Loading patent…
AssigneeSchneider Automation Inc.
InventorsThomas Godicke, Francois Gorisse, Jean-Jacques Genin
Estimating the term…
The present invention relates to a communications system in a programmable controller comprising smart modules, a network module connected to a TCP/IP network and an internal communications bus, for example the backplane bus connecting all the modules of the programmable controller with each other. The communications system enables exchanges of information in compliance with the TCP/IP protocol, to be performed on the internal communications bus. Each smart module has its own IP address and a TCP/IP stack. The communications bus includes several separate communications channels providing for simultaneous flow of the frames complying with the TCP/IP protocol together with frames complying with other protocols. The invention also relates to a programmable controller capable of implementing such a communications system.
A communications system in a modular programmable controller (50) which comprises several smart modules (20,30) provided with its own processing unit (21,31) and which comprises an internal communications bus (5) for connecting the modules of the programmable controller (50) with each other, characterized by the fact that the communications system enables exchanges of information to be performed on the internal communications bus (5) in compliance with the TCP/IP communications protocol and by the fact that, for exchanging information in compliance with the TCP/IP communications protocol, a smart module (20,30) of a programmable controller (50) includes its own IP address (24,34)and a TCP/IP stack (22,32) which may be executed by the processing unit (21,31) of the smart module (20,30).
The communications system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the link layer of the TCP/IP network (9) is the recommended MAC layer in the Ethernet standard.
A programmable controller (50) including at least a smart module (20,30) and an internal communications bus (5) for connecting the modules to each other, characterized by the fact that the programmable controller is capable of implementing a communications system according to any of the preceding claims.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.