Distributed communication and control system using concurrent multi-channel master unit preliminary class

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12184750-B2
Application number	US-202218703106-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2022
Priority date	Oct 22, 2021
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

Apparatus and associated methods relate to a stackable distributed communication and control hub (DCCH) configured to provide a wide viewing angle for instantly inspecting multiple connections when multiple DCCHs are stacked. In an illustrative example, a DCCH may include multiple connection ports distributed on one or more edge surfaces. An offset bracket, for example, may couple two DCCHs, each at a coupling surface of the corresponding DCCH. Upon coupling, the DCCHs are held at substantially parallel planes. For example, a first DCCH is offset from a second DCCH in two directions. In a first direction, respective planes are offset along a vertical axis by a predetermined first offset. In a second direction, the DCCHs are offset by a predetermined second offset, orthogonal to the first direction. Various embodiments may advantageously allow visual status of the connection ports visible in at least one viewing angle along the vertical axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dynamically reconfigurable communication hub comprising:
a plurality of independent reconfigurable connection ports (IRCPs);
a data store comprising:
a program of instruction configured to reconfigure the plurality of IRCPs; and,
a plurality of configuration profiles, each associated with a corresponding IRCP among the plurality of IRCPs; and,

a processor operably coupled to the data store such that, when the processor executes the program of instructions, the processor is configured to perform automatic reconfiguration operations to configure the plurality of IRCPs independently, the operations comprising:
receive, from a connected device, a reconfiguration signal at least one of the plurality of IRCPs;
determine a selected IRCP to be reconfigured;
retrieve, from the data store, a first predetermined set of rules for identifying a communication profile of the selected IRCP based on the reconfiguration signal, wherein the communication profile comprises an operation mode and a communication protocol, wherein the operation mode comprises a master mode, a slave mode, and a pass-through mode;
identify the communication profile of the selected IRCP based on the first predetermined set of rules;
associate the identified communication profile with the selected IRCP based on a second predetermined set of rules configured to independently associate the identified communication profile with one of the plurality of IRCPs, such that user intervention in configuring the plurality of reconfigurable connection ports is unnecessary; and,
update, in the data store, the configuration profile associated with the selected IRCP.

2. The dynamically reconfigurable communication hub of claim 1 , wherein the connected device comprises an edge device operably coupled to the selected IRCP, and the operations further comprise:
automatically associate a preconfigured virtual address to a device address of the edge device such that, the edge device is referenced by the preconfigured virtual address.

3. The dynamically reconfigurable communication hub of claim 1 , wherein the communication profile comprises a Modbus TCP protocol, a ProfiNet® protocol, a MQTT protocol, and/or a TCP/IP protocol.

4. The dynamically reconfigurable communication hub of claim 1 , wherein, after receiving the reconfiguration signal, the operations further comprising:
interrupt a script thread executing at the processor and induce operation at an interrupt thread.

5. The dynamically reconfigurable communication hub of claim 1 , wherein the connected device comprises a master controller device, and the operation further comprises configure the selected IRCP as a master port.

6. The dynamically reconfigurable communication hub of claim 1 , wherein the connected device is connected to an edge device through an in-line converter configured to convert non-compatible signal from the edge device to a signal compatible to the dynamically reconfigurable communication hub.

7. The dynamically reconfigurable communication hub of claim 1 , wherein, when the selected IRCP is configured in the master mode, the selected IRCP is configured to initiate operations in the connected device.

8. The dynamically reconfigurable communication hub of claim 7 , wherein initiate operations in the connected device comprise initiate read operations in the connected device.

9. The dynamically reconfigurable communication hub of claim 7 , wherein initiate operations in the connected device comprise initiate write operations in the connected device.

10. A computer-implemented method performed by at least one processor to automatically and independently configure an independent reconfigurable connection port (IRCP), the method comprising:
receive a reconfiguration signal at the IRCP;
retrieve, from a first data store, a first predetermined set of rules for identifying a communication profile of the IRCP based on the reconfiguration input signal, wherein the communication profile comprises an operation mode and a communication protocol, wherein the operation mode comprises a master mode, a slave mode, and a pass-through mode;
identify an operation mode of the IRCP based on the first predetermined set of rules, wherein the operation mode comprises at least one of: a master port, a slave port, and a pass-through port based on the first predetermined set of rules;
identify the communication protocol with the IRCP based on a second predetermined set of rules;
generate a configuration profile based on the operation mode and the protocol profile; and,
store, in a second data store, an association between the configuration profile and the IRCP.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the reconfigurable signal is received from an edge device operably coupled to the IRCP, the method further comprising:
automatically associate a preconfigured virtual address to a device address of the edge device such that the edge device is referenced by the preconfigured virtual address; and,
update the configuration profile associated with the IRCP with the association between the preconfigured virtual address and the device address.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the reconfigurable signal is received from a master controller device, and the method further comprises configure the IRCP to a master port.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the communication profile comprises a Modbus TCP protocol, a ProfiNet® protocol, a MQTT protocol, and/or a TCP/IP protocol.

14. A distributed communication and control system, comprising:
at least one edge device; and,
a first dynamically reconfigurable communication hub comprising a plurality of independent reconfigurable connection ports (IRCPs) and operably coupled to the at least one edge device, wherein the dynamically reconfigurable communication hub is configured to perform automatic reconfiguration operations to independently configure each of the plurality of IRCPs, the operations comprising:
receive, from one of the at least one edge device, a communication signal at one of the plurality of IRCPs;
determine a selected IRCP to be reconfigured;
retrieve, from a first data store, a first predetermined set of rules for identifying a communication profile of the selected IRCP based on the received communication signal and a second set of rules for associating the communication profile with the selected IRCP, wherein the communication profile comprises an operation mode and a communication protocol;
identify the communication profile of the selected IRCP based on the first predetermined set of rules;
associate the communication profile with the selected IRCP based on a second predetermined set of rules configured to independently associate the identified communication profile with one of the plurality of IRCPs such that user intervention in configuring the plurality of IRCPs is unnecessary;
update, in the data store, the association in a configuration profile associated with the IRCP; and,
automatically associate a preconfigured virtual address to a device address of the at least one edge device such that, the at least one edge device is referenced by the preconfigured virtual address.

15. The distributed communication and control system of claim 14 , further comprising a second dynamically reconfigurable communication hub, wherein the first dynamically reconfigurable communication hub and the second dynamically reconfigurable communication hub are operably coupled via a control network.

16. The distributed communication and control system of cl

Assignees

• Banner Eng

Inventors

• Fayfield Robert T
• Kawalec Sabrina
• Rue Mark
• Fabian Paul
• Padget Arthur
• Dolezalek Charles
• Karnas Luke
• Theunissen William
• Franke David
• Schlosser Robert
• Dahlen Kent
• Schmitt Matthew
• Olsen Nick

Classifications

• H04L69/08

  Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion · CPC title

• H04L67/34 Primary

  involving the movement of software or configuration parameters  (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416) · CPC title

• H04L69/18 Primary

  Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols · CPC title

• H04L67/30

  Profiles · CPC title

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title