Abstract:
A computer apparatus that interconnects a standard commercial off the shelf (COTS) computer to a proprietary system. The standard COTS computer replaces a proprietary computer and assumes its roles of controlling a workstation and a display thereof of the proprietary system. The computer apparatus comprises a frame that carries the COTS computer, a power converter, adapters, a video module, Ethernet and UBS connectors, a hard drive and the like. The frame mates with slots of a backplane of the proprietary system.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/579,932, filed Jun. 14, 2004, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to the field of distributed control networks and more particularly relates to improvements in the interconnection of commercially available computer hardware components in a proprietary system and network.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     A distributed process control system, such as Honeywell Inc.&#39;s TDC3000, provides a computerized plant management system, a version of which is described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,256, which issued Aug. 19, 1986. The process control system includes a universal operator station, which an operator responsible for the overall operation of the process or processes being supervised uses to obtain the information needed to perform this function. Additionally, the operator station includes the capability of transmitting information, including commands or instructions, to control subsystems of the plant management system to control the processes being supervised. All communications between the universal operator station and other modules of the network are via the network&#39;s proprietary Local Control Network (LCN) bus which provides the universal operator station with access to the data highways of any digital process control and data acquisition subsystems of the system of the plant management system.  
         [0004]     All of the hardware and software components of the submodules of the operator station module were specially designed to perform the functions required of an operator station module such as producing a video display on a CRT, I/O functions for keyboards, printers, etc., mass storage devices, and a general purpose data processing capability for optimizing the system, for example. There has been a tremendous increase in the performance of commercially available personal computers (PCs), their associated peripheral devices, and related operating system software and with a concomitant reduction in their cost in recent years. Thus, it has become common to incorporate commercially available PCs, peripherals, and software into the peripheral submodule of a universal operator station module in place of the specialized hardware and software components of an operator station module.  
         [0005]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,844 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,673, assigned to Honeywell Inc. (both hereby incorporated by reference), teach an improved interface circuit that permits communication via the interface circuit between the kernel submodule and the peripheral submodule of the universal operator station (OS) module in which the components of the peripheral module are standard commercially available electronic components and associated software. The improved interface circuit does so without requiring any changes to the hardware and/or software of the components of the kernel submodule, or to any of the other modules of the process control system. The kernel submodule communicates with its components and with the interface circuit over its module BUS, the structure and protocol of which is unchanged. The components of the peripheral submodule likewise communicate with one another over the peripheral component interface (PCI) BUS and with the interface circuit as well.  
         [0006]     In this exemplary system, the kernel submodule connects to the PCI bus of a computer station connecting the peripheral components associated with the computer station, i.e. keyboard, display, pointing device to the kernel submodule. Therefore, these patents teach a system that adds an LCN interface module that connects a desktop PC computer device via the PCI bus to the LCN bus of the proprietary plant management system. The desktop PC then acts as an operator station in the plant management system.  
         [0007]     Today, powerful general purpose computers are constructed, whereby the processor, RAM/ROM memory, mass storage, video, sound and I/O elements and components of a general purpose computer can be housed on a single board with a minimal number of small, optional, peripheral interface boards for special interconnections (e.g. special video capabilities, or LAN interfaces). Modern component boards, e.g., motherboards, can incorporate all the components required to operate such a computer, except for those components required to provide either user input to the computer or to display the output of the computer. These user operated input and output devices are typically found in the proprietary operator station described above and connected to the proprietary input/output interconnect hardware of the proprietary plant management system.  
         [0008]     There is a need for a computer apparatus that interconnects a proprietary operator station of a proprietary plant management system to an industry standard form factor motherboard in order for the operator station to use a commercial workstation computer disposed on the motherboard to transmit information, including commands or instructions, to control subsystems of the plant management system and the processes being supervised.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     A computer apparatus of the present invention connects a commercial-off the shelf (COTS) computer to a backplane of a system that includes at least one input/output (I/O) unit and a plurality of card slots for an interface to the I/O unit. The computer apparatus comprises a frame and at least one edge connector, the COTS computer and the edge connector being disposed on the frame. At least one adapter is disposed on the frame and is interconnected with the COTS computer and the edge connector. The adapter comprises circuit elements that convert input and output of signals of the COTS computer to input and output signals that are compatible with the proprietary interface so that the COTS computer provides control for the I/O unit. The edge connector mates with one of the card slots of the backplane.  
         [0010]     In one embodiment of the present invention, the at least one adapter is a first adapter and the edge connector is a first edge connector. A second edge connector and a second adapter are disposed on the frame. The second adapter is interconnected with the COTS computer and the second edge connector.  
         [0011]     Preferably, the first adapter and the first edge connector are disposed on a first adapter board that is mounted to and spaced from the frame. The second edge connector and the second adapter are disposed on a second adapter board. The second edge connector mates with another of the card slots of the backplane.  
         [0012]     In another embodiment of the present invention, the frame comprises a metallic sheet comprising a first surface and a second surface substantially perpendicular to the first surface, the second surface providing support for the second adapter board.  
         [0013]     In another embodiment of the present invention, a power converter is disposed on the frame and is interconnected with the edge connector. The COTS computer and the adapter convert power received via the edge connector from the system to power levels that are compatible with the COTS computer and the adapter.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     Other and further objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters denote like elements of structure and:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of the computer apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the computer apparatus of the present invention shown with a backplane of a proprietary system;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a rack, a backplane of a proprietary system and the computer apparatus of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a portion the computer apparatus of  FIG. 2  with optional modules disposed thereon;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram of an adapter board of the computer apparatus of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0020]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a computer apparatus  50  of the present invention comprises a standard Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) computer  12 . COTS computer  12  in a preferred embodiment may be packaged in a motherboard  10  that has a standard PC form factor, such as, for example, an industry standard ATX form factor. Motherboard  10  comprises input/output (I/O) device and signal interconnects  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24  and  25  routed and interconnected to one or more I/O adapter boards  30 .  
         [0021]     Referring also to  FIG. 2 , in a preferred embodiment, I/O adapter boards  30  comprise separate I/O adapter boards  32  and  34  that are disposed to communicate with a proprietary system  100  via a proprietary backplane  102 . In particular, I/O adapter boards  32  and  34  function to convert input and output signals carried on signal interconnects  21 - 25  of motherboard  10  to input and output signals that are compatible with an I/O unit  104  of proprietary system  100 . The input and output signals at the output of I/O adapter boards  32  and  34  are carried via backplane  102  and an I/O interconnect unit  106  to I/O unit  104 . I/O unit  104 , e.g., is a display unit comprising a display screen and one or more input units, such as a keyboard, a mouse, touchscreen, and the like. For example, I/O unit  104  may be an operator station of proprietary system  100 . In order to update proprietary system  100  to current computer technology without a redesign of the entire system, a proprietary computer of proprietary system  100  has been removed for replacement by COTS computer  12 . It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the number of I/O adapter boards  30  needed is a matter of design choice as well as a matter of the type of proprietary system.  
         [0022]     Power to motherboard  10  upon which COTS computer  10  is disposed, is provided by a proprietary power supply  45  that also powers proprietary peripherals, such as I/O unit  104  of proprietary system  100 . The power is routed on computer apparatus  50  to a power converter  40  that conforms the voltages and currents supplied to proprietary system  100  to the voltages and currents required by motherboard  10 .  
         [0023]     Computer apparatus  50 , including the motherboard  10 , I/O Adapter Boards  32  and  34  and power converter  40  as well as other components, preferably comprises a single pre-packaged module housed and assembled on a single or universal slot station (USS) that can be mounted within a  
         [0024]     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , an exemplary computer apparatus  50  is preferably configured to interface to a circuit card chassis  42  (shown in  FIG. 2 ), which, for example, may be a TDC3000 Dual Node Module Chassis marketed by Honeywell, Inc. Circuit card chassis  42  is typically located in a base of I/O unit  104 . Computer apparatus  50  includes a frame  70  that is shaped and sized to fit within circuit card chassis  42 . Frame  70  comprises a sheet of rigid material that has a first surface  72  and a second surface  74  that is substantially perpendicular to first surface  72 , e.g., an L-shape. Frame  70 , e.g., may be constructed of sheet metal. In  FIG. 3 , the card guide frames have been removed. Adapter board side edge connectors  76  and  78  and adapter board edge connector  80  are connected into corresponding slot connectors  110 ,  112  and  114  of backplane  102 , thereby connecting computer apparatus  50  to proprietary system  100 .  
         [0025]     Motherboard  10  is mounted to surface  72  of frame  70 , using, for example, standoffs (not shown). Disposed on motherboard  10  are COTS computer  12 , onboard dual Ethernet connectors  44 , a populated microprocessor socket  46  and one or more populated RAM memory modules  48  as required to function as a general purpose computer. If an ATX form factor is used, motherboard  10  would also include an AGP socket, USB and Ethernet connectors and a plurality of PCI card sockets as well as, keyboard, mouse, serial, parallel and serial ports (none of which are shown on the drawing). A hard disk drive  54 , e.g., a 7200 RPM, 2.5 inches, is also mounted to surface  72  of frame  70 . Hard disk drive  54  is interconnected with COTS computer  12  on motherboard  10 . Other components (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) can also be disposed on frame  70 , such as the components mentioned below.  
         [0026]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a video board  56  can optionally be mounted on standoffs horizontally over motherboard  10 . A right angle riser  58  is installed in an AGP slot connector  60  that connects motherboard  10  to video board  56 .  
         [0027]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a video board  56  can optionally be mounted on standoffs horizontally over motherboard  10 . A right angle riser  58  is installed in an AGP slot connector  60  that connects motherboard  10  to video board  56 . Video board  56  produces video signals that will be connected to and used by the display of I/O unit  104 . For proprietary LCN systems an LCNP4 Co-Processor Card  62  is optionally installed over video card  56  that connects to a PCI slot connector  64  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) on motherboard  10  via a right angle riser  66 . LCNP4 card  62  functions to provide and send control and data signals between motherboard  10  and the LCN subsystem as explained above. Additional information regarding the functionality of the LCNP4 card may be had by reference to U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,844 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,673, assigned to Honeywell Inc., both hereby incorporated by reference.  
         [0028]     COTS computer  12  as well as the other components disposed on motherboard  10  are interconnected to a proprietary bus of proprietary system  100  via adapter boards  32  and  34  and backplane  102 . Adapter board  32  is mounted to frame surface  72  and includes a pair of edge connectors  76  and  78 . Edge connector  78  has conductive portions that interconnect proprietary power supply  45  of proprietary system  100  to computer apparatus  50 . The power signals are carried from adapter board  32  via a cable  83  to power converter circuit  40 . Power converter circuit  40 , which is located on computer apparatus  50 , converts the voltage and currents provided by power supply  45  to the power and current required by the motherboard  10 . Edge connector  76 , has conductive portions that interconnect the proprietary LCN I/O control and data bus to the LCNP4 co-processor card  62 , as well as, to an LCNP4 I/O connection (not shown). It should be noted that depending on the type of proprietary system  100  to be connected to computer apparatus  50 , LCNP4 co-processor card  62  may not be used. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to its use herein. Computer apparatus  50  can function effectively to control proprietary peripherals or proprietary operator stations of other networks without the use of LCNP4 card  62 .  
         [0029]     Adapter board  34  includes an edge connector  80  that, e.g., may have 72 pins. Edge connector  80  interconnects the I/O signals to and from the motherboard  10  and I/O unit  104 . Adapter board  34  is mounted to frame surface  72  on standoffs  82  at a level that is parallel to motherboard  10 . Adapter board  34  is interconnected with motherboard  10  via a cable  84  that carries outgoing signals to and incoming signals from I/O unit  104 , as well as, optionally, video signals, USB and Ethernet signals. Edge connector  80  interconnects these signals with I/O unit  104  via backplane  102 . The incoming signals are connected to the appropriate and associated connectors on motherboard  10 .  
         [0030]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , adapter board  34  includes a dual RJ45 Ethernet connector  84  and a dual USB-2 connector  86 . RJ45 Ethernet connector  84  carries the Ethernet signals received on Ethernet connection cable  1  and Ethernet connection cable  2  from motherboard  10  to edge connector  80 . USB-2 connector  86  carries the USB signals received on an USB connection cable from motherboard  10  to edge connector  80 . A PS/2 keyboard and mouse connector  88  carries the signals received on a PS/2 keyboard and mouse connection cable from motherboard  10  to edge connector  80 . A COM  1  serial port connector  90  and a COM  2  serial port connector  92  carry COM  1  and COM  2  signals received on COM  1  and COM  2  connection cables, respectively, to edge connector  80 . A video port  1  connector  94  and a video port  2  connector  96  carry the signals received on video  1  and video  2  connection cables, respectively, from motherboard  10  to edge connector  80 .  
         [0031]     The interconnections between adapter board  34  and the various motherboard I/O connectors can be made by a plurality of ribbon cables. However, those skilled in the art will understand that other methods could be used in the making these interconnections and the invention is not limited thereto.  
         [0032]     Computer apparatus  50  can be mounted in a TDC3000 cabinet along with other proprietary components of proprietary system  100 , or alternatively, in the universal operator station of a proprietary TDC3000 operator console.  
         [0033]     The present invention having been thus described with particular reference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.