Input/output module for a bus system

{
  "publication_number": "US10614013B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Input/output module for a bus system",
  "abstract": "An input/output module is provided for a bus system having a socket, the five contact cups of which each may comprise an electrical contact, and a measuring device for detecting a connector of a four-wire data cable. The measuring device can be configured to detect, when a connector is inserted into the socket, whether the connector comprises four or five electrical contact pins which are each plugged into one of the contact cups and are electrically connected to the respective electrical contact of the contact cups. The measuring device may be configured to close a first and a second switching device only when five electrical contact pins are detected in order to apply a respective supply voltage from two DC voltage supplies to the corresponding plugged contact pins of the connector plugged into the socket via the respective electrical contacts of the contact cups.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An input/output module for a bus system, having a socket, five contact cups of which each comprise an electrical contact, with: a first DC voltage applied to respective electrical contacts of two of the five contact cups by a first switching device, a second DC voltage applied to respective electrical contacts of two others of the five contact cups by a second switching device, a first differential data signal applied to the respective electrical contacts of the two of the five contact cups, a second differential data signal applied to the respective electrical contacts of the two others of the five contact cups; and a measuring device for detecting a connector of a four-wire data cable, which measuring device is configured to detect, when the connector is inserted into the socket, whether the connector comprises four or five electrical contact pins which are each plugged into one of the contact cups and are electrically connected to the respective electrical contacts of the contact cups, the measuring device being configured to close the two first and second switching devices only when five electrical contact pins are detected in order to apply the first and second DC voltage to the corresponding contact pins of the connector plugged into the socket via the respective electrical contacts of the contact cups, wherein the two differential data signals and the two DC voltages are isolated from one another.",
    "2. An input/output module for a bus system according to claim 1, comprising: a first DC voltage supply for the first DC voltage and a second DC voltage-supply for the second DC voltage, and a physical interface, a first transformer, a second transformer, a first inductive subassembly, a second inductive subassembly, a first capacitive subassembly, a second capacitive subassembly, the first switching device and the second switching device; the first DC voltage supply being configured to be electrically connected to the respective electrical contacts of the two of the five contact cups via the first inductive subassembly by the first switching device, the second DC voltage supply being configured to be electrically connected to the respective electrical contacts of the two others of the five contact cups via the second inductive subassembly by the second switching device, the physical interface being electrically connected to the respective electrical contacts of the two of the five contact cups via the first transformer and via the first capacitive subassembly in order to apply the first differential data signal to the respective electrical contacts of the two of the five contact cups, the physical interface being electrically connected to the respective electrical contacts of the two others of the five contact cups via the second transformer and via the second capacitive subassembly in order to apply the second differential data signal to the respective electrical contacts of the two others of the five contact cups.",
    "3. The input/output module according to claim 2, the measuring device being configured to apply an electrical measurement voltage between the electrical contact of a fifth contact cup of the five contact cups, which differs from the two of the five contact cups and the two others of the five contact cups, and an electrical reference contact, and to measure an electrical current flowing between the electrical reference contact and the electrical contact of the fifth contact cup, the electrical reference contact being electrically insulated from the electrical contact of the fifth contact cup, the measuring device being configured to close the two switching devices when an electrical current flowing between the electrical reference contact and the electrical contact of the fifth contact cup is measured when an electrical measurement voltage is applied.",
    "4. The input/output module according to claim 3, the measuring device comprising a transistor which is configured to switch on in the case of an electrical current flowing between the electrical reference contact and the electrical contact of the fifth contact cup, the measuring device being configured to detect when the transistor switches on and to close the two switching devices when switching-on of the transistor is detected.",
    "5. The input/output module according to claim 3, the measuring device being configured to determine, on the basis of the applied measurement voltage and the measured electrical current, what type of electrical component integrated in the connector has formed an electrical connection between the electrical reference contact and the electrical contact of the fifth contact cup.",
    "6. The input/output module according to claim 5, the measuring device being configured to determine an electrical property of the electrical component.",
    "7. The input/output module according to claim 3, the measuring device being configured to determine a property of the data cable plugged into the socket on the basis of the applied measurement voltage and the measured electrical current.",
    "8. The input/output module according to claim 2, the measuring device comprising an electrical switching contact, and the electrical contact of the fifth contact cup, which differs from the two of the five contact cups and the two others of the five contact cups, being movably mounted, such that, when an electrical contact pin of the connector is inserted into the fifth contact cup, the electrical contact pin inserted into the fifth contact cup moves the movably mounted electrical contact, such that the latter movably mounted electrical contact actuates the electrical switching contact, the measuring device being configured to close the two switching devices when the electrical switching contact is actuated.",
    "9. The input/output module according to claim 2, the measuring device being configured to check, via the electrical contact of the fifth contact cup, which differs from the two of the five contact cups and the two others of the five contact cups, whether a programmable memory is integrated in the connector as an electrical component and to close the two switching devices on the basis of the check.",
    "10. A method for operating an input/output module having a socket, five contact cups of which each comprise an electrical contact, the method comprising: a first DC voltage being applied to respective electrical contacts of two of the five contact cups by a first switching device, a second DC voltage being applied to respective electrical contacts of two others of the five contact cups by a second switching device, a first differential data signal being applied to the respective electrical contacts of the two of the five contact cups, a second differential data signal being applied to the respective electrical contacts of the two others of the five contact cups, using a measuring device to detect, when a connector is inserted into a socket, whether the connector comprises four or five electrical contact pins which are each plugged into one of the contact cups and are electrically connected to the respective electrical contacts of the contact cups, using the measuring device to close the two first and second switching devices only when five electrical contact pins are detected, such that the first and second DC voltage are applied to the respective contact pins of the connector plugged into the socket via the respective electrical contacts of the contact cups on account of the closed switching devices wherein the two differential data signals and the two DC voltages are isolated from one another.",
    "11. The method according to claim 10, also comprising: using the measuring device to apply an electrical measurement voltage between the electrical contact of a contact cup of the five contact cups and an electrical reference contact, and using the measuring device to measure whether an electrical current flows between the reference contact and the electrical contact of the contact cup, using the measuring device to close the two switching devices when an electrical current flowing between the electrical reference contact and the electrical contact of the contact cup is measured when an electrical measurement voltage is applied.",
    "12. The method according to claim 10, also comprising: using the measuring device to close the two switching devices if the measuring device detects switching-on of a transistor.",
    "13. The method according to claim 11, also comprising: using the measuring device to determine, on the basis of the applied measurement voltage and the measured electrical current, what type of electrical component integrated in the connector has formed an electrical connection between the electrical reference contact and the electrical contact of the contact cup.",
    "14. The method according to claim 13, also comprising: using the measuring device to determine an electrical property of the electrical component.",
    "15. The method according to claim 10, also comprising: using the measuring device to determine a property of a data cable plugged into the socket on the basis of the applied measurement voltage and the measured electrical current.",
    "16. The method according to claim 10, also comprising: using the measuring device to close the two switching devices if an electrical switching contact is actuated.",
    "17. The method according to claim 10, also comprising: using the measuring device to check, via the electrical contact of the contact cup, whether a programmable memory is integrated in the connector as an electrical component, using the measuring device to close the two switching devices on the basis of the check.",
    "18. A bus system having: an input/output module, the input/output module comprising: a socket, five contact cups of which each comprise an electrical contact, two DC voltages and two differential data signals being applicable to four of the five contact cups, wherein the two differential data signals and the two DC voltages are isolated from one another; and a data cable comprising: two pairs of wires, a connector with five electrical contact pins and a shield, four of the five electrical contact pins being electrically connected to respective wires of the two pairs of wires, at least one electrical component being connected between a fifth of the electrical contact pins and the shield, the at least one electrical component being selected from the following group of electrical components: resistor, inductance, capacitor, diode, and programmable memory, and electrical properties of the electrical component coding a data cable length and/or operating parameters of the input/output module; wherein the connector is inserted into the socket, the four contact cups each accommodating a corresponding one of the four electrical contact pins, a fifth contact cup accommodating the fifth electrical contact pin.",
    "19. The bus system according to claim 18, a property of the data cable being stored in the programmable memory."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This invention relates to an input/output module for a bus system. The invention also relates to a method for operating an input/output module for a bus system. The invention also relates to a data cable.\n\nModern concepts in industrial automation, that is to say the control and monitoring of technical processes with the aid of software, are based on the idea of a central controller with a distributed sensor/actuator level. In this case, the subscribers communicate with one another and with superordinate systems via industrial data networks, also referred to as automation networks below.\n\nEthernet is the most widespread communication standard in local area networks and is stipulated, in particular, by the IEEE standard 802.3. Ethernet is based on a LAN structure in which a plurality of control nodes, for example computers or machines, are connected to one another in a wired manner, the Ethernet protocol encapsulating the data to be transmitted in data packets, also referred to as a message below, with a predetermined format. In this case, it is possible to use different Ethernet variants which differ in terms of the transmission rate, the cable types used and the line coding.\n\nCommunication between the subscribers generally takes place via a data line having four wires in industrially used Ethernet networks, the four wires often being in the form of two twisted pairs of wires. Twisting the pairs of wires reduces crosstalk. The two wires in a pair of wires are always used together, a differential data signal being transmitted via one pair of wires in each case.",
  "cpc": [
    "G06F 13/4022",
    "G01R 31/043",
    "G01R 31/68",
    "G06F 1/3287",
    "G06F 1/3296",
    "G06F 13/4282",
    "H01R 13/658",
    "H01R 33/74",
    "H04L 12/10",
    "H04L 12/40045"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G06F 1/32",
    "G06F 13/40",
    "G06F 13/42",
    "H01R 13/658",
    "H01R 33/74",
    "G06F 1/3287",
    "G06F 1/3296",
    "H04L 12/10",
    "H04L 12/40"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Beckhoff Automation GmbH and Co KG"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Holger Büttner",
    "Thomas Rettig",
    "Dirk Bechtel",
    "Michael Jost",
    "Christopher Pohl",
    "Hans Beckhoff"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-03-15",
  "publication_date": "2020-04-07",
  "grant_date": "2020-04-07",
  "priority_date": "2015-10-02",
  "application_number": "US-201715459804-A",
  "family_id": "57018139",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
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}