Distributed logic control system and method

Patent 5157595 Issued on October 20, 1992. Estimated Expiration Date:

March 8, 2011. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventor

Lovrenich, Rodger T.

Application

No. 667249 filed on 03/08/1991

US Classes:

700/7, Including sequence or logic processor700/78, Having specific error signal generation (e.g., up/down counter)700/169, Supervisory control (e.g., plural tools or plural processors)700/177Protective or diagnostic feature

Examiners

Primary: Smith, Jerry
Assistant: Trammell, Jim

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Lisa; Donald J.

International Classes

G06F 015/46
G05B 011/01

Abstract

A system and method for controlling operation of a plurality of elements in an automated process, such as a production process, and indicating error conditions as they occur. Each unique set of input and output conditions of the various system elements defines a unique logic state or zone. Thus, there are defined a multiplicity of valid system logic states or zones, each having a unique input/output image. A predetermined sequence of zones, productive zones representing designed machine operations, is stored in a zone table. All zones not explicitly defined in the zone table are automatically treated as error zones. A zone engine automatically cycles to observe any change in input/output image. Any change in inputs from the various system elements automatically transfer action to the unique zone associated with such inputs, resulting in corresponding changes in control outputs to the system elements and/or display an error message as appropriate.

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