Input/output module for a bus system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10614013-B2
Application number	US-201715459804-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2017
Priority date	Oct 2, 2015
Publication date	Apr 7, 2020
Grant date	Apr 7, 2020

Abstract

An input/output module is provided for a bus system having a socket, the five contact cups of which each may comprise an electrical contact, and a measuring device for detecting a connector of a four-wire data cable. The measuring device can be configured to detect, when a connector is inserted into the socket, whether the connector comprises four or five electrical contact pins which are each plugged into one of the contact cups and are electrically connected to the respective electrical contact of the contact cups. The measuring device may be configured to close a first and a second switching device only when five electrical contact pins are detected in order to apply a respective supply voltage from two DC voltage supplies to the corresponding plugged contact pins of the connector plugged into the socket via the respective electrical contacts of the contact cups.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An input/output module for a bus system, having a socket, five contact cups of which each comprise an electrical contact, with:
a first DC voltage applied to respective electrical contacts of two of the five contact cups by a first switching device,
a second DC voltage applied to respective electrical contacts of two others of the five contact cups by a second switching device,
a first differential data signal applied to the respective electrical contacts of the two of the five contact cups,
a second differential data signal applied to the respective electrical contacts of the two others of the five contact cups; and
a measuring device for detecting a connector of a four-wire data cable, which measuring device is configured to detect, when the connector is inserted into the socket, whether the connector comprises four or five electrical contact pins which are each plugged into one of the contact cups and are electrically connected to the respective electrical contacts of the contact cups,
the measuring device being configured to close the two first and second switching devices only when five electrical contact pins are detected in order to apply the first and second DC voltage to the corresponding contact pins of the connector plugged into the socket via the respective electrical contacts of the contact cups,
wherein the two differential data signals and the two DC voltages are isolated from one another.

2. An input/output module for a bus system according to claim 1 , comprising:
a first DC voltage supply for the first DC voltage and a second DC voltage-supply for the second DC voltage, and
a physical interface, a first transformer, a second transformer, a first inductive subassembly, a second inductive subassembly, a first capacitive subassembly, a second capacitive subassembly, the first switching device and the second switching device;
the first DC voltage supply being configured to be electrically connected to the respective electrical contacts of the two of the five contact cups via the first inductive subassembly by the first switching device,
the second DC voltage supply being configured to be electrically connected to the respective electrical contacts of the two others of the five contact cups via the second inductive subassembly by the second switching device,
the physical interface being electrically connected to the respective electrical contacts of the two of the five contact cups via the first transformer and via the first capacitive subassembly in order to apply the first differential data signal to the respective electrical contacts of the two of the five contact cups,
the physical interface being electrically connected to the respective electrical contacts of the two others of the five contact cups via the second transformer and via the second capacitive subassembly in order to apply the second differential data signal to the respective electrical contacts of the two others of the five contact cups.

3. The input/output module according to claim 2 ,
the measuring device being configured to apply an electrical measurement voltage between the electrical contact of a fifth contact cup of the five contact cups, which differs from the two of the five contact cups and the two others of the five contact cups, and an electrical reference contact, and to measure an electrical current flowing between the electrical reference contact and the electrical contact of the fifth contact cup, the electrical reference contact being electrically insulated from the electrical contact of the fifth contact cup,
the measuring device being configured to close the two switching devices when an electrical current flowing between the electrical reference contact and the electrical contact of the fifth contact cup is measured when an electrical measurement voltage is applied.

4. The input/output module according to claim 3 , the measuring device comprising a transistor which is configured to switch on in the case of an electrical current flowing between the electrical reference contact and the electrical contact of the fifth contact cup, the measuring device being configured to detect when the transistor switches on and to close the two switching devices when switching-on of the transistor is detected.

5. The input/output module according to claim 3 , the measuring device being configured to determine, on the basis of the applied measurement voltage and the measured electrical current, what type of electrical component integrated in the connector has formed an electrical connection between the electrical reference contact and the electrical contact of the fifth contact cup.

6. The input/output module according to claim 5 , the measuring device being configured to determine an electrical property of the electrical component.

7. The input/output module according to claim 3 , the measuring device being configured to determine a property of the data cable plugged into the socket on the basis of the applied measurement voltage and the measured electrical current.

8. The input/output module according to claim 2 ,
the measuring device comprising an electrical switching contact, and
the electrical contact of the fifth contact cup, which differs from the two of the five contact cups and the two others of the five contact cups, being movably mounted, such that, when an electrical contact pin of the connector is inserted into the fifth contact cup, the electrical contact pin inserted into the fifth contact cup moves the movably mounted electrical contact, such that the latter movably mounted electrical contact actuates the electrical switching contact,
the measuring device being configured to close the two switching devices when the electrical switching contact is actuated.

9. The input/output module according to claim 2 , the measuring device being configured to check, via the electrical contact of the fifth contact cup, which differs from the two of the five contact cups and the two others of the five contact cups, whether a programmable memory is integrated in the connector as an electrical component and to close the two switching devices on the basis of the check.

10. A method for operating an input/output module having a socket, five contact cups of which each comprise an electrical contact, the method comprising:
a first DC voltage being applied to respective electrical contacts of two of the five contact cups by a first switching device,
a second DC voltage being applied to respective electrical contacts of two others of the five contact cups by a second switching device,
a first differential data signal being applied to the respective electrical contacts of the two of the five contact cups,
a second differential data signal being applied to the respective electrical contacts of the two others of the five contact cups,
using a measuring device to detect, when a connector is inserted into a socket, whether the connector comprises four or five electrical contact pins which are each plugged into one of the contact cups and are electrically connected to the respective electrical contacts of the contact cups,
using the measuring device to close the two first and second switching devices only when five electrical contact pins are detected, such that the first and second DC voltage are applied to the respective contact pins of the connector plugged into the socket via the respective electrical contacts of the contact cups on account of the closed switching devices
wherein the two differential data signals and the two DC voltages are isolated from one another.

11. The method according to claim 10 , also comprising:
using the measuring device to apply an electrical measurement

Assignees

• Beckhoff Automation Gmbh

Inventors

• Büttner Holger
• Rettig Thomas
• Bechtel Dirk
• Jost Michael
• Pohl Christopher
• Beckhoff Hans

Classifications

• G06F13/4282

  on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus (on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247) · CPC title

• G06F1/3296

  by lowering the supply or operating voltage · CPC title

• H01R13/658

  High frequency shielding arrangements, e.g. against EMI [Electro-Magnetic Interference] or EMP [Electro-Magnetic Pulse] {(coaxial coupling devices specially adapted for high frequency H01R24/40; for flat or ribbon cable connectors H01R12/774; for coaxial cable H01R9/05)} · CPC title

• G06F13/4022 Primary

  using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network (G06F13/4009 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R33/74

  Devices having four or more poles {, e.g. holders for compact fluorescent lamps} · CPC title