Programmable control apparatus including an absolute position transducer
AssigneeAutotech Corporation
InventorsShalabh Kumar, Duane Edgar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The programmable control apparatus includes an absolute position transducer capable of being mechanically coupled to a machine and electrical circuitry for generating signals indicative of and related to the machine position, a programming unit including a microcomputer, visual display device, program input circuitry, one or more programmable memory position output devices (PMPODs) each of which includes a non-volatile memory, latching circuitry and output interface circuitry, and terminal blocks for interconnection of the absolute position transducer to the programming unit or the PMPOD.
Claims26
A high speed programmable control apparatus including an absolute position transducer which is capable of being coupled to a machine and which has electrical circuitry for generating output signals indicative of and related to the machine position, a programming unit including a microcomputer, visual display means and a data input keyboard, and a plurality of programmable memory output devices (PMPOD) each containing a memory having a portion of a changing transducer output as part of its address and at least one output switching device coupled to said programming unit, each PMPOD being coupled to said microcomputer and to at least one controlled device, said position transducer being coupled to said PMPODS directly or through said programming unit and said control apparatus including means for addressing all PMPODS at the same time with the changing transducer output, each PMPOD being responsive to the changing transducer output.
A method for controlling functions of a machine utilizing programmable memory position output devices (PMPODs) having control outputs and an absolute position transducer, comprising the steps of:
- storing a setpoint program in a memory having memory outputs;
- reading the position of the absolute position transducer;
- developing an index address for said position including transducer position and, if necessary, scale factor and/or offset;
- addressing said memory with said index address;
- simultaneously updating all control outputs of the PMPODs with the memory outputs to cause starting or stopping of desired machine functions.
An apparatus for controlling functions of a machine including programmable memory position output devices (PMPODs) having control outputs;
- an absolute position transducer;
- a memory having memory outputs;
- means for storing a setpoint program in said memory;
- means for reading the position of the absolute position transducer;
- means for developing an index address for said position including transducer position and, if necessary, scale factor and/or offset;
- means for addressing said memory with said index address;
- and means for simultaneously updating all control outputs of the PMPODs with the memory outputs to cause starting or stopping of a desired machine function.
In a method for controlling functions of a machine utilizing an absolute position transducer and at least one programmable memory position output device (PMPOD) each having a memory and a control output switch, the improvement comprising the steps of:
- providing each memory with a memory address which includes a portion of the position transducer changing output;
- enabling each PMPOD to be responsive to the changing transducer output signals and addressing all the PMPODS at the same time with the changing transducer output.
In a method for controlling functions of a machine utilizing an absolute position transducer and at least one programmable memory position output device (PMPOD) each having a memory and a control output switch, the improvement comprising the step of:
- providing each memory with a memory address which includes a portion of the position transducer changing output.
In a method for controlling functions of a machine utilizing an absolute position transducer, at least one programmable memory position output device (PMPOD) each having a memory with a memory address which includes a portion of the position transducer changing output and a control output switch, and a computer system, the improvement comprising the steps of:
- enabling each PMPOD to be responsive to the changing transducer output and addressing all the PMPODS at the same time with the changing transducer output.
A high speed programmble control apparatus including an absolute position transducer which is capable of being coupled to a machine and which has electrical circuitry or generating signals indicative of and related to the machine position, a programming unit including a microcomputer, visual display means and a data input keyboard, and a plurality of programmable memory output devices (PMPODS) coupled to said programming unit, each PMPOD including an output switching device and a memory with a memory address and being coupled to said microcomputer, said position transducer being coupled to said PMPODS directly or through said programming unit, said control apparatus including means for addressing all PMPODS at the same time with the changing transducer output, digital conversion circuitry coupled between said electrical circuitry of said position transducer and said microcomputer, and interrupt circuitry coupled between said digital conversion circuitry and said microcomputer, said interrupt circuitry being operable to interrupt said microcomputer and activate same to read the absolute position transducer's position upon each rotational movement of said shaft a predetermined increment and to supply data regarding the position read to all PMPODS.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.