Electronic control device for integration into mechanical systems
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsMarkus Breitfelder, Peter Fischer, Günther Horsak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic control device for integration into mechanical systems is described and provided with an operating program hierarchically broken down into a plurality of program levels. Some of the program levels are non-reprogrammable and some are reprogrammable. In this manner the flexibility of the electronic control device is greatly enhanced.
Claims12
An electronic control device for integration into a mechanical system, the electronic control device comprising:
- a microprocessor-supported central unit;
- a data memory connected to said central unit;
- an interface for communicating with programming and data input devices and also with the mechanical system to be controlled, said interface connected to said central unit;
- and
- a program memory containing an operating program and connected to said central unit, the operating program being hierarchically subdivided into a plurality of program levels including:
- a basic control program for controlling basic functions in conjunction with the mechanical system to be controlled and is reprogrammable;
- a permanently installed, nonreprogrammable core control program for controlling a basic programmability of the electronic control device using the basic control program;
- and
- a device-specific function control program for controlling individual functions of the mechanical system fitted with the electronic control device and is likewise reprogrammable.
A method for programming an electronic control device to be integrated into a mechanical system, the electronic control device having a microprocessor-supported central unit, a data memory connected to the central unit, an interface for communicating with programming and data input devices and also with the mechanical system to be controlled, and a program memory connected to the central unit, which comprises the steps of:
- programming the program memory with an operating program, the operating program being hierarchically subdivided into a plurality of program levels including a basic control program for controlling basic functions in conjunction with the mechanical system to be controlled and is reprogrammable, a permanently installed, nonreprogrammable core control program for controlling a basic programmability of the electronic control device using the basic control program, and a device-specific function control program for controlling individual functions of the mechanical system fitted with the electronic control device and is likewise reprogrammable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.