Gateway having an input/output scanner
AssigneeSchneider Automation Inc.
InventorRonald Naismith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gateway having an input/output scanner is disclosed. The gateway includes a local area network interface, a serial interface, and a processor configured to provide protocol conversion between the local area network interface and the serial interface. Further, an input/output scanner module is operatively connected to the serial interface and configured to poll the slave device.
Claims30
A gateway operably connected to a slave device comprising:
- a local area network interface;
- a serial interface;
- a processor configured to provide protocol conversion between the local area network interface and the serial interface;
- and,
- an I/O scanner module operably connected to the serial interface and configured to poll the slave device.
A gateway for communication between a local area network and a plurality of slave devices, the gateway comprising:
- a first interface for communication with the local area network;
- a second interface for communication with a plurality of slave devices;
- and,
- an I/O scanner configured to poll an I/O state of each of the plurality of slave devices over the second interface.
A method of offloading processing from a main control device on a local area network to a gateway connected to a plurality of slave devices comprising the steps of:
- connecting a gateway having an embedded I/O scanner to the local area network through a first interface;
- connecting the gateway to a plurality of slave devices through a second interface;
- polling an I/O state associated with each of the plurality of slave devices by the I/O scanner in the gateway;
- and,
- transmitting information received from the polling to the main control device over the first interface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.