Intelligent power tap with zone control and safety zone control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10126799-B2
Application number	US-201615217355-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2016
Priority date	Jul 22, 2016
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing diagnostic information by an intelligent power tap is disclosed. The intelligent power tap includes a circuit board. The intelligent power tap includes a microcontroller disposed on the circuit board, where the microcontroller is configured to report the geographical location of the intelligent power tap. The intelligent power tap includes a physical layer network interface connected to the microcontroller and the physical network. The intelligent power tap includes a switch controlled by the microcontroller, where the switch is capable of shutting off a network power to be injected into the network system.

First claim

We claim:

1. An intelligent power tap in a network system, comprising:
a circuit board;
a microcontroller disposed on the circuit board, wherein the microcontroller is configured to report a geographical location of the intelligent power tap;
a physical layer network interface connected to the microcontroller and the network system;
a switch controlled by the microcontroller, wherein the switch is capable of shutting off a network power to be injected into the network system; and
a second switch controlled by the microcontroller, wherein the second switch is capable of shutting off a switched power to be injected into the network system.

2. The intelligent power tap of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first voltage sensor that senses incoming voltage to the intelligent power tap; and
a second voltage sensor that senses a network voltage to be injected into a network power zone of the network system; and
a third voltage sensor that senses a switched voltage to be injected into a switched power zone of the network system.

3. The intelligent power tap of claim 2 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to shut off the network power and broadcast a first warning message over the network system when determining that the network voltage is not within a first preset voltage range for a preset period of time; and wherein the first preset voltage range is defined by a first and second voltage thresholds.

4. The intelligent power tap of claim 2 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to shut off the switched power and broadcast a second warning message over the network system when determining that the switched voltage is not within a second preset voltage range for a preset period of time; and wherein the second preset voltage range is defined by a third and fourth voltage thresholds.

5. The intelligent power tap of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first current sensor that senses a network current to be injected into a network power zone of the network system; and
a second current sensor that senses a switched current to be injected into a switched power zone of the network system.

6. The intelligent power tap of claim 1 , further comprising:
a configuration circuitry that defines a direction of power injection according to a power switching command from the microcontroller.

7. The intelligent power tap of claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to receive a broadcast message to shut down at least one of network power and switched power to all devices powered by or downstream of the intelligent power tap.

8. An intelligent safety power tap in a safety or non-safety network system, comprising:
a circuit board;
a safety core on the circuit board, the safety core comprising one or more microcontrollers, wherein the safety core is capable of obtaining a safety message from the safety network system, and the safety core is configured to send a broadcast safety message to all power taps in the safety network system so that all power taps shut off network power to all network power zones in the safety network system;
a physical layer network interface connected to the safety core and the safety network system; and
a safety switch controlled by the safety core, wherein the switch is capable of shutting off power for at least one of a network power zone and a switched power zone in the safety network system.

9. The intelligent safety power tap of claim 8 , further comprising a safety input directly connected to a safety sensor, wherein the intelligent safety power tap senses a safety demand via the safety input and performs safety logic according to the safety demand.

10. The intelligent safety power tap of claim 8 , wherein the safety core is configured to send a broadcast safety message to all power taps in the safety network system so that all power taps shut off switched power to all switched power zones in the safety network system.

11. The intelligent safety power tap of claim 8 , wherein the safety core is configured to receive a broadcast safety message to shut off at least one of network power and switched power to all devices powered by or downstream of the intelligent safety power tap.

12. A network system comprising:
a switched power zone comprising one or more control devices;
an intelligent safety power tap configured to inject switched power to the switched power zone;
wherein the intelligent safety power tap is configured to send one or more control devices in the switched power zone to a safe state by shutting off switched power to the one or more control devices in the switched power zone;
wherein the intelligent safety power tap comprises a safety core configured to obtain a safety message from the network system, a current limit circuit that limits output current from the intelligent safety power tap within a preset current threshold, a current sensor that senses a current to be injected into a network power zone, and a second current sensor that senses a current to be injected into the switched power zone; and
wherein the intelligent safety power tap sends an over-current warning when the sensed current is greater than a current threshold, and the intelligent safety power tap sends a second over-current warning when the sensed current is greater than a second current threshold.

13. The network system of claim 12 , wherein the intelligent safety power tap further comprises a network voltage sensor that senses a network voltage to be injected into the network power zone; and
wherein the intelligent safety power tap sends a first over-voltage warning when the sensed network voltage is greater than a first voltage threshold.

14. The network system of claim 13 , wherein the intelligent safety power tap sends a first under-voltage warning when the sensed network voltage is less than a second voltage threshold.

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Haensgen Steven T
• Caspers John P

Classifications

• G06F1/28

  Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision · CPC title

• Y04S10/30

  State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge · CPC title

• H02J1/08

  Three-wire DC power distribution systems; Systems having more than three wires · CPC title

• G05B19/042

  using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F13/362

  with centralised access control · CPC title