US 4,064,394 AGranted

Electronic digital process controller having simulated analog control functions

AssigneeAmerican Chain & Cable Company, Inc.

InventorBruce S. Allen

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Abstract

An electronic process controller comprises a digital computer programmed to digitally simulate the functions of each of a plurality of conventional analog and discrete control blocks and a process operator's panel for selecting and arranging these simulated blocks into a simulated control circuit configuration. The operator's panel provides means for direct operator selection of: (1) the input signal to be processed by the computer; (2) the arrangement of simulated blocks for processing the input signal in order to derive an output process control signal; and (3) the output control device to which the output signal is directed. This controller permits assembly and modification of simulated analog process control configurations in a manner analogous to the assembly of conventional hard wire control circuits without the expense of wiring, breaking, and rewiring of hard wire interconnections. At the same time, it permits the operator to use a computer for providing analog control functions without knowledge of a specialized programming language.

Claims27

Dependent claims

An electronic digital process controller for controlling processes of the type utilizing the processing of input signals including one or more analog input signals in order to derive one or more output control signals for controlling one or more process control devices, and controller comprising:

input means for coupling one or more input signals from one or more process sensing devices to a computer, said input means including one or more terminals for receiving analog input signals and one or more paths for coupling said analog input signals to a computer;
coupled to said input means, an electronic digital computer for receiving said input signals from said input means and processing said input signals to derive one or more process control signals for controlling said process, said computer being programmed to simulate the functions of one or more analog process control blocks;
output means for coupling said computer to one or more process control devices, said output means including one or more output paths for coupling said process control signals to said process control devices and one or more terminals for connecting said paths to said process control devices;
and
a process operator's panel coupled to said computer, said panel including:
a. means for selecting each of said one or more analog input signals for processing by said computer.
b. means for selecting each of said one or more analog process control blocks for processing a selected analog input signal;
and
c. means for selecting each of said one or more process control signals and each of said one or more output paths whereby a selected process control signal is directed to a selected output terminal.

6 more elements

An electronic digital process controller for controlling processes of the type utilizing the processing of analog and discrete input signals to derive a plurality of output control signals for controlling a plurality of process control devices, said controller comprising:

input means for coupling a plurality of input signals from a plurality of analog and discrete process sensing devices to a computer, said input means including a plurality of terminals for receiving analog input signals, a plurality of terminals for receiving discrete input signals, a plurality of paths for coupling analog input signals from said analog input terminals to said computer and a plurality of paths for coupling discrete input signals from said discrete input terminals to said computer;
coupled to said input means, an electronic digital computer for receiving said input signals from said input means and processing said input signals to derive a plurality of analog and discrete process control signals for controlling said process, said computer being programmed to simulate the functions of a plurality of analog process control blocks and to simulate the functions of a plurality of discrete process control blocks;
output means for coupling said computer to a plurality of analog and discrete process control devices, said output means including a plurality of analog output paths for coupling said analog process control signals to said analog process control devices and a plurality of analog output terminals for connecting said analog output paths to said analog process control devices, and said output means also including a plurality of discrete output paths for coupling discrete process control signals to said discrete process control devices and a plurality of discrete output terminals for connecting said discrete output paths to said discrete process control devices;
and
a process operator's panel coupled to said computer, said panel including:
a. means for selecting each of said analog input signals for processing by said computer,
b. means for selecting each of said discrete input signals for processing by said computer,
c. means for selecting each of said process control blocks for processing a selected input signal;
d. means for selecting each of said analog process control signals and each of said analog output paths whereby a selected analog process control signal is directed to a selected analog output terminal,
e. means for selecting each of said discrete process control signals and each of said discrete output paths whereby a selected discrete process control signal is directed to a selected discrete output terminal.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.