Automatic self-testing programmable industrial controller

Claim 2

A programmable controller, for accomplishing the sequencing operations and other related control tasks performed by a logic control system of the type adapted for controlling machine and process equipment, comprising: a. input means operable to receive inputs supplied to the controller corresponding to the existing condition of a plurality of parameters of the equipment being controlled; b. memory means having a pre-established set of instructions describing the control system requirements for the equipment being controlled; c. control logic means connected in electrical circuit relation with said input means and said memory means, said control logic means operating to scan inputs received by said input means in response to instructions received from said memory means and to compare the status of the scanned inputs to the control system requirements stored in said memory means to generate outputs for controlling the operation of the equipment; d. output means connected in electrical circuit relation with said coNtrol logic means for receiving therefrom said outputs and for supplying said outputs to the equipment being controlled; and e. automatic on-line self-test means self-contained in the controller and connected in electrical circuit relation with said input means, said memory means, said control logic means and said output means, said automatic on-line self-test means in response to instructions provided thereto from said memory means performing continually while the controller is in an online operating state a self-test of the controller to determine whether the controller is functioning properly.

Claim 3

A programmable controller as set forth in claim 1 wherein said input means comprises an input module including a plurality of input cards each operable to translate input signals supplied to the controller to logic level signals while providing isolation from electrical noise derived from external sources and each having a separate input light operable to indicate the ON and OFF status of the input card.

Claim 4

A programmable controller as set forth in claim 1 wherein said output means comprises an output module including a plurality of output cards operable for storing logic solutions thereon and for executing the stored solutions when all output equations have been solved whereby to provide outputs therefrom corresponding to the stored solutions thereon thereby to control the energizing and deenergizing of loads in accordance therewith.

Claim 5

A programmable controller as set forth in claim 1 wherein said memory means comprises a plurality of integrated circuit programmable read only semiconductor memory devices each containing 1,024 bits of memory storage organized as 256 words of 4 bits each.

Claim 6

A programmable controller as set forth in claim 1 further comprising built-in test means including switch means operable for displaying memory contents and interlocked with said output means to prevent accidental and undesired energization of said outputs from the controller during operation of said switch means.

Claim 7

A programmable controller as set forth in claim 1 further comprising timing means operable to provide adjustable time delays in response to programmed memory instructions and including light means having three operating states consisting of a lighted state when said timing means is ON, an unlighted state when said timing means is OFF, and a flashing state when said timing means is timing, and switch means permitting manual operation of said timing means to check the operation and setting thereof.

Claim 8

A logic control system, for providing automatic control of gas turbines and associated equipment such as compressors, generators, etc. used with them in industrial applications by accomplishing the multitude of functions required to automatically start the turbine system, monitor its proper acceleration and normal running, automatically sequence normal shutdown operation and provide automatic alarm and emergency control if malfunctions occur, comprising: a. input means receiving inputs from signal devices provided in the turbine system indicating the existing condition of the parameters of operation of the turbine engine and its associated equipment; b. output means providing outputs from the logic control system to the turbine system for controlling the operation of the turbine engine and its associated equipment; c. interrogating means connected in circuit relation with said input means and said output means for interrogating the status of the inputs of said input means and the outputs of said output means; d. programmable memory means having stored therein a series of digitally coded instructions representing the solution to a set of equations describing the control system requirements for the turbine system; e. a central process unit connected in circuit relation with said interrogating means and said programmable memory means for receiving the status of selected inputs from said input means and selected outputs frOm said output means and for performing logic operations thereon in response to instructions received from said programmable memory means whereby the outputs provided from said output means for controlling the operation of the turbine system are determined as a function of the inputs received by said input means from the turbine system; and f. automatic on-line self-test means self-contained in the control system and connected in electrical circuit relation with said input means, said output means, said interrogating means, said programmable memory means and said central process unit, said automatic on-line self-test means in response to instructions provided thereto from said memory means performing continually while the control system is in an on-line operating state a self-test of the control system to determine whether the control system is functioning properly.

Claim 9

A logic control system, for providing automatic control of gas turbines and associated equipment such as compressors, generators, etc. used with them in industrial applications by accomplishing the multitude of functions required to automatically start the turbine system, monitor its proper acceleration and normal running, automatically sequence normal shutdown operation and provide automatic alarm and emergency control if malfunctions occur, comprising: a. input means receiving inputs from signal devices provided in the turbine system indicating the existing condition of the parameters of operation of the turbine engine and its associated equipment; b. output means providing outputs from the logic control system to the turbine system for controlling the operation of the turbine engine and its associated equipment; c. interrogating means connected in circuit relation with said input means and said output means for interrogating the status of the inputs of said input means and the outputs of said output means; d. programmable memory means having stored therein a series of digitally coded instructions representing the solution to a set of equations describing the control system requirements for the turbine system; e. a central process unit connected in circuit relation with said interrogating means and said programmable memory means for receiving the status of selected inputs from said input means and selected outputs frOm said output means and for performing logic operations thereon in response to instructions received from said programmable memory means whereby the outputs provided from said output means for controlling the operation of the turbine system are determined as a function of the inputs received by said input means from the turbine system; and f. automatic on-line self-test means self-contained in the control system and connected in electrical circuit relation with said input means, said output means, said interrogating means, said programmable memory means and said central process unit, said automatic on-line self-test means in response to instructions provided thereto from said memory means performing continually while the control system is in an on-line operating state a self-test of the control system to determine whether the control system is functioning properly.

Claim 10

A logic control system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said central process unit includes memory address means for addressing a particular location in said programmable memory means for extracting a desired instruction therefrom.

Claim 11

A logic control system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said central process unit includes an instruction decoding means for decoding and converting instructions received from said programmable memory means into electrical signals which control the operation of the control circuits employed in solving the equations programmed in said programmable memory means.

Claim 12

A logic control system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said central process unit includes a logic process means for performing AND and OR logic operations on the inputs of said input means and the outputs of said output means in response to instructions programmed into said programmable memory means.

Claim 13

A logic control system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said self-test means includes means for providing a visual fault indication of the existence of a fault in the logic control system.

Claim 14

A logic control system as set forth in claim 7 further comprising a built-in test means including switch means operable for displaying contents of said programmable memory means.

Claim 15

A logic control system as set forth in claim 7 further comprising a timer means operable to provide adjustable time delays in response to instructions programmed into said programmable memory means and including light means for indicating the ON and OFF status of said timer means and switch means permitting manual operation of said timer means to check the operation and settings thereof.

Claim 16

A logic control system for controlling the operation of a turbine system comprising: a. input means receiving inputs from signal devices provided in the turbine system indicating the existing conditions of a plurality of the parameters of operation of the turbine system; b. output means providing outputs from the logic control system to the turbine system for controlling the operation of the latter; c. memory means having stored therein a series of instructions describing the control system requirements of the turbine system; d. logic processing means connected in circuit relation with said input means, said output means and said memory means for performing logic operations on the inputs received by said input means in response to instructions programmed in said memory means to determine the outputs provided from said output means for controlling the operation of the turbine system as a function of the inputs received by said input means from the turbine system; and e. self-test means for periodically performing a self-test of the logic control system in response to a series of instructions stored in said memory means.

Claim 17

A logic control system for controlling the operation of a turbine system comprising: a. input means receiving inputs from signal devices provided in the turbine system indicating the existing conditions of a plurality of the parameters of operation of the turbine system; b. output means providing outputs from the logic control system to the turbine system for controlling the operation of the latter; c. memory means having stored therein a series of instructions describing the control system requirements of the turbine system; d. logic processing means connected in circuit relation with said input means, said output means and said memory means for performing logic operations on the inputs received by said input means in response to instructions programmed in said memory means to determine the outputs provided from said output means for controlling the operation of the turbine system as a function of the inputs received by said input means from the turbine system; and e. self-test means for periodically performing a self-test of the logic control system in response to a series of instructions stored in said memory means.

Claim 18

A logic control system as set forth in claim 14 wherein said self-test means further includes means for providing a visual fault indication of the existence of a fault in the logic control system.

Claim 19

A logic control system for controlling the operation of a turbine system comprIsing: a. input means receiving inputs from signal devices provided in the turbine system indicating the existing condition of a plurality of the parameters of operation of the turbine system; b. output means providing outputs from the logic control system to the turbine system for controlling the operation of the latter; c. memory means having stored therein a series of instructions describing the control system requirements of the turbine system; d. logic processing means connected in circuit relation with said input means, said output means, and said memory means for performing logic operations on the inputs received by said input means in response to instructions programmed in said memory means to determine the outputs provided from said output means for controlling the operation of the turbine system as a function of the inputs received by said input means from the turbine system; and e. timer means operable to provide adjustable time delays in response to instructions programmed into said memory means and including light means having three operating states consisting of a lighted state when said timer means is ON, an unlighted state when said timer means is OFF and a flashing state when said timer means is timing, and switch means permitting manual operation of said timer means to check the operation and settings thereof.

Claim 20

A logic control system for controlling the operation of a turbine system comprIsing: a. input means receiving inputs from signal devices provided in the turbine system indicating the existing condition of a plurality of the parameters of operation of the turbine system; b. output means providing outputs from the logic control system to the turbine system for controlling the operation of the latter; c. memory means having stored therein a series of instructions describing the control system requirements of the turbine system; d. logic processing means connected in circuit relation with said input means, said output means, and said memory means for performing logic operations on the inputs received by said input means in response to instructions programmed in said memory means to determine the outputs provided from said output means for controlling the operation of the turbine system as a function of the inputs received by said input means from the turbine system; and e. timer means operable to provide adjustable time delays in response to instructions programmed into said memory means and including light means having three operating states consisting of a lighted state when said timer means is ON, an unlighted state when said timer means is OFF and a flashing state when said timer means is timing, and switch means permitting manual operation of said timer means to check the operation and settings thereof.

Claim 21

A logic control system for controlling the operation of a turbine system comprising: a. input means receiving inputs from signal devices provided in the turbine system indicating the existing condition of a plurality of the parameters of operation of the turbine system; b. output means providing outputs from the logic control system to the turbine system for controlling the operation of the latter; c. memory means having stored therein a series of instructions describing the control system requirements of the turbine system; d. logic processing means connected in circuit relation with said input means, said output means, and said memory means for performing logic operations on the inputs received by said input means in response to instructions programmed in said memory means to determine the outputs provided from said output means for controlling the operation of the turbine system as a function of the inputs received by said input means from the turbine system; and e. built-in test means including manually operable means for controlling the rate at which said memory means is scanned and for visually displaying the contents of said memory means.

Claim 22

A logic control system for controlling the operation of a turbine system comprising: a. input means receiving inputs from signal devices provided in the turbine system indicating the existing condition of a plurality of the parameters of operation of the turbine system; b. output means providing outputs from the logic control system to the turbine system for controlling the operation of the latter; c. memory means having stored therein a series of instructions describing the control system requirements of the turbine system; d. logic processing means connected in circuit relation with said input means, said output means, and said memory means for performing logic operations on the inputs received by said input means in response to instructions programmed in said memory means to determine the outputs provided from said output means for controlling the operation of the turbine system as a function of the inputs received by said input means from the turbine system; and e. built-in test means including manually operable means for controlling the rate at which said memory means is scanned and for visually displaying the contents of said memory means.

Claim 23

A logic control system for controlling the operation of a turbine system comprising: a. input means receiving inputs from signal devices provided in the turbine system indicating the existing condition of a plurality of the parameters of operation of the turbine system; b. output means providing outputs from the logic control system to the turbine system for controlling the operation of the latter; c. memory means including an integrated circuit programmable read only semiconductor memory capable of being programmed by random programming and having stored therein a series of instructions describing the control system requirements of the turbine system, said memory means including a plurality of memory words with each of said plurality of memory words being composed of 12 bits with 3 of said 12 bits defining the instruction and operation to be performed and the remaining 9 of said 12 bits defining a particular one of the inputs and outputs to be addressed and wherein said 9 bits provide a capability of addressing 512 inputs and outputs, said memory means further including circuit means operable for addressing an additional 512 outputs with said nine bits in response to an instruction from one of said 3 bits of the 12 bit word; and d. logic processing means connected in circuit relation with said input means, said output means, and said memory means for performing logic opeRations on the inputs received by said input means in response to instructions programmed in said memory means to determine the outputs provided from said output means for controlling the operation of the turbine system as a function of the inputs received by said input means from the turbine system, and including means operable to permit changes to be made in said series of instructions stored in said memory means simply by erasing the unwanted instruction and programming a new instruction as a substitute therefor at the end of said memory means.

Claim 24

A logic control system for controlling the operation of a turbine system comprising: a. input means receiving inputs from signal devices provided in the turbine system indicating the existing condition of a plurality of the parameters of operation of the turbine system; b. output means providing outputs from the logic control system to the turbine system for controlling the operation of the latter; c. memory means including an integrated circuit programmable read only semiconductor memory capable of being programmed by random programming and having stored therein a series of instructions describing the control system requirements of the turbine system, said memory means including a plurality of memory words with each of said plurality of memory words being composed of 12 bits with 3 of said 12 bits defining the instruction and operation to be performed and the remaining 9 of said 12 bits defining a particular one of the inputs and outputs to be addressed and wherein said 9 bits provide a capability of addressing 512 inputs and outputs, said memory means further including circuit means operable for addressing an additional 512 outputs with said nine bits in response to an instruction from one of said 3 bits of the 12 bit word; and d. logic processing means connected in circuit relation with said input means, said output means, and said memory means for performing logic opeRations on the inputs received by said input means in response to instructions programmed in said memory means to determine the outputs provided from said output means for controlling the operation of the turbine system as a function of the inputs received by said input means from the turbine system, and including means operable to permit changes to be made in said series of instructions stored in said memory means simply by erasing the unwanted instruction and programming a new instruction as a substitute therefor at the end of said memory means.