US 7,581,053 B2
Distributed modular input/output system with wireless backplane extender
Gregg M. Sichner, Mentor, Ohio (US); Robert J. Kretschmann, Bay Village, Ohio (US); Jonathan R. Engdahl, Chardon, Ohio (US); Ram Pai, Racine, Wis. (US); Jianguo Zhuang, Shanghai (China); Qing Jia, Shanghai (China); and David D. Brandt, Milwaukee, Wis. (US)
Assigned to Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc., Mayfield Heights, Ohio (US)
Appl. No. 10/579,400
PCT Filed Nov. 16, 2004, PCT No. PCT/US2004/038334
§ 371(c)(1), (2), (4) Date May 13, 2006,
PCT Pub. No. WO2005/050894, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 02, 2005.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/520849, filed on Nov. 17, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2007/0112982 A1, May 17, 2007
Int. Cl. G06F 13/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 710—300  [455/557] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A distributed modular input/output system comprising:
an industrial controller programmed to control an industrial process;
a network adapter located remotely from and operatively connected to said industrial controller through a wired or wireless network connection;
a master input/output portion comprising: (i) a first group of one or more input/output modules physically and electrically connected to each other and to said network adapter through a master backplane for exchange of input/output data with said industrial controller through said network adapter; and (ii) a primary wireless device physically and electrically connected to said network adapter and said first group of input/output modules by said master backplane;
at least one servant input/output portion physically separate and spaced from the master input/output portion and comprising: (i) a second group of one or more input/output modules physically and electrically connected to each other by a servant backplane; and (ii) a secondary wireless device physically and electrically connected to said second group of input/output modules by said servant backplane;
a primary wireless backplane link operatively connecting said secondary wireless device to said primary wireless device, wherein said second group of input/output modules exchange input/output data with said industrial controller through said servant backplane, said secondary wireless device, said primary wireless backplane link, said primary wireless device, said master backplane and said network adapter.