Flexible function blocks

US7272457B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Fieldbus Foundation · US

Inventors

• David A. Glanzer · Georgetown, US
• Stephen Mitschke · Austin, US
• William Hawkins · Bloomington, US
• Michael von Le Suire · Gesseltshausen, DE
• Sergio Tateishi · Sertãozinho, BR

Key dates

• Filing date: May 26, 2006
• Grant date: Sep 18, 2007
• Expiry date: May 26, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G05B2219/31118
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A new and improved control system architecture using a combination of standard function blocks and new flexible function blocks eliminates the need for expensive and difficult to maintain custom control software and special I/O gateways for discrete/hybrid/batch and PLC applications. The end user builds application-specific flexible function blocks by configuring the number and type of inputs and outputs, and the block algorithm. Flexible function blocks and gateway flexible function block interconnect and interoperate with each other and with standard function blocks in a distributed control architecture.