FR2616935A1 - BUS ADDRESSING DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

The object of the invention is an addressing device on a bus allowing the user of a system, comprising several modules 27 to 32 linked together by a bus line 33, to program functional relationships between various inputs and various outputs of the system. these modules and this by means of push buttons 44, placed on each of said modules, and of non-volatile memories 39 also contained in each module. The invention applies to any installation for process management, monitoring or alarm and, more generally, to all systems comprising several modules linked together by a bus.

Description

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BUS ADDRESSING DEVICE.

  The present invention relates to a device for addressing on a bus. It applies to all alarm systems, premises or installation monitoring systems, process control systems and, more generally, to all systems comprising at least two modules interconnected by a bus link and having inputs and outputs. outputs related to sensors or information sources and indicators or user organs.

  In such systems, generally specific to an application

  cation, the user wishes to achieve particular functional relationships and more or less complex between certain inputs and outputs. For example, if an information appears on an input of a module, a light or an alarm is triggered on another

  module or that a particular combination of

  input information on various modules

  activating one or more output information.

  In the installations in question, the modules may be more or less distant from each other and they were previously connected by fixed multi-wire links

and complex.

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  -2- The widespread use of microprocessors in the modules of an installation made it possible to replace the multi-wire links with a single bus connecting the whole system.

modules.

  Thanks to these microprocessors, the user has the possibility

  to modify within certain limits the functional relations

  between the inputs and outputs of the various modules.

  Indeed, these functional relationships are generally determined by organized addressing means of such

  so that a module which has to send information

  on its inputs, has the addresses of the modules that must receive them and the addresses of the outputs that

must be enabled.

  These addressing means, accessible to the user, generally consist of sets of switches or electromechanical selectors and this point limits much

the possibilities of these systems.

  The switch sets have only a reduced number of combinations, two hundred and fifty six for eight contacts, for example, and therefore will not provide a good

  fraud protection in some applications.

  In each module, it will be necessary to have as many sets of commu-

  there will be recipients for the information to be sent and senders for the information to be received,

  which quickly becomes complex and expensive.

  Because of their necessary accessibility, these switches

  are moreover easily disturbed.

  The present invention aims to remedy all these drawbacks and relates to a bus addressing device

  intended for installations of the aforesaid type and more particularly

  characterized in that the program addressing means

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  -3- mables include at least one RAM memory, preferably

  non-volatile type E2PROM, at least one selector

  input and output, at least one programming pushbutton and at least one means for viewing at least one of the selected inputs or outputs. One embodiment of the invention will be described below, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a system of modules interconnected by a bus and provided with a switch addressing device according to the prior art; and FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a system of modules interconnected by a bus and provided with

  an addressing device according to the invention.

  As previously mentioned and as shown in FIG.

  1, an installation according to the prior art comprises a bus line 1 on which modules are connected, six in

  example, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Only the architec-

  modules 2 and 6 have been detailed for clarity of explanation, and it goes without saying that those of modules 3,

4, 5 and 7 are similar.

  The module 2, for example, comprises: a processor 8 on which two inputs 9 and 10 and an output 11 arrive; another connection 15 is connected to the bus line 1, - three sets of switches 12, 13 and 14 assigned respectively to the two inputs 9 and 10 and to the output 11, the switches 12 and 13 each memorizing the address of the module and the output which must be informed of the events occurring on the corresponding entries 9 or 10. As soon as an event occurs on one of these -4-

  Inputs 9 or 10, the processor 8 uses the corresponding address

  provided by the switch 12 or 13 and sends it on the bus line 1 o it will be recognized by the module that it designates; the switch 14 stores the address of the module and the input on this module whose processor 8 must take into account the information to activate the

exit 11.

  The module 6 comprises: - a processor 16, - two inputs 17 and 18 connected to said processor, - two outputs 19 and 20 connected to said processor, - a link 21 to the bus line 1, - six sets of switches 21, 22 , 23, 24, 25 and 26

  also connected to the processor 16.

  In this module, and depending on the needs, several groups

  Switches can be assigned to at least one of the inputs 17 and 18 or the outputs 19 or 20 and thus make the information of said input sent to several other modules whose addresses have been stored on said switches or that said output is powered by information from several other modules

  whose addresses will have been stored on the said exchanges.

  addressors whose processor 16 will recognize the presence of

this on the bus line 1.

  It is therefore clear in this example that the possibilities

  The adaptability of the systems according to the prior art is limited by the number of sets of switches provided.

in each module.

  A system according to the present invention, and as shown in Figure 2, also has at least two modules, six in the example shown, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32, connected to

a bus line 33.

  As in the previous example, only the architectures of the modules 27 and 31 were detailed and those of the modules

  28, 29, 30 and 32 are similar to them.

  The module 27 comprises: a connection means, preferably electronic, which can

  be simplified to the extreme and which, in the pre-

  34 is a processor 34, two inputs 35 and 36, an output 37, a bidirectional link 38 connected to the bus line 33, a non-volatile random access reprogrammable memory 39 of the E2PROM type, for example, three LEDs. 40, 41 and 42, a selection push-button 43,

  a pusher or programming switch 44.

  All of these elements, inputs 35 and 36, outputs 37 and 38, memory 39, LEDs 40, 41 and 42, selection pushbutton

  43 and programming pushbutton 44, are connected to the process

34.

  Entries 35 and 36, the number of which can of course be

  increased or decreased, are linked to sources of information

  which may be analogue or digital, external

  or incorporated into the module itself.

  The output 37 which can be deleted or supplemented by other outputs, is connected to a user organ which

  for example, a light, an indicator or an alarm

  me. The output information can be analog or digital. The user organ (s) can be

  external or incorporated into the module itself.

  LEDs 40 and 41 are respectively assigned to

entries 35 and 36.

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  The indicator 42 is assigned to the output 37.

  The number of lights can of course be increased or

  decreased as those of the inputs or outputs.

  The memory 39 can have as many words as necessary and this for a very low cost. If each word has sixteen or more bits, the number of combinations becomes very

big and makes fraud impossible.

  The pusher or programming switch 43 is arranged

  in such a way that it can not be operated inadvertently

  vertance. His maneuver can for example require the use

a screwdriver or a point.

  The module 31 is quite similar to the module 39, and has more inputs and outputs and of which

  the number can also be easily decreased or increased.

  It therefore comprises: a means of connection, preferably electronic, which can

  also be simplified to the extreme and which, in the

  presented, is a processor 45,

  - three entries 46, 47 and 48 linked to sources of information

mation,

  three outlets 49, 50 and 51 connected to organs

  - an output 52 connected to the bus line 33, a memory 53 of the same type as the memory 39 and with a possibly larger capacity, three LEDs 54, 55 and 56 assigned to the three inputs respectively 46, 47 and 48, three LEDs 57, 58 and 59 assigned to the three outputs respectively 49, 50 and 51, a selection push-button 60,

  a pushbutton or programming switch 61.

  The characteristics of the elements of said module 31 and the elements of the other modules not described are analogous to

those of the elements of the module 27.

  The processor software for each module is arranged in such a way that they perform the following actions: - When the system is powered up, and in each module, a module address is defined by scanning and

random stop for example.

  Said random stop may occur only when the operation

  The controller will operate one of the selection or programming pushbuttons. Without it being necessary to detail the exact process, a general interrogation of all the modules can be triggered in order to know if the address which has just been randomly determined is not already used, if by chance it was the case, a new address not already

  used would be searched again.

  Each module is then provided with an unknown random address.

  naked of anyone, and that he puts in memory.

  Each entry and exit can also, by the same means, have a random numbering, also put

in memory in the module.

  These addresses and numbering may also have been defined in the workshop during manufacture or control

modules.

  - During an action on a selection pushbutton 43 for example, ignition of the first indicator 40 and selection of

the corresponding entry 35.

  - 8 - At each new action on said selection pushbutton, the lit indicator goes out, the next indicator lights up and the next entry is selected, and so on, the

  inputs then the outputs of each module being successive-

  selected. - During an action on a programming pushbutton, 44 by

  example, switching from module 27 to programming mode

  if an entry or exit has been selected.

  If an input has been selected, the module 27 switches to

  programming, and waits for an address that appears

  When an address appears on said bus line, the processor 34 of said module 27 takes into account said address, assigns it to the selected input and stores it in the RAM memory 39, then returns it. -sets said address on the bus line followed by the address of said module 27

  and the number of said selected input. He then leaves

  the programming mode to switch to a working mode

is lying.

  If it is an output that has been selected, the module 27 goes into programming mode after the operation of the programming pushbutton 44; the processor 34 will search in the memory 39 the address of said module 27 and the number of the selected output and transmits through its link 38 on the bus line 33; he then starts waiting for the reappearance

  from this address on the bus line 33. Where it appears

  processor 34 recognizes it, records and implements

  the address and number that immediately follow it.

  Since this second address corresponds to an entry

  another module, he knows which input and which modu-

  will come the information that will activate its output

selected.

  He then leaves the programming mode to switch to a

operating mode.

  Thus, in its hardware and software aspects, the system equipped with the addressing device according to the invention is very simple to program. The programming procedure is as follows:

  The operator, knowing all the functional relationships

  which must bind the connected user organs

  the various outputs of the system modules to the information

  arriving at the various inputs of the modules,

  program successively each of these functional relationships

  tional. It will be assumed that the first functional relation to be programmed is: any information appearing on the input 36 of the module 27 must activate the output 50 of the module 31. In this case, after having put the installation under tension, the operator selects the input 36 marked by its indicator with the selection pushbutton 43 on the module 27, then it operates the programming pushbutton 44. The module 27 is then waiting for an address. The operator then acts on the selection pushbutton 60 of the module 31 until the indicator corresponding to the output 50 is lit. He then maneuvers the programming pusher 61. At this moment, the processor 45 of the module 31 sends on the line the address

  said module, followed by the number of the output 50; the trial-

  34 sees this address and this number on its output 38, it puts them in memory 39 and re-transmits them on the bus line 33 followed by the address of the module 27 and the number of the input 36

  selected. The processor 45 of the module 31 sees reappearing

  the address he has just emitted, he puts in memory the address and the number which follow; finally the two modules

go into operation mode.

  The operator will do the same for all functional relationships.

to program.

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  If we want to prevent selection push buttons from being permanently active so that they can not act on the

  warning lights, so that they

  tion, be reserved for the materialization of the events

  input or output, it is possible, by adapting the processor software modules, to activate said selection pushbuttons only by a first operation of the pushbutton or the switch of

programming of each module.

  This maneuver will then be followed by the selection of an input or an output by pressing on the selection push-button, and then entering the programming mode with a

  second operation of the programming pushbutton.

  It would also be possible to activate the selection push-buttons of all the modules by operating the pusher or programming switch of a single module, whatever, or determined in advance, by having said module send, during said first maneuver, a

  particular code on the bus line 33.

  From this mode of operation pushers, indicator lights and

  nonvolatile RAMs, many other combinations of

  are still possible to improve flexibility

  of use and increase the security of the system.

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Claims (2)

claims   1. Bus addressing device for installation of the type comprising at least two interconnected modules   by at least one line of the bus type, each module comprising   nant: - at least one connecting means, preferably a processor, between the bus line and an input or an output, - at least one input or an output connected to an information source or a user device, - means programmable addressing, the installation   being arranged so that there are functioning relationships   between the inputs and outputs of the various   modules and that at least one of these functional-   is programmable by the user using the addressing means, characterized in that the programmable addressing means comprise at least one RAM, preferably non-volatile memory type E2PROM, at least one input selection means and outputs, at least one programming means and at least one means for displaying at least one of the   selected inputs or outputs.   2. Addressing device on the bus according to the claim   1, characterized in that each module (27) comprises: - a processor (34), - inputs (35 and 36) and outputs (37), - LEDs (40, 41 and 42) equal in number to total inputs (35 and 36) and outputs (37) of said module, each indicator being assigned to one of said inputs or outputs, - a selection pushbutton (43) inputs and outputs, - a programming pushbutton ( 44), whose operation switches the module to programming mode, - 12 -   a RAM memory (39), preferably non-volatile of the E2PROM type, the capacity of which in number of words is as large as necessary and at least equal to the total of the inputs and outputs of said module, each word having a number of bits such that it corresponds to a number of combinations   enough to ensure the protection sought.