are generated by yet another of the electronics modules while still another electronics module generates control signals for the switching modules.