US 4,672,529 A · Self contained data acquisition apparatus and system

Abstract

A self contained data acquisition and control system and apparatus with direct process input and output capability. Designed to operate within the harsh environment of a process zone, the apparatus employs a variety of process monitoring and control modules which perform under the direction of redundant computer controllers. These controllers provide control data loading to the modules as well as receive and transmit process status data. The modules are each formed having a hardware control and status monitoring circuit which performs in conjunction with a module microprocessor based control. One module provides for field contact actuation in combination with a technique for deriving data signals form the contact and associated field wiring for evaluating the performance of those same field contacts. Another module provides an isolated electronic switch output wherein the battery power supply or the like is provided with the control apparatus and the status of the load, the power supply and the switch itself is ascertained, while a third analog output module uniquely combines two analog outputs in redundancy an further exhibits status monitoring including full loop status monitoring from the point of derivation of the analog output at a digital analog to converter to the return current from the load itself.

Claims38

Dependent claims

An improved monitoring and control system for use with an industrial system where a process is carried out within a production environmental zone with the utilization of switching monitors and actuators with energizable loads coupled by a multiplicity of field wires to a control station, comprising:

an environmentally secure housing positionable within said zone;
switching input process interface means substantially positioned within said housing, including switch interface means connectable by field wiring with said switching monitors for deriving data signals and for evaluating the performance of said switching monitors and associated said field wiring to derive switching input status signals representing said data signals and said performance, and further including switching input process control means for controlling said switch interface means with respect to each said select switching monitor and receiving said status signals;
and
controller means positioned within said housing and including communications processor means in interactive data transfer communication with said switching input process control means, controller memory means, controller central processing means for evaluating said switching input status signals received by said communications processor means and deriving corresponding process data output signals and for selectively controlling said switching input process control means.

1 more element

An improved monitoring and control system for use with an industrial system wherein a process is carried out within a production environmental zone with energizable loads coupled by a multiplicity of field wires to a control station, comprising:

an environmentally secure housing positionable within said zone;
switch output process interface means positioned within said housing and including:
terminal means connectable with a source of power and connectable by field wiring to said load;
a solid-state switch having a switching input connectable with said load and a switching output connectable with said source, said switch being actuable to conduct between said switching input and switching output in response to the assertion of a select bias signal;
first isolation means responsive to a command input signal for effecting the assertion of said select bias signal through dielectrically isolated signal transmission components to actuate said solid-state switch;
current detect network means connectable with said load and said source and having a load current output signal in the presence of a select value of detected load current;
second isolation means responsive to said load current output signal for providing, through dielectrically isolated transmission components, a load current status output;
switch output process control means for controlling said switch output process interface means by assertion of said command input signal and responsive to evaluate said load current status output with respect to said command input signal and provide switch output process status signals;
and
controller means positioned within said housing and including communications processor means in interactive data transfer communication with said switch output process control means;
first controller memory means, controller central processing means for evaluating said switch output process status signals received by said communications processor means and deriving corresponding process data output signals and for selectively controlling said switch output process control means.

8 more elements

An improved monitoring and control system for use with an industrial system wherein a process is carried out within a production environmental zone with the utilization of actuators with energizable loads coupled by a multiplicity of field wires to a control station, comprising:

an environmentally secure housing positionable within said zone;
terminal means connectable by said field wires with a said load;
first output drive interface means positioned with said housing and including:
first control input means responsive to a control signal input for deriving a corresponding analog signal of predetermined value,
first error stage means responsive to said analog signal and to a feedback signal to provide a control output corresponding with the difference of value and polarity thereof;
first current output means responsive to said control output for applying corresponding current from said terminal means to said load,
first ground stage means having an input coupled with said terminal means for receiving feedback current through a said field wire from said load and deriving said feedback signal as a voltage value in inverted correspondence with said feedback current, and
impedance means coupled with said first ground stage means input for deriving a voltage corresponding with said feedback current,
second output drive interface means positioned within said housing and including:
second control input means responsive to a control signal for deriving a corresponding analog signal of predetermined value,
second error stage means responsive to said analog signal and to a feedback signal to provide a control output corresponding with the difference of value and polarity between said feedback signal and said analog signal,
second current output means responsive to said control output for applying corresponding current from said terminal means to said load,
second ground stage means having an input coupled with said terminal means for receiving feedback current through a said field wire from said load and deriving said feedback signal as a voltage value in inverted correspondence with said feedback current, and
switch means coupled within said second ground stage input and actuable for effecting said feedback current receipt;
means for connecting said first ground stage input with said second ground stage input;
output drive process control means for controlling said first and second output drive interface means and for selectively actuating said switch means;
and
controller means positioned within said housing and including communications processor means in interactive data transfer communication with said output drive process control means, controller memory means, controller central processing means for evaluating said status signals received by said communications processor means and deriving corresponding process data output signals and for selectively controlling said output drive process control means.

15 more elements

An analog output circuit for connection with actuator derived loads, comprising:

output drive circuit means, including:
control input means responsive to a control signal input for deriving a corresponding analog signal of predetermined value;
error stage means responsive to said analog signal and to a feedback signal to provide a control output corresponding with the difference of value and polarity between said analog signal and said feedback signal;
current output means responsive to said control output for outputting current corresponding therewith at an output thereof to said load;
ground stage amplifier means configured to provide a virtual ground and having an input for receiving feedback current from said load and deriving said feedback signal as a voltage value in inverted correspondence with said feedback current;
output impedance means responsive to said current output means output for deriving a voltage out signal corresponding with said outputted current;
return impedance means responsive to said feedback current from said load for deriving a return signal as a voltage level corresponding with the value of said feedback current;
and
comparison circuit means responsive to said voltage out signal and said return signal for deriving an effective voltage signal representing their difference and responsive to said control input means analog signal and said effective voltage signal for effecting a comparison of their values to derive a load status signal.

6 more elements

A switch output circuit for connection with loads, comprising:

switch output means including:
terminal means connectable with a source of power and connectable by field wiring to said load;
a solid-state switch having a switching input connectable with said load and a switching output connectable with said source, said switch being actuable to conduct between said switching input and switching output in response to the assertion of a select bias signal;
first isolation means responsive to a command input signal for effecting the assertion of said select bias signal through dielectrically isolated signal transmission components to actuate said solid state switch;
current detect network means connectable with said load and said source and having a load current output signal in the presence of a select value of detected load current;
second isolation means responsive to said load current output signal for providing a current status output;
and
switch output process control means for controlling said switch output process interface means by assertion of said command input signal and responsive to said load current status output to effect an evaluation of said load current status output with respect to said command input signal.

5 more elements

A system for monitoring the status of field contacts and the field wires which are operationally associated therewith, comprising:

contact monitoring means including:
terminal means connectable with first and second said field wires extending to said field contacts;
means for applying a predetermined potential of first polarity to said first field wire and a predetermined potential of second polarity to said second field wire;
bias response means coupled with said two field wires and said contacts in the vicinity of said contacts and deriving a first analog voltage signal corresponding with said first field wire and a second analog voltage signal corresponding with said second field wire;
comparator means responsive to said first and second analog signals and to predetermined threshold signals for deriving contact input status signals;
threshold means actuable for generating said predetermined threshold signals;
and
contact input process control means for selectively actuating said threshold means and receiving said contact input status signals.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Self contained data acquisition apparatus and system

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Self contained data acquisition apparatus and system

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Abstract

Claims38