Flexible function blocks

Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Generic control system – apparatus or process – Having operator control interface

Reexamination Certificate

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

Reexamination Certificate

active

11420704

ABSTRACT:
A new and improved control system architecture using a combination of standard function blocks and new flexible function blocks eliminates the need for expensive and difficult to maintain custom control software and special I/O gateways for discrete/hybrid/batch and PLC applications. The end user builds application-specific flexible function blocks by configuring the number and type of inputs and outputs, and the block algorithm. Flexible function blocks and gateway flexible function block interconnect and interoperate with each other and with standard function blocks in a distributed control architecture.

REFERENCES:
patent: RE27703 (1973-07-01), Stafford et al.
patent: 4074565 (1978-02-01), Harris et al.
patent: 4099242 (1978-07-01), Houston et al.
patent: 4283634 (1981-08-01), Yannone et al.
patent: 4347563 (1982-08-01), Paredes et al.
patent: 4430699 (1984-02-01), Segarra et al.
patent: 4484273 (1984-11-01), Stiffler et al.
patent: 4531193 (1985-07-01), Yasuhara et al.
patent: 4591977 (1986-05-01), Nissen et al.
patent: 4819149 (1989-04-01), Sanik et al.
patent: 4831558 (1989-05-01), Shoup et al.
patent: 4864489 (1989-09-01), Yahuhara et al.
patent: 4888726 (1989-12-01), Struger et al.
patent: 4938068 (1990-07-01), Clements
patent: 4969083 (1990-11-01), Gates
patent: 4992926 (1991-02-01), Janke et al.
patent: 5115675 (1992-05-01), Feldman et al.
patent: 5122794 (1992-06-01), Warrior
patent: 5131092 (1992-07-01), Sackmann et al.
patent: 5151978 (1992-09-01), Bronikowski et al.
patent: 5159673 (1992-10-01), Sackmann et al.
patent: 5166678 (1992-11-01), Warrior
patent: 5245704 (1993-09-01), Weber et al.
patent: 5251302 (1993-10-01), Weigl et al.
patent: 5329579 (1994-07-01), Brunson
patent: 5333114 (1994-07-01), Warrior et al.
patent: 5434774 (1995-07-01), Seberger
patent: 5448231 (1995-09-01), Takezoe et al.
patent: 5451923 (1995-09-01), Seberger et al.
patent: 5452201 (1995-09-01), Pieronek et al.
patent: 5453924 (1995-09-01), Monson et al.
patent: 5457999 (1995-10-01), Feldman
patent: 5485142 (1996-01-01), Stute et al.
patent: 5485400 (1996-01-01), Warrior et al.
patent: 5506956 (1996-04-01), Cohen
patent: 5513324 (1996-04-01), Dolin, Jr. et al.
patent: 5526358 (1996-06-01), Gregerson et al.
patent: 5537547 (1996-07-01), Chan et al.
patent: 5537626 (1996-07-01), Kraslavsky et al.
patent: 5546584 (1996-08-01), Lundin et al.
patent: 5553297 (1996-09-01), Yonezawa et al.
patent: 5579482 (1996-11-01), Einkauf et al.
patent: 5608720 (1997-03-01), Biegel et al.
patent: 5682476 (1997-10-01), Tapperson et al.
patent: 5684451 (1997-11-01), Seberger et al.
patent: 5691896 (1997-11-01), Zou et al.
patent: 5706007 (1998-01-01), Fragnito et al.
patent: 5754596 (1998-05-01), Baschoff et al.
patent: 5764891 (1998-06-01), Warrior
patent: 5764955 (1998-06-01), Doolan
patent: 5768119 (1998-06-01), Havekost et al.
patent: 5793963 (1998-08-01), Tapperson et al.
patent: 5796602 (1998-08-01), Wellan et al.
patent: 5796721 (1998-08-01), Gretta, Jr.
patent: 5801942 (1998-09-01), Nixon et al.
patent: 5805442 (1998-09-01), Crater et al.
patent: 5825664 (1998-10-01), Warrior et al.
patent: 5828851 (1998-10-01), Nixon et al.
patent: 5834861 (1998-11-01), Kanzaki et al.
patent: 5838563 (1998-11-01), Dove et al.
patent: 5841654 (1998-11-01), Verissimo et al.
patent: 5850523 (1998-12-01), Gretta, Jr.
patent: 5854890 (1998-12-01), Ramachandran et al.
patent: 5859959 (1999-01-01), Kimball et al.
patent: 5862052 (1999-01-01), Nixon et al.
patent: 5881311 (1999-03-01), Woods
patent: 5889817 (1999-03-01), Yoshida
patent: 5903455 (1999-05-01), Sharpe, Jr. et al.
patent: 5909368 (1999-06-01), Nixon et al.
patent: RE36263 (1999-08-01), Janke et al.
patent: 5960214 (1999-09-01), Sharpe, Jr. et al.
patent: 5963147 (1999-10-01), Westfield et al.
patent: 5970430 (1999-10-01), Burns et al.
patent: 5971581 (1999-10-01), Gretta et al.
patent: 5975737 (1999-11-01), Crater et al.
patent: 5978578 (1999-11-01), Azarya et al.
patent: 5978850 (1999-11-01), Ramachandran et al.
patent: 5980078 (1999-11-01), Krivoshein et al.
patent: 5982362 (1999-11-01), Crater et al.
patent: 5995916 (1999-11-01), Nixon et al.
patent: 6014612 (2000-01-01), Larson et al.
patent: 6017143 (2000-01-01), Ervurek et al.
patent: 6026352 (2000-02-01), Burns et al.
patent: 6032208 (2000-02-01), Nixon et al.
patent: 6044305 (2000-03-01), Larson et al.
patent: 6047220 (2000-04-01), Eryurek
patent: 6047222 (2000-04-01), Burns et al.
patent: 6061603 (2000-05-01), Papadopoulos et al.
patent: 6076952 (2000-06-01), Gretta et al.
patent: 6078320 (2000-06-01), Dove et al.
patent: 6094600 (2000-07-01), Sharpe, Jr. et al.
patent: 6095674 (2000-08-01), Verissimo et al.
patent: 6098116 (2000-08-01), Nixon et al.
patent: 6102965 (2000-08-01), Dye et al.
patent: 6119047 (2000-09-01), Eryurek et al.
patent: 6151625 (2000-11-01), Swales et al.
patent: 6266726 (2001-07-01), Nixon et al.
patent: 6424872 (2002-07-01), Glanzer et al.
patent: 6446202 (2002-09-01), Krivoshein et al.
patent: 6484061 (2002-11-01), Papadopoulos et al.
patent: 6594530 (2003-07-01), Glanzer et al.
patent: 6826590 (2004-11-01), Glanzer et al.
patent: 6999824 (2006-02-01), Glanzer et al.
patent: 2002/0112044 (2002-08-01), Hessmer et al.
patent: 2003/0004987 (2003-01-01), Glanzer et al.
patent: 2004/0194101 (2004-09-01), Glanzer et al.
patent: 2005/0021705 (2005-01-01), Jurisch
patent: 2005/0240286 (2005-10-01), Glanzer et al.
patent: 2005/0240287 (2005-10-01), Glanzer et al.
patent: 2006/0025872 (2006-02-01), Glanzer et al.
patent: WO 97/29409 (1997-08-01), None
patent: WO 98/02993 (1998-01-01), None
patent: WO 99/48245 (1999-09-01), None
Arpaia et al., “A Distributed Laboratory Based on Object-Oriented Measurement Systems”, Measurement, vol. 19, No. ¾, pp. 207-215, 1996.
Author Unknown, “OPC Task Force”, pp. 1-27, Oct. 27, 1998.
Bangemann et al., “Integration of Fieldbus Systems in Computer-Aided Facility Management”, IEEE, pp. 1835-1840, Aug. 31, 1998.
Berge et al., “Building Better Open Networks Using Foundation Fieldbus and OPC”, Sensors, pp. 75-78, 81-82, Feb. 2000.
Berge, Jonas, “Plug-‘n’-play control systems integrating FOUNDATION Fieldbus and OPC”, publication unknown, pp. 123-131, 1999.
Cheah et al., “Design and Implementation of an MMS Environment on Isode”, Computer Communications, vol. 20, pp. 1354-1364, 1997.
Drakopoulos, Elias, “Enterprise Network Planning and Design: Methodology and Application”, Computer Communications, vol. 22, pp. 340-352, 1999.
He et al., “Clock Synchronization in Real-Time Distributed Systems Based on FIP Field Bus”, Centre de Recherche en Informatique de Nancy, pp. 135-141, Sep. 30, 1990.
Lonn et al., “Synchronisation in Safety-Critical Distributed Control Systems”, Chalmers University of Technology, Laboratory for Dependable Computing, pp. 891-899, Apr. 19, 1995.
Middeldorp et al., “DFS 2929 Foreign Device Interfaces”, pp. 1-13, Oct. 2, 1987.
Middeldorp et al., “CPS 1259 Foreign Device Interface”, pp. 1-11, Nov. 3, 1987.
Neumann et al., “Integration of Fieldbus Systems into Distributed Object-Oriented Systems”, IEEE, pp. 247-253, Oct. 1, 1997.
Olson et al., “Probabilistic Clock Synchronization in Large Distributed Systems”, Real-Time Computing Laboratory, pp. 290-297, May 20, 1991.
Shaughnessy, Ed, “DFS 1592 Master Timekeeper”, pp. 1-32, Mar. 19, 1986.
Disclosure Statement of Invention by Inventor, Patricia Brett.

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Flexible function blocks does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Flexible function blocks, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Flexible function blocks will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3752220

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.