Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for aligning status indicators on a terminal block of an I/O device by locating the status indicators directly adjacent to or integrated directly within their respective terminals on the terminal block. The status indicators are illuminated by LEDs or other light emitters disposed within a housing of the I/O device. Light from the LEDs are directed to the status indicators by light pipes disposed within the housing of the I/O device. LED activation circuitry disposed within the housing determines a manner in which to activate the LEDs to illuminate the status indicators based on inputs and outputs between the I/O device and a controlled process. In certain embodiments, the status indicators are disposed on a raised section of the I/O device, which may be part of a removable LED indication assembly including the LEDs, light pipes, and LED activation circuitry.

Abstract: Present embodiments include an adaptable automation control component that includes a base capable of communicatively coupling with a system bus and with a functional module that includes communication and control circuitry. The adaptable automation control component also includes a device power bus including electrical contacts that are capable of communicatively coupling the adaptable automation control component with a separate automation control component, and an activation mechanism including circuitry capable of continuing the device power bus when the activation mechanism is engaged, and capable of discontinuing the device power bus when the activation mechanism is disengaged. The adaptable automation control component facilitates functionality of the adaptable automation control component as an input/output module or a power distribution module depending on whether the activation mechanism is engaged or disengaged.

Abstract: Systems and methods for an industrial I/O controller circuit for frequency input modules that measure the frequency of an electrical input signal using adaptive threshold voltage and/or adaptive hysteresis feedback are shown and described. The systems and methods provide advantages in that the I/O controller circuit can better distinguish between actual input pulses from the electrical input signal, as opposed to unwanted Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) induced input pulses. This maximizes the amount of EMI rejection, independent of the frequency of the moving machine, and results in less time to commission and adjust a sensor, fewer false frequency measurements and less system down time.

Abstract: An input/output (I/O) device for an automation control system includes a base portion configured to communicatively connect the I/O device with at least one other I/O device, an I/O module physically and communicatively connected to the base portion and comprising I/O communication circuitry, a terminal block physically and communicatively connected to the base portion, and an ejection device configured to eject the I/O module or the terminal block from the base portion by pushing the I/O module or the terminal block out of engagement with the base portion when activated.

Abstract: Systems and methods for utilizing electronic keying features stored within one of the components (e.g., I/O modules, terminal blocks, bases) of I/O devices may include reading or detecting the electronic keying features using electronic key identification circuitry in one of the other components of the I/O devices. More specifically, the electronic keying features may include unique identification keys that may be read or detected by the electronic key identification circuitry to determine whether the components (e.g., a paired I/O module and terminal block) are associated with each other and intended to operate together. For example, the electronic key feature may be disposed within a terminal block and the electronic key identification circuitry may be disposed within an I/O module, or vice versa. In addition, the electronic key feature and/or the electronic key identification circuitry may be removable from their respective component of the I/O device.

Abstract: An input/output (I/O) device for an automation control system includes a base portion configured to communicatively connect the I/O device with at least one other I/O device, an I/O module physically and communicatively connected to the base portion and comprising I/O communication circuitry, a terminal block physically and communicatively connected to the base portion, and an ejection device configured to eject the I/O module or the terminal block from the base portion by pushing the I/O module or the terminal block out of engagement with the base portion when activated.

Abstract: Systems and methods for an industrial I/O controller circuit for frequency input modules that measure the frequency of an electrical input signal using adaptive threshold voltage and/or adaptive hysteresis feedback are shown and described. The systems and methods provide advantages in that the I/O controller circuit can better distinguish between actual input pulses from the electrical input signal, as opposed to unwanted Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) induced input pulses. This maximizes the amount of EMI rejection, independent of the frequency of the moving machine, and results in less time to commission and adjust a sensor, fewer false frequency measurements and less system down time.

Abstract: Present embodiments include an automation control system that includes an input/output device module with a device bus therein. The input/output module also includes a first bus contact on a first side of the input/output device module and communicatively coupled with a first end of the device bus, and a second bus contact on a second side of the input/output device module and communicatively coupled with a second end of the device bus. The second side generally faces an opposite direction from the first side and the input/output device module is configured to be coupled with additional input/output device modules positioned on the first and second sides of the input/output device module via the first and second bus contacts.

Abstract: An input/output (I/O) device for an automation control system includes a base portion configured to communicatively connect the I/O device with at least one other I/O device, an I/O module physically and communicatively connected to the base portion and comprising I/O communication circuitry, a terminal block physically and communicatively connected to the base portion, and an ejection device configured to eject the I/O module or the terminal block from the base portion by pushing the I/O module or the terminal block out of engagement with the base portion when activated.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for aligning status indicators on a terminal block of an I/O device by locating the status indicators directly adjacent to or integrated directly within their respective terminals on the terminal block. The status indicators are illuminated by LEDs or other light emitters disposed within a housing of the I/O device. Light from the LEDs are directed to the status indicators by light pipes disposed within the housing of the I/O device. LED activation circuitry disposed within the housing determines a manner in which to activate the LEDs to illuminate the status indicators based on inputs and outputs between the I/O device and a controlled process. In certain embodiments, the status indicators are disposed on a raised section of the I/O device, which may be part of a removable LED indication assembly including the LEDs, light pipes, and LED activation circuitry.

Abstract: Present embodiments include an adaptable automation control component that includes a base capable of communicatively coupling with a system bus and with a functional module that includes communication and control circuitry. The adaptable automation control component also includes a device power bus including electrical contacts that are capable of communicatively coupling the adaptable automation control component with a separate automation control component, and an activation mechanism including circuitry capable of continuing the device power bus when the activation mechanism is engaged, and capable of discontinuing the device power bus when the activation mechanism is disengaged. The adaptable automation control component facilitates functionality of the adaptable automation control component as an input/output module or a power distribution module depending on whether the activation mechanism is engaged or disengaged.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide re-configurable functionality within components of I/O devices without the need of disconnecting the components from each other. For example, in certain embodiments, when certain types of components are connected to each other, certain functionality sets within the components may be activated to provide combined functionality sets between the components. The combined functionality sets may, for example, be preferred functionality sets to be used when the particular types of components are connected to each other. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, functionality activation keys may be physically inserted into (or electronically communicated to) the components of the I/O device to activate certain functionality sets within the component into which the functionality activation key is inserted (or electronically communicated to), as well as within the other components of the I/O device to which the component is connected.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for utilizing electronic keying features stored within one of the components (e.g., I/O modules, terminal blocks, bases, and so forth) of I/O devices, and which may be read or detected by electronic key identification circuitry in one of the other components of the I/O devices. More specifically, the electronic keying features may include unique identification keys that may be read or detected by the electronic key identification circuitry to determine whether the components (e.g., a paired I/O module and terminal block) are associated with each other and intended to operate together. For example, in certain embodiments, the electronic key feature may be disposed within a terminal block and the electronic key identification circuitry may be disposed within an I/O module, or vice versa. In addition, in certain embodiments, the electronic key feature and/or the electronic key identification circuitry may be removable from their respective component of the I/O device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for aligning status indicators on a terminal block of an I/O device by locating the status indicators directly adjacent to or integrated directly within their respective terminals on the terminal block. The status indicators are illuminated by LEDs or other light emitters disposed within a housing of the I/O device. Light from the LEDs are directed to the status indicators by light pipes disposed within the housing of the I/O device. LED activation circuitry disposed within the housing determines a manner in which to activate the LEDs to illuminate the status indicators based on inputs and outputs between the I/O device and a controlled process. In certain embodiments, the status indicators are disposed on a raised section of the I/O device, which may be part of a removable LED indication assembly including the LEDs, light pipes, and LED activation circuitry.

Abstract: A safety control block interfaces to one or more devices utilizing one or more communication protocols wherein a network interface receives and/or transmits data directly from a network. A backplane interface receives and/or transmits data from a backplane. A backplane extension receives and/or transmits data from a backplane. A processing component receives data from at least one of the network interface, backplane interface and backplane extension and determines if the received data is related to safety or non-safety. A safety I/O circuitry receives safety data from the processing component; wherein the safety data is utilized to communicate to at least one control device.

Abstract: The present exemplary embodiment relates to industrial machine control and corresponding communication protocols. In one embodiment, the machine control communication protocol is Distributed I/O that has Extended Data Transfer (EDT) capability. It finds particular application with expanding the underutilized bandwidth of the EDT to gather/send secondary input and output data within a control system. In one aspect, a system communicates data from a network to an input/output module. An adapter module receives data. The adapter module includes a network data component that receives data from a network including an output data component that receives standard data and an output expansion data component that receives cyclic EDT data. A Distributed bus data component receives data from the network data component.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for redundancy in machine or process control systems provide redundant communication adapters located with the groups of I/O modules, so that if the first communication adapter faults or becomes unavailable, a second communication adapter will perform all of the necessary functions of the first adapter. The adapters are connected to a multiplexing module for communicating input data from the I/O modules to the communication adapters, for exchanging initialization data with the first communication adapter and the second communication adapter to initialize the redundant mode of operation and for monitoring communication of the first communication adapter and the second communication adapter on the network to start up the second adapter as the primary adapter for communicating both input data and output data with the I/O modules.

Abstract: A system serializes control signals within a safety control architecture wherein a safety serial interface at least one of receives and transmits signals from one or more processing components. A serialization component receives and serializes at least one data packet from the safety serial interface to control at least one of an input and an output associated with the safety control architecture. A safety related test circuit verifies input signals associated with the serialization component are not internally falsifying the state of the input signals. A heartbeat watchdog component verifies a true heartbeat bit in the at least one data packet is opposite a complement heartbeat bit in the at least one data packet within a predetermined time interval and shuts off power to at least one of an output and an input if such a condition is not met.

Abstract: The present exemplary embodiment relates to industrial machine control and corresponding communication protocols. In one embodiment, the machine control communication protocol is Distributed I/O that has Extended Data Transfer (EDT) capability. It finds particular application with expanding the underutilized bandwidth of the EDT to gather/send secondary input and output data within a control system. In one aspect, a system communicates data from a network to an input/output module. An adapter module receives data. The adapter module includes a network data component that receives data from a network including an output data component that receives standard data and an output expansion data component that receives cyclic EDT data. A Distributed bus data component receives data from the network data component.

Abstract: A passive isolator may fit between two serial network cables to convert a standard serial network to a serial network suitable for use in hazardous environments.