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. 18, 2007
Filed:
May. 26, 2006
David A. Glanzer, Georgetown, TX (US);
Stephen B. Mitschke, Austin, TX (US);
William B. Hawkins, Bloomington, MN (US);
Michael Von Le Suire, Gesseltshausen, DE;
Sergio Hideki Tateishi, Sertaozinho, BR;
David A. Glanzer, Georgetown, TX (US);
Stephen B. Mitschke, Austin, TX (US);
William B. Hawkins, Bloomington, MN (US);
Michael von Le Suire, Gesseltshausen, DE;
Sergio Hideki Tateishi, Sertaozinho, BR;
Fieldbus Foundation, Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
A new and improved control system architecture using a combination of standard function blocks and new flexible function blocks eliminates the need for expensive and difficult to maintain custom control software and special I/O gateways for discrete/hybrid/batch and PLC applications. The end user builds application-specific flexible function blocks by configuring the number and type of inputs and outputs, and the block algorithm. Flexible function blocks and gateway flexible function block interconnect and interoperate with each other and with standard function blocks in a distributed control architecture.