Method and apparatus for detecting and isolating shorts and other troubles on a polling loop
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsFrancis C. Marino, Jon C. Bruns, Jean U. Millien, John J. Ryan
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Abstract
An Addressable Electronic Switch (AES) is disclosed together with unique S/W (software) procedures for a system control to detect, locate, and isolate shorts, overloads, and other troubles, such as temporary breaks or disconnects, on a Vplex or similar 2-wire polling loop. The addressable electronic switches are placed at strategic locations throughout the polling loop, and are individually commanded by the system control to either connect or disconnect its respective branch from the rest of the polling loop, to locate and isolate a troubled area from the rest of the polling loop.
Claims23
A system for detecting and isolating shorts and other troubles on a polling loop comprising a plurality of Addressable Electronic Switch (AES) devices, each having an associated ASIC, by which an electronic switch in each AES is individually turned ON or OFF by a system control for the polling loop, wherein the AESs are placed at branch locations with associated branches throughout the polling loop, and each AES is individually commanded by the system control through its associated ASIC to either connect or disconnect its associated branch from the polling loop, such that the system control can, by turning ON and OFF particular addressable electronic switches distributed throughout the polling loop, locate and isolate troubled polling loop branches.
A method for detecting and isolating shorts and other troubles on a polling loop comprising placing a plurality of Addressable Electronic Switch (AES) devices, each having an associated addressable ASIC, at branch locations with associated branches throughout the polling loop, and a system control for controlling the polling loop, wherein the system control individually commands each AES device through its associated addressable ASIC to close or open an electronic switch to either connect or disconnect its associated branch from the polling loop, and the system control can, by turning ON and OFF particular addressable electronic switches distributed throughout the polling loop, locate and isolate troubled polling loop branches.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.