Back to results
US 11,131,986 B1Granted
Modular industrial controller system
AssigneeSamsara Inc.
InventorsDavid Gal, Somasundara Pandian, Ye-Sheng Kuo, Kyle Kuwatani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A controller device may connect to one or more expansion modules for capability expansion. The controller device may be configured to automatically detect and identify connected expansions modules. The controller device may be configured to further automatically detect an order in which the expansion modules are connected. A graphical user interface may be provided including a visualization of the system configuration including the order of the expansion modules.
Claims20
An industrial controller system comprising:
- an industrial controller device comprising a plurality of electrical contacts configured to contact corresponding electrical contacts on an expansion module when the expansion module is attached to the industrial controller device, the plurality of electrical contacts including at least a first one or more electrical contacts and a second one or more electrical contacts;
- wherein the industrial controller device further comprises a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, and one or more processors configured to execute the program instructions to cause the industrial controller device to:
- provide an activation signal via the first one or more electrical contacts;
- request, via the second one or more electrical contacts, acknowledgment of receipt of the activation signal by any expansion modules in communication with to the industrial controller device;
- receive a first response signal, via the second one or more electrical contacts, from a first expansion module;
- provide a propagation instruction, via the second one or more electrical contacts, to the first expansion module, wherein the propagation instruction is for the first expansion module to provide a further activation signal via one or more electrical contacts of the first expansion module that are not in contact with any of the plurality of electrical contacts of the industrial controller device;
- request, via the second one or more electrical contacts, acknowledgment of receipt of the further activation signal by any expansion modules in communication with the industrial controller device;
- receive a second response signal, via the second one or more electrical contacts, from a second expansion module;
- and
- store a configuration order of the first expansion module and the second expansion module, based at least in part on receipt of the first response signal and the second response signal.
7 more elements
A method of an industrial controller system, the method comprising:
- as implemented by an industrial controller device configured with specific program instructions,
- providing an activation signal via a first one or more electrical contacts of the industrial controller device;
- requesting, via a second one or more electrical contacts of the industrial controller device, acknowledgment of receipt of the activation signal by any expansion modules in communication with to the industrial controller device;
- receiving a first response signal, via the second one or more electrical contacts, from a first expansion module;
- providing a propagation instruction, via the second one or more electrical contacts, to the first expansion module, wherein the propagation instruction is for the first expansion module to provide a further activation signal via one or more electrical contacts of the first expansion module that are not in contact with any for the first or second one or more electrical contacts of the industrial controller device;
- requesting, via the second one or more electrical contacts, acknowledgment of receipt of the further activation signal by any expansion modules in communication with the industrial controller device;
- receiving a second response signal, via the second one or more electrical contacts, from a second expansion module;
- and
- storing a configuration order of the first expansion module and the second expansion module, based at least in part on receipt of the first response signal and the second response signal.
6 more elements
An industrial controller system comprising:
- an expansion module comprising:
- a first plurality of electrical contacts configured to contact corresponding electrical contacts on an industrial controller device when the expansion module is attached to the industrial controller system, the first plurality of electrical contacts including at least a first one or more electrical contacts and a second one or more electrical contacts;
- and
- a second plurality of electrical contacts configured to contact corresponding electrical contacts on another expansion module when the expansion module is attached to another expansion module,
- wherein the expansion module further comprises a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, and one or more processors configured to execute the program instructions to cause the expansion module to:
- receive an activation signal via the first one or more electrical contacts;
- receive, via the second one or more electrical contacts, a request for acknowledgment of receipt of the activation signal;
- in response to receiving both the activation signal and the request for acknowledgment of receipt of the activation signal, generate and send, via the second one or more electrical contacts, a response signal;
- receive, via the second one or more electrical contacts, a propagation instruction;
- and
- in response to receiving the propagation instruction, provide a further activation signal via one or more electrical contacts of the second plurality of electrical contacts that are not in contact with any of the first plurality of electrical contacts of the industrial controller device.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.