Communication system comprising a controller system and a master control means connected via a multipole connection means

The present invention relates to communication systems, in particular to communication systems for fluid flow control valves.

For example, production machines for all pneumatic or hydraulic equipment to be controlled by each directional control valve normally mounted on one and the same "valve island" are known. It will be understood that the term "valve island" is intended to include devices such as "valve manifold". The valve on the valve island is usually controlled by an electromagnet that receives an electrical signal and activates a collaborative valve. The valve island is connected via a communication system to a control system that sends signals to control the operation of the valve on the valve island.

<p> By convention, there are two mainstream types of communication systems, multipole and fieldbus. In a multi-pole communication system, each valve on the valve island has a separate communication line that connects the valve directly and efficiently to the control system. As such, 25 pins or other common connectors link the control system with the valve islands, and each pin provides a control signal for different valves on the valve islands. Therefore, the multi-pole system is easy to understand and use. However, complex multipole systems can be expensive in terms of wiring requirements and the number of outputs in the control system, as separate lines are required for each valve to be controlled. In addition, there can be complications when trying to identify faults.</p><p> Another type of communication system is an address-based fieldbus system. Here, the valve islands are connected together to form a network that frequently uses 2-wire media. The control system sends the addressed instructions to a special valve island and the island control system, interprets the instructions, and activates the appropriate valve. Fieldbus control systems are more flexible, but can be complex due to the programming required to manage the system.</p>

<p> According to the present invention, we include a control system, a master control means, and at least one slave control means, the control system and the master control means are connected via a multi-pole connecting means, and the master control means is. It provides a communication system that is applied to receive a multipole signal via a multipole coupling means and output a signal addressed to at least one slave control means via an addressable coupling means. This system is superior in that it is easy to understand and set up, and also has the advantage of an addressable communication system such as the fieldbus system described above. In particular, if the system controls the valve, the valve can be divided into a "master" valve island and several "sleb" valve islands that work with the control means, all of which are multi-pole. It can be controlled by the control system via the coupling means. As such, the user can program the control system as if the system were a multi-pole system. On the other hand, the master control means can interpret the instructions and relay the instructions to the appropriate slave control means required.</p><p> Preferably, the control system is a programmable logic controller (PLC). Preferably, the master slave control means controls the fluid flow control valve. In particular, the master slave control means cooperates with the valve island to control the electromagnetically actuated valve located on the valve island.</p><p> Preferably, the additional thread control means are chained to the communication system via addressable connecting means. The addressable and connected means are based on the Local Interconnect Network (LIN) standard. The LIN standard is a single wire communication standard between the master system and at least one slave system. Each slave system, when combined with a single wire system, requires a shape for minimal operation that makes it easy and low cost. Preferably, the addressable coupling means is based on the Controller Area Network (CAN) standard. More preferably, the addressable and connecting means are based on the RS485 standard. Therefore, the master-sleeve control means has a transceiver means that enables the master-sleeve control means to communicate using the protocol of the addressable / coupling means.</p><p> Preferably, the multi-pole connecting means comprises a 25-pin connector or a 44-pin connector. However, the multi-pole connector may be another industrially accepted connector. Preferably, the master control means comprises a microprocessor. The thread control means is also equipped with a microprocessor.</p><p> Preferably, the master control means has a diode array that derives power from the multipole input signal for the master control means and for the operation of the plurality of devices it controls. Preferably, the thread control means derives power from the addressable / coupling means.</p><p> Preferably, the master control means has a signal conditioning means that ensures that the signal received from the multipole coupling means is in a suitable form to be received by the microprocessor of the control means within a special voltage range. There is.</p><p> Preferably, the master slave control means has an output means for operating the required valve. The output means includes an output array demultiplexer. Instead, the output means are applied to use a continuous signal from the control means that controls the appropriate valve. The shape of the output means forms the subject of the second aspect of the present invention.</p><p> For example, the system of the first aspect of the invention requires a flexible means of operating a particular valve, as the present invention allows a large number of valves to spread over master valve islands and slave valve islands. .. Since the control means includes a microprocessor, the microprocessor has the effect of being able to output a series of signals that actuate the valves on the valve island.</p><p> According to the second aspect of the present invention, we control a large number of fluid flow control means by using an output means including an operation signal arrangement means and an actuating means that cooperates with each fluid flow control means. There, A step of applying a pre-operation signal to the operation signal arrangement means, A step of applying a clock signal to the operation signal arrangement means so that the operation signal arrangement means can store the first pre-operation signal and receive a further pre-operation signal. A step of repeating the above steps a predetermined number of times and Provided is a method including a step of applying an operation signal to the operation means to operate the fluid flow control means.</p><p> Therefore, the command of the pre-operation signal and the number of times of the clock signal are applied so as to determine which fluid flow control means is activated when the operation signal is applied. This has the effect that additional valves are added and the microprocessor only needs to change the number of times the first two steps are performed.</p><p> Preferably, the actuation signal placement means comprises a series of Philip-flops, each flip-flop cooperating with a fluid flow control means. The Philip-flop is a "D" type Philip-flop.</p><p> Preferably, the actuating means comprises a latch. Preferably, each fluid flow control means comprises an electromagnetically actuated valve. Preferably, the latch is a "D" type latch. Preferably, the output from the actuating signal displacement means forms the input of the next actuation signal displacement means.</p><p> Preferably, the method described above can be used in a configuration mode in which a single pre-operation signal is applied to determine only the clock signal, such as the signal placement means and the number of times the actuation means are actuated. Therefore, the number of fluid flow control means can be determined from the number of clock cycles, as the control means can determine when the actuation signal placement means will receive all pre-operation signals. Preferably, the output of the final actuation signal placement means is coupled to the microprocessor.</p>

The communication system 1 according to the present invention is shown in FIG. The communication system 1 includes a master control means 2 that receives a control signal from a controller system (not shown) and a slave control means 3. The master control means 2 receives a signal from the control system via the multi-pole connecting means 4. The multi-pole connecting means 4 shown in FIG. 1 uses a 25-pin D-type connector 5. The master control means 2 is connected to each slave control means 3 via addressable and connecting means in the form of a subbus that operates based on the RS485 standard / protocol. The master control means 2 has a master subbus connector 6 for connecting to the slave subbus connector 8 of the slave control means 3 via the subbus cable 7. Therefore, the master control means 2 forms the master node of the subbus (having the cable 7 forming a part of the bus), and the slave control means 3 forms the slave node of the bus. The slave control system 3 has an additional subbus connector 9 for connecting to additional slave control means (not shown).

It is understood that the addressable and connected means are based on subbuses that operate on other standards such as CAN or LIN, which depend on the application of the system.

It is also understood that additional thread control means may be added to the "chained" arrangement. The number of slave control means that can be added is limited by the power that can be supplied via the multi-pole coupling means 4 or via the next coupling means. This power is the power received through the coupling means 4 that allows the next control means to operate. But the master -Or the slave control means may be applied to receive its own power supply.

The master connecting means 2 and the slab connecting means 3 cooperate with a valve island (not shown). Control means 2 and 3 control an electromagnetically actuated pneumatic valve attached to the valve island. Pneumatic valves can be used to operate production machines and the like.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the master control means 2 shown by the broken line. The diagram shows how the multipole signal 4 is used and how this signal is output to the subbus connector 6. The multi-pole signal 4 received by the control means 2 has 25 pins that provide the control signal 10 and a common 0 volt 11 that provides the ground for the system. The control signal 10 is received by a signal conditioning means 12 that prepares the signal 13 to be received by the microprocessor 15. In particular, the signal conditioning means 12 reduces the voltage of the signal from the typical 24 volts to a predetermined voltage that can be reliably received by the microprocessor 15.

The signal conditioning means outputs the signal 13 received by the microprocessor 15. The microprocessor 15 interprets the signal to determine whether the valve to be activated (not shown) is located on the valve island with which the control means 2 cooperates or the slab control means 3 cooperates. If it is determined that the valve to be activated is controlled by the slab control means 3, the microprocessor 15 prepares an appropriate addressable signal for transmission of the addressable coupling means to the subbus 7. The output signal 16 is a continuous signal to the subbus transceiver 17.

The subbus transceiver 17 modifies signal 16 and outputs an addressed data signal 26 that passes through the subbus, based on the protocol / standard of subbus (RS485). The output 26 is connected to a subbus connector 6 that transmits along the subbus cable 7.

The control signals 10 are divided and received by the diode array 18 when they enter the control means and are received by the signal conditioning means 12. The control means 10 is used to provide power for components 15, 17 of the master control means 2 and for further transmission to the slave control means 3 via the subbus cable 7. The output 14 is received by the diode array 18. The diode array 18 combines an OR gate-like control signal 10 with a single 24-volt output 19. The 24-volt output 19 is divided into a first line 20 and a second line 21. The first line 20 is connected to the subbus connector 6 and provides power for the subsequent slab control means 3. The second line 21 adjusts the 24-volt input 21 to a voltage suitable for operating the logic of the microprocessor 15 and the transceiver 17. Therefore, the voltage regulator 22 has an output 23 divided into separation lines 24 and 25 for supplying power to the microprocessor and the subbus transceiver, respectively.

The output from the master control means 2 is output via the subbus connector 6. Therefore, there are three separate signals that pass along cable 7. That is, the 24-volt output 20 from the diode array 18, the common 0-volt output 27 drawn from the input 11, and the data signal 26. One pin is shown for the data signal 26, but there may be as many pins as required by the communication standards used for addressable coupling means.

A diagram of the slave control means 3 is shown in FIG. Sleb control means 3 is a cave It receives three signals 20,26,27 via the connector 7 and the connector 8. The data signal 26 is received by a subbus transceiver 28 that interprets the signal based on the RS485 standard / protocol. The subbus transceiver 28 outputs the signal 29 received by the microprocessor 30. The microprocessor interprets the signal and, if necessary, passes the instruction 31 to the output means 32. Therefore, the microprocessor interprets the contiguous data signal 29 from the subbus transceiver 28 and outputs the signal 33 via the output array 32 if necessary. The output 33 from the output means 32 controls an appropriate solenoid valve on the valve island with which the control means 3 cooperates.

The 24-volt input 20 is split when it enters the slave control means 3, one line is received by the voltage regulator 34 and the other line is received by the output means 32. The output means uses 24 volts to operate an electromagnet on the valve island (not shown). The voltage regulator 34 has outputs 35 and 36, as in the master control means 2, and supplies power to the subbus transceiver 28 and the microprocessor 30, respectively.

The microprocessor 30 of the slave control means has two-way communication with the subbus transceiver 28, so that further control means via the second subbus connector 9 (shown in FIG. 1), the data line 26. Can be mounted on (subbus). The second subbus connector 9 is connected to the subbus transceiver 28.

In use, the controller system (not shown) passes the multipole signal 4 to the master control means 2 to activate any particular valve on the valve island that cooperates with the control means 2, 3. The signal conditioner 12 receives the multi-pole signal 10 and outputs the conditioned signal 13. The microprocessor 15 of the master control means 2 receives power from the voltage regulator 22 and also receives a signal 13. The microprocessor 15 then, according to the program, determines whether or not a valve to operate is located on the valve island with which the microprocessor 15 cooperates. If YES, the microprocessor 15 passes the appropriate signal to the output means (not shown). If it is determined that the valve should work with the slave control means 3, the microprocessor prepares the addressed signal 16 and passes this signal to the subbus transceiver 17. The subbus transceiver 17 transmits this signal to the slave control means 3 along the subbus cable 7 based on the subbus protocol. This signal is received by the subbus transceiver 28 of the slave control means 3. The transceiver 28 interprets and then outputs the output signal 29 to the microprocessor 30 of the slave control means 3. The microprocessor 30 processes the signal 29 according to the program, determines whether the signal is addressed, and determines whether the valve connected to the slave control means 3 should be activated. If YES, the appropriate signal 31 is sent to the output means 32 to activate the appropriate valve. If the microprocessor 30 determines that the signal 29 is not addressed, the signal is ignored.

The signal 26 is also relayed by the subbus transceiver 28 via the additional subbus connector 9 to several subsequent slave control means 3, and some additional slaves (not shown) are as described above. Process the signal.

The microprocessors 15, 30 may be preprogrammed, for example, or the user may configure the program via RS232 interface or Bluetooth. As such, the user can also program the valves or combinations of valves to be actuated at each multipole input 10 and so on.

As a result, many valve islands can be controlled from a single 25-pin (or other standard connector) multi-pole based system. In fact, not all of the pins are necessarily used, as a single valve island usually does not contain the full share of the valve. Therefore, in a standard multipole system, the user may require several valve islands, each connected by a separate multipole connector. The present invention allows the valve to extend beyond the master and some slave valve islands controlled via master control means. This reduces the amount of telegraph and the number of outputs required by the controller system. Therefore, the system of the present invention has the flexibility of the fieldbus system, but has the simplicity and ease of use of the multi-pole system.

The output means 40 (shown in FIG. 4) includes actuating signal arrangement means 41,41'and actuating means 42,42'. Each pair 43,44 of the actuating signal arrangement means 41,41'and the actuating means 42,42' cooperates with the fluid flow control means in the form of an electromagnetic actuated valve (not shown). The operating signal arranging means 41,41'has a power supply line 45, an edge starting clock signal input 46, a pre-operating signal data input 47,48, a pre-operating signal data output 49,50, and a 0 volt line 51. It is equipped with a "D" type flip-flop that has. The data outputs 49,50 are branched to connect to the collaborative actuating means 42,42'.

Acting means 42,42'provide a "D" type latch. The inputs 52, 52 to the latches 42, 42'are from the outputs 49, 50, respectively. Latch 42,42'also has a power supply line 45 and a 0 volt line 51. Latch 42,42'is connected to the valve by output lines 54,55. Latch 42,42'also has an input 56 for receiving an actuation signal. Therefore, the output means 40 is in the form of a 2-bit continuous latch.

The clock signal input 46, the pre-operation signal data input 47, and the edge start operation signal input 56 are all received from the master or slave microprocessors 15,30. The input is digital and therefore takes the form of either "1" or "0".

In use, the sequence in which the signal is applied determines which valve is activated. For example, to operate the second valve of the chain, the pre-operation signal of "1" is applied to input 47 at the same time as the clock pulse at input 46. Obviously, this causes a pre-actuated signal of "1" to appear at output 49, forming the input of second Philip flop 41'at input 48. During the second clock cycle, the pre-operation signal is "0". Therefore, after the second clock pulse at input 46, there is a "0" pre-operation signal at output 49, and a "1" pre-operation signal at output 50, which now appears.

Microprocessors 15 and 30 now output an operating signal to input 56. Outputs 49,50 form inputs 52,53, so after the activation signal, a "0" will appear at valve output 54 and a "1" will appear at valve output 55. Therefore, the first valve of the chain will not operate because it will receive a "0" signal, while the second valve of the chain will operate because it will receive a "1" pre-operation signal. Will do.

If another valve is added, an additional flip-flop / latch pair pre-operation signal data input may be coupled to output 50. Additional valves may be added as well. Therefore, this method operates several valves in the chain of valves or a combination thereof because a pre-actuated signal is fed to the chain at input 47 and "passed" through the Philip-flop by the clock signal edge. It will be clear that it can be used as such. When the clock signal repeats the required number of times and the pre-operation signal forms the input of the appropriate latch 42,42', the operation signal is applied to pass the signal to the appropriate valve.

This method is also used in configuration mode to allow the microprocessor to determine how many valves are connected to the valve island with which the microprocessor cooperates. At the end of the chain of Philip-flop / latch pairs 43,44, output 50 returns to the microprocessor. Using the example shown in FIG. 4, during the configuration mode, a pre-operation signal of "1" is applied to input 47 during the first clock cycle at input 46. After the first clock cycle, the pre-operation signal is held as "0". The microprocessors 15, 30 then count the number of clock cycles applied to input 46 until the pre-operation signal of "1" is returned. Therefore, the number of valves is determined by counting the number of clock pulses that are forced during this configuration mode.

Further, during the configuration mode, the microprocessor 30 of each slave control means 3 can pass information on the number of valves that cooperate with the slave control means and return it to the master control means 2. Therefore, the master control means determines which valve is assigned to which slave control means 3 and addresses the appropriate one in response to the multipole signal 10.

<figref num="1">It is a diagram which shows the arrangement of the communication system of this invention.</figref><figref num="2">It is a diagram of a master control means.</figref><figref num="3">It is a diagram of a thread control means.</figref><figref num="4">It is a diagram of the output means.</figref>