Programmable controller for controlling output of control system by having configuration circuit cooperating with monitor logic to selectively transmit return output frame

A local or remote output management device for controlling outputs of a programmable control system, which determines the state of output channels from the state of input channels according to a predetermined program, said device comprising:

• an output management unit connected to outputs of said programmable control system,
• an output circuit comprising a control and monitor logic having a first serial input, a serial to parallel converter having a second serial input connected to a serial output of the output management unit and parallel outputs connected respectively to said output channels, the output circuit further comprising at least one serial return output connected to the output management unit and to an output of the control and monitor logic, said second serial input being connected to an input of the control and monitor logic,
• an input circuit connected to said first serial input of the output circuit,
• the output circuit receiving from said output management unit on said second serial input a down frame comprising at least a control bit and data bits determining the state of the outputs channels,
• the output circuit further receiving from said input circuit on said first serial input an up input frame comprising at least data bits and a control bit, said data bits comprising bits indicative of electrical faults, and
• the output circuit sending to said output management unit on the serial return output an up output frame produced by the control and monitor logic from the up input frame and the down frame, wherein the output circuit is associated with digital-analog application configuration means which cooperate with the control and monitor logic to configure selectively pins of the output circuit either as data output channels or as control connections specific to an analog application.

A local or remote output management device for controlling outputs of a programmable control system, which determines the state of output channels from the state of input channels according to a predetermined program, said device comprising:

• an output management unit connected to outputs of said programmable control system,
• an output circuit comprising a control and monitor logic having a first serial input, a serial to parallel converter having a second serial input connected to a serial output of the output management unit and parallel outputs connected respectively to said output channels, the output circuit further comprising at least one serial return output connected to the output management unit and to an output of the control and monitor logic, said second serial input being connected to an input of the control and monitor logic,
• an input circuit connected to said first serial input of the output circuit,
• the output circuit receiving from said output management unit on said second serial input a down frame comprising at least a control bit and data bits determining the state of the outputs channels,
• the output circuit further receiving from said input circuit on said first serial input an up input frame comprising at least data bits and a control bit, said data bits comprising bits indicative of electrical faults, and
• the output circuit sending to said output management unit on the serial return output an up output frame produced by the control and monitor logic from the up input frame and the down frame, wherein the output circuit is associated with configuration means for configuring an operating mode of said circuit and said configuration means cooperate with the control and monitor logic to transmit selectively to the return output an up combined output frame produced from the down frame and the up input frame.

A local or remote output management device for controlling outputs of a programmable control system, which determines the state of output channels from the state of input channels according to a predetermined program, said device comprising:

• an output management unit connected to outputs of said programmable control system,
• an output circuit comprising a control and monitor logic having a first serial input, a serial to parallel converter having a second serial input connected to a serial output of the output management unit and parallel outputs connected respectively to said output channels, the output circuit further comprising at least one serial return output connected to the output management unit and to an output of the control and monitor logic, said second serial input being connected to an input of the control and monitor logic,
• an input circuit connected to said first serial input of the output circuit,
• the output circuit receiving from said output management unit on said second serial input a down frame comprising at least a control bit and data bits determining the state of the outputs channels,
• the output circuit further receiving from said input circuit on said first serial input an up input frame comprising at least data bits and a control bit, said data bits comprising bits indicative of electrical faults, and
• the output circuit sending to said output management unit on the serial return output an up output frame produced by the control and monitor logic from the up input frame and the down frame, wherein the output circuit comprises a plurality of down communication monitoring units associated together in such a way as to generate an error signal, and connected to said control and monitor logic and to a counter, said error signal being sent to said control and monitor logic for disabling transfer of data from a defective frame to the output channels, and sent to said counter which is connected to said serial to parallel converter and which resets the output channels if the error signal persists for a plurality of consecutive down frames.