Patent · US Expired

Parallel process controller

US4648064A · kind A · utility

95Cited by
20References
136Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 21, 1978
Grant dateMar 3, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 21, 1998

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05B2219/15026
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A parallel process controller capable of expandable, parallel operating multi-function control of processes without degradation of performance. The process controller comprises up to N (where N is a positive integer) programmable command memory modules, and also comprises data memory modules, an input/output system, a high speed data bus (N-bus) and a general timing and control unit. Each command memory module performs the functional equivalent of a central processing unit with storage of instruction lines designatable by a user via a programming panel. Each command memory module operates autonomously, without regard to the other command memory modules and cyclically solves each of the user instruction lines in a short, fixed length of time. Each data memory module supplements data storage in the command memory modules. The N-bus is a high speed data bus that cyclically interconnects for a fixed length of time each command memory module during one of N control signals generated by the general timing and control unit, to any of the data memory modules and to the input/output system. During this length of time, the selected command memory module may address, read, or write in any loc…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.