# US 2016/0123624 A1 · Universal cell > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0123624 A1 - Document ID: US20160123624A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/869,808 - Filed: 2015-09-29 - Published: 2016-05-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-30 - Assignees: Honeywell International Inc. - Applicants: Honeywell International Inc. - Inventors: Rick Solosky - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160123624A1 ## CPC - G05B 19/0423: {Input/output} - G05B 2219/21009: Display states of I-O - G05B 2219/23258: GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, labview - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A universal analog cell that has electronic circuits that can be configured with a processor using a program designed for connection to one or more of a large range of various sensor and actuator types. The cell may have just a few terminals, for example four terminals, that can be configured for a wide range of components. A sensor or actuator which inherently requires several terminals may be implemented using all the terminals of the cell, but the cell may also support multiple input or output features as long as each of these features requires less than all terminals of the cell. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A universal interface system comprising: a cell; and a computer connected to the cell; and wherein: the cell comprises one or more terminals; the cell provides at the one or more terminals inputs and outputs that are configured to be compatible for a set of electrical components of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system; the one or more terminals provide inputs and outputs are reconfigured to be compatible for a different set of electrical components of the HVAC system; inputs and outputs at the one or more terminals are configured at the cell incorporating signals from the computer according to a program; and the computer provides a display showing a screen showing items to click on for providing appropriate values at the one or more terminals for connection by the one or more components of a set of electrical components. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sets of electrical components comprise one or more sensors and/or actuators. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more sensors or actuators are selected from a group comprising bridge sensors, NTC sensors, RTD sensors, powered potentiometers, and actuators with feedback. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein inputs and outputs at one or more terminals are selected from a group comprising current inputs, current outputs, voltage inputs, voltage outputs, thermocouple inputs, voltage threshold detections, tachometer inputs, PWM inputs, PWM outputs, and frequency/pulse generator outputs. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the computer configures a cell for a particular sensor or actuator to be connected to the one or more terminals according to the program. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a cell can support two or more sensors or actuators at one time. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a user can select from a list of configurations on a screen for use. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein one or more terminals of the cell provide analog signal inputs and outputs to appropriate connection of the sensors and actuators. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more terminals have input signals and output signals having magnitudes less than 50 volts. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: additional cells are numbered in groups of two or more cells; and wherein: each of the cells has a set of four terminals; and each set of four terminals can provide an interface for up to such as three analog I/O circuits to support such as three sensors and/or actuators at one time. ### Claim 11 A method for providing interfaces for analog mechanisms, comprising: providing a cell having circuitry with a predetermined number of terminals; configuring the circuitry for obtaining one or more interfaces at the predetermined number of terminals for a first kind of one or more sensors and/or actuators; reconfiguring the circuitry according to a program for obtaining another one or more interfaces at the predetermined number of terminals for a second kind of one or more sensors and/or actuators; and connecting a processor to the cell that configures or reconfigures the circuitry for obtaining the one or more interfaces appropriate for a kind of the one or more sensors and/or actuators. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a number of the predetermined number of terminals by setting the number where there are two or less terminals remaining when the one or more sensors and/or actuators are connected to the predetermined number of terminals. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein: the one or more sensors and/or actuators are selected from a group comprising bridge sensors, NTC sensors, RTD sensors, powered potentiometers, and actuators with feedback; and one or more inputs and outputs at one or more terminals are selectable for one or more items from a group comprising current inputs, current outputs, voltage inputs, voltage outputs, thermocouple inputs, voltage threshold detection inputs, tachometer inputs, PWM inputs, PWM outputs, and frequency/pulse generator outputs. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: adding one or more cells; and wherein each cell has circuitry connected to a predetermined number of terminals. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: configuring the circuitry of a cell for obtaining one or more interfaces at the predetermined number of or less terminals for a first kind of electrical components; reconfiguring the circuitry of the cell for obtaining another one or more interfaces at the predetermined number of or less terminals for a second kind of electrical components; and connecting a processor to the cell that configures and reconfigures the circuitry according to a program for obtaining the one or more interfaces at the predetermined number of or less terminals. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: predetermining a number of terminals by setting the number where there are two or less terminals remaining when the one or more electrical components are connected to the predetermined number of terminals; and wherein: the one or more electrical components are selected from a group comprising bridge sensors, NTC sensors, RTD sensors, powered potentiometers, and actuators with feedback; and one or more inputs and outputs at the predetermined number of terminals are selected from a group comprising current inputs, current outputs, voltage inputs, voltage outputs, thermocouple inputs, voltage threshold detection inputs, tachometer inputs, PWM inputs, PWM outputs, and frequency/pulse generator outputs. ### Claim 17 An analog interface block mechanism comprising: an interface block comprising configurable inputs and outputs; and a processor connected to the interface block; and wherein: the interface block comprises circuitry that is affected by a program executed by the processor to result in configured inputs and outputs of the interface block; the inputs and outputs are configured for establishing compatibility with a first set of one or more sensors and/or actuators of an HVAC system, that are connected to the inputs and outputs of the interface block; and the inputs and outputs are reconfigured for establishing compatibility with a second set of one or more sensors and/or actuators of an HVAC system, that are connected to the inputs and outputs of the interface block. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The mechanism of claim 17, further comprising a display for showing a dialog box having items that are selectable for configuring an input or output of the interface block for a compatible connection with a sensor or actuator. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The mechanism of claim 17, further comprising: one or more additional interface blocks like the first interface block, connected to the processor; and wherein: each of the additional interface blocks comprises configurable inputs and outputs; each of the additional interface blocks comprises circuitry that is affected by a program executed by the processor to result in configured inputs and outputs of the interface block; the inputs and outputs are configured for establishing compatibility with a third set of one or more sensors and/or actuators that are connected to the inputs and outputs of the interface block. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The mechanism of claim 19, wherein the inputs and outputs are reconfigured for establishing compatibility with a fourth set of one or more sensors and/or actuators that are connected to the inputs and outputs of the interface block. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The mechanism of claim 17, wherein: there is an M number of interface blocks; each interface block comprises an N number of terminals; one or more terminals of the N number of terminals of an interface block are configured to be an input/output for a selected sensor or actuator; the one or more terminals of the N number of terminals of the same interface block can be reconfigured to be an input/output for another selected sensor or actuator; and the N number of terminals is kept at a minimum.