Programmable controller module

Abstract

The utility model provides a programmable controller module. The programmable controller module comprises a main control unit, an extensible I / O interface module, a dual-mode power management module, a high-speed communication module, an environment adaptation and protection module, a fault diagnosis module and a storage expansion module. The programmable controller module integrates a plurality of functional modules such as a master control processing module, an I / O expansion module, a power management module, a communication module, an environment monitoring module, a fault diagnosis module and a data storage module, and adopts a high-performance chip and a multi-protection circuit. The high-stability power supply system ensures continuous operation under key tasks; the multi-protocol communication capability meets the industrial interconnection multi-scene requirements; an intelligent diagnosis and protection mechanism obviously improves the reliability and the maintenance efficiency of the equipment; the perfect data storage capability supports remote monitoring and operation recording; the enhanced environment adaptability is suitable for various complex industrial environments. The adaptability, the intelligent level and the system stability of the programmable controller in actual industrial application are remarkably improved on the whole, and the programmable controller has a wide application prospect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of controller technology, specifically a programmable controller module. Background Technology

[0002] Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) are core components of industrial automation control systems and are widely used in various fields such as machinery manufacturing, transportation, power systems, and building automation. While traditional PLCs offer significant advantages in functional stability and programmability, they still face the following technical challenges and limitations in practical applications.

[0003] First, existing PLC devices lack sufficient flexibility in terms of the number and type of input / output interfaces, making it difficult to adapt to diverse scenario requirements. Most PLCs have a fixed number of I / O interfaces, and when the system scales up or the signal type changes, it is often necessary to replace the entire PLC or add complex external modules, increasing cost and system complexity.

[0004] Secondly, most traditional PLCs rely on a single power supply. Once the main power supply is interrupted, the control system will be unable to continue operating, posing a serious stability risk. This is especially true in critical industrial scenarios such as mining, petrochemical, and tunnel engineering, where higher requirements are placed on seamless switching between dual power supplies and power management capabilities.

[0005] Third, with the development of industrial data interaction and edge computing, traditional PLCs are generally lagging behind in terms of communication capabilities. Conventional serial communication (such as RS232) is difficult to meet the needs of modern industry for high-speed, long-distance, and multi-channel data transmission. Application scenarios such as industrial Internet, remote monitoring, and distributed control systems urgently need high-performance PLCs that integrate multiple communication methods.

[0006] Furthermore, PLCs are susceptible to environmental temperature and humidity, electromagnetic interference, and surge voltage during long-term operation. Existing equipment has shortcomings in environmental adaptability and electrical protection measures, which may lead to abnormal module operation or even damage, affecting the overall stability of the system. In current technology, PLCs often lack fault diagnosis and feedback mechanisms. Once hardware damage or communication abnormalities occur, there is a lack of clear indications and alarm methods, making it difficult for maintenance personnel to locate faults in a timely manner, increasing maintenance costs.

[0007] In addition, the storage of system operation data mainly relies on built-in flash memory, which has a small capacity and does not have the ability to retain data when power is off. This makes it easy to lose critical information such as operation logs and configuration parameters, and there is a lack of effective storage expansion and data backup methods.

[0008] In summary, existing programmable logic controllers (PLCs) have certain shortcomings in terms of I / O expandability, power management, communication capabilities, environmental adaptability, fault detection, and data storage. There is an urgent need for a new type of PLC module with high integration, complete functions, and adaptability to complex industrial environments to improve its stability, maintainability, and intelligence. Utility Model Content

[0009] The purpose of this utility model is to provide a new type of PLC module with high integration, complete functions, and adaptability to complex industrial environments, so as to improve its stability, maintainability and intelligence level.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model proposes the following technical solution: a programmable controller module, comprising the following hardware modules:

[0011] The main control unit is used for core computing, signal processing, and module coordination.

[0012] An expandable I / O interface module connects to the main control unit for dynamically expanding input / output ports;

[0013] A dual-mode power management module, connected to the main control unit, is used to provide power supply and switching between the main power supply and the backup power supply;

[0014] A high-speed communication module, connected to the main control unit, is used to realize multi-channel data transmission;

[0015] The environmental adaptation and protection module, connected to the main control unit, is used to monitor environmental parameters and protect the module's operation.

[0016] The fault diagnosis module, connected to the main control unit, is used to detect hardware status and provide fault feedback;

[0017] The storage expansion module, connected to the main control unit, is used to record operating data and store parameters.

[0018] Furthermore, in this invention, the expandable I / O interface module includes multiple pluggable sub-modules, each with 8 general-purpose input / output pins, and uses a PCA9698 chip to communicate with the main control unit via an I2C bus; the sub-modules are cascaded via magnetic connectors, supporting up to 10 sub-modules and a total of 80 input / output ports; each sub-module has a built-in short-circuit protection circuit, model MF-NSMF050.

[0019] Furthermore, in this utility model, the dual-mode power management module includes a main power input terminal, a backup power input terminal, a power switching circuit, a voltage regulator chip, and a current detection chip; the main power input terminal is connected to a 24V DC power supply, and the backup power input terminal is connected to a 3.7V lithium battery; the power switching circuit uses an IRF9540N MOSFET to achieve seamless switching between the main power supply and the backup power supply; the voltage regulator chip is an LM317; and the current detection chip is an INA219, used to monitor the load current and feed it back to the main control unit.

[0020] Furthermore, in this utility model, the dual-mode power management module also includes a filter capacitor, a TVS diode, and a boost module; the filter capacitor has a capacity of 1000μF, the TVS diode is model P6KE33CA, connected to the main power input terminal for anti-interference protection; the boost module is model MT3608, connected to the backup power input terminal, for boosting 3.7V to 5V for power supply.

[0021] Furthermore, in this invention, the high-speed communication module includes a CAN bus communication unit, an RS485 communication unit, and an Ethernet communication unit; the CAN bus communication unit uses a TJA1050 transceiver for high real-time data transmission; the RS485 communication unit uses a MAX485 chip for long-distance control signal transmission; and the Ethernet communication unit uses a LAN8720A chip for remote data uploading.

[0022] Furthermore, in this utility model, the environmental adaptation and protection module includes a heat sink, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an electromagnetic shielding layer, and a surge protection circuit; the heat sink is made of aluminum alloy, the temperature sensor is model MF52, and the humidity sensor is model SHT30, which are connected to the main control unit via an I2C interface for real-time monitoring of environmental parameters; the electromagnetic shielding layer is made of copper foil composite material, and the surge protection circuit uses a 10D471K varistor to protect the module from electromagnetic interference and voltage spikes.

[0023] Furthermore, in this utility model, the fault diagnosis module includes a multi-channel analog switch, an LED status indicator, and a buzzer; the multi-channel analog switch is model CD4051, used to detect the working status of each hardware module; the LED status indicator includes red, yellow, and green colors, used to display the fault type; the buzzer is a 5V active type, used to issue a fault alarm.

[0024] Furthermore, in this invention, the storage expansion module includes a MicroSD card slot and an EEPROM chip; the MicroSD card slot is connected to the main control unit via an SPI interface and is used to record operation logs; the EEPROM chip is an AT24C256 chip used to store key parameters and supports data retention when power is off.

[0025] Furthermore, in this invention, the main control unit is an STM32F429 with a main frequency of 180MHz, used to coordinate the operation of each module and process input and output signals.

[0026] Furthermore, in this invention, the short-circuit protection circuit of the expandable I / O interface module adopts an MF-NSMF050 PTC self-resetting fuse to prevent the sub-module from being damaged due to a short circuit.

[0027] Beneficial effects: The technical solution of this application has the following technical effects:

[0028] A programmable logic controller (PLC) module integrates multiple functional modules, including main control processing, I / O expansion, power management, communication, environmental monitoring, fault diagnosis, and data storage. It employs high-performance chips and multiple protection circuits. Its modular design makes the controller structure flexible, easy to expand and maintain; a highly stable power system ensures continuous operation under critical tasks; multi-protocol communication capabilities meet the needs of various industrial interconnection scenarios; intelligent diagnostic and protection mechanisms significantly improve equipment reliability and maintenance efficiency; comprehensive data storage capabilities support remote monitoring and operation logging; and enhanced environmental adaptability makes it suitable for various complex industrial environments. Overall, it significantly improves the adaptability, intelligence level, and system stability of PLCs in practical industrial applications, and has broad application prospects.

[0029] It should be understood that all combinations of the foregoing concepts and the additional concepts described in more detail below can be considered as part of the utility model subject matter of this disclosure, provided that such concepts do not contradict each other.

[0030] The foregoing and other aspects, embodiments, and features of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Other additional aspects of the present invention, such as features and / or beneficial effects of exemplary embodiments, will become apparent from the following description or may be learned through practice of specific embodiments according to the teachings of the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0031] The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component shown in the various figures may be denoted by the same reference numeral. For clarity, not every component is labeled in each figure. Embodiments of various aspects of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To better understand the technical content of this utility model, specific embodiments are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Various aspects of this utility model are described in this disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate numerous illustrative embodiments. The embodiments of this disclosure are not necessarily defined to include all aspects of this utility model. It should be understood that the various concepts and embodiments described above, as well as those described in more detail below, can be implemented in any of many ways, because the concepts and embodiments disclosed in this utility model are not limited to any particular implementation. Furthermore, some aspects of this utility model can be used alone or in any suitable combination with other aspects disclosed in this utility model.

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, a programmable controller module is provided, including the following hardware modules:

[0035] The main control unit is used for core computing, signal processing, and module coordination.

[0036] An expandable I / O interface module connects to the main control unit for dynamically expanding input / output ports;

[0037] A dual-mode power management module, connected to the main control unit, is used to provide power supply and switching between the main power supply and the backup power supply;

[0038] A high-speed communication module, connected to the main control unit, is used to realize multi-channel data transmission;

[0039] The environmental adaptation and protection module, connected to the main control unit, is used to monitor environmental parameters and protect the module's operation.

[0040] The fault diagnosis module, connected to the main control unit, is used to detect hardware status and provide fault feedback;

[0041] The storage expansion module, connected to the main control unit, is used to record operating data and store parameters.

[0042] Specifically, the main control unit uses the STM32F429 chip with a main frequency of 180MHz and an integrated Cortex-M4 core. As the core module of the entire programmable controller, it is responsible for coordinating and managing the operation of all hardware modules. The main control unit exchanges data and processes signals with other modules through communication interfaces such as I2C, SPI, and UART. The main control unit's task is to receive and process signals from various modules, execute control instructions according to a preset program, and ultimately control external devices.

[0043] This main control unit boasts high-efficiency computing power and low-latency real-time response capabilities, ensuring stable system operation in complex industrial environments. Multiple interfaces support flexible expansion and seamless communication with external devices, significantly enhancing the system's flexibility and compatibility.

[0044] The expandable I / O interface module is based on the PCA9698 chip, which communicates with the main control unit via the I2C bus. Each submodule contains eight general-purpose I / O ports, which can be used for digital input, digital output, PWM output, etc. Submodules can be cascaded via magnetic connectors, supporting up to 10 submodules for a total of 80 I / O ports. Each submodule also incorporates an MF-NSMF050 PTC resettable fuse for short-circuit protection to prevent module damage.

[0045] This module's design significantly improves the scalability of the I / O interface, allowing users to freely add or remove I / O ports as needed to adapt to control systems of different sizes and functional requirements. The short-circuit protection mechanism ensures that the system can automatically recover under abnormal current or voltage conditions, enhancing system reliability.

[0046] The dual-mode power management module uses an IRF9540N MOSFET to achieve seamless switching between main and backup power. The main power input is connected to a 24V DC power supply, while the backup power input is connected to a 3.7V lithium battery. In the event of a main power failure, the power management module automatically switches to the backup power supply via the IRF9540N MOSFET. An LM317 voltage regulator chip ensures a stable output voltage, and an INA219 current sensing chip monitors the current in real time and feeds it back to the main control unit to ensure stable operation of the power system. The backup power supply uses an MT3608 boost module to boost the 3.7V to 5V to meet different voltage requirements.

[0047] This module features a dual-power redundancy design, effectively ensuring high system availability. Even if the main power supply fails, the backup power supply can automatically take over, ensuring uninterrupted equipment operation. Furthermore, real-time current monitoring and voltage regulation functions guarantee the reliability of the power supply system, preventing system failures caused by voltage fluctuations or power outages.

[0048] The high-speed communication module integrates three communication units:

[0049] TJA1050: Used to implement CAN bus communication, it has high real-time performance and anti-interference capability, and is suitable for multi-device data transmission in industrial control systems;

[0050] MAX485: Used to implement RS485 long-distance serial communication, suitable for scenarios requiring remote control and data transmission;

[0051] LAN8720A: Used for Ethernet communication, supporting remote data upload and monitoring. These communication units coordinate their operation through the main control unit's interface, supporting multi-channel data transmission and heterogeneous network connections.

[0052] This module enhances the controller's data communication capabilities, supporting multiple common industrial communication protocols to meet the remote monitoring, data uploading, and distributed control needs of various control systems. The integration of multiple communication methods ensures the system can be flexibly applied in complex communication environments.

[0053] The environmental adaptation and protection module includes:

[0054] The MF52 temperature sensor and SHT30 humidity sensor communicate with the main control unit via an I2C interface to monitor the temperature and humidity of the working environment in real time.

[0055] The copper foil electromagnetic shielding layer effectively isolates electromagnetic interference and prevents external electromagnetic waves from affecting the system.

[0056] The 10D471K varistor is used to prevent power surges from damaging the system by absorbing surge currents to protect the power supply and other sensitive components.

[0057] This module enhances the system's adaptability to changes in the external environment, enabling real-time monitoring of temperature and humidity variations to prevent damage to the equipment from excessively high temperatures or humidity. Simultaneously, electromagnetic interference and surge voltage protection effectively improve the equipment's stability and durability, making it particularly suitable for industrial environments with high electromagnetic interference or unstable power supplies.

[0058] The fault diagnosis module monitors each module of the system via a CD4051 analog switch, determining the operational status of each hardware module. Based on the detected fault type, LED status indicators provide red, yellow, and green feedback to display the severity of the fault. Simultaneously, a buzzer sounds an alarm to prompt the user to address the fault promptly.

[0059] The fault diagnosis module provides real-time status monitoring and fault alarms for equipment operation, enhancing system maintainability. With clear fault indications, users can quickly locate problems, reduce downtime, and improve equipment reliability and maintenance efficiency.

[0060] The storage expansion module includes:

[0061] MicroSD card slot: Connected to the main control unit via SPI interface, used to store system operation logs, configuration files and other data, with large capacity and fast read speed;

[0062] AT24C256 EEPROM chip: Used to store key parameters and configuration data, supporting power-off data retention.

[0063] This module effectively expands the system's data storage capacity, ensuring that important data can be stored long-term and preventing data loss due to power outages. It is especially suitable for applications that require storing large amounts of log files and configuration parameters.

[0064] The working principle of the entire programmable controller module is as follows:

[0065] The main control unit (STM32F429) serves as the core, coordinating the work of various sub-modules, receiving input signals from I / O interface modules, environmental monitoring modules, communication modules, etc., performing processing, and outputting control signals.

[0066] When receiving data or instructions from external devices, the main control unit interacts with other devices or remote control centers through high-speed communication modules (CAN bus, RS485, Ethernet).

[0067] Based on external signals, the main control unit adjusts the input and output signals through the I / O interface module to complete specific control tasks. If any abnormality occurs, the fault diagnosis module will promptly issue an alarm and display fault information.

[0068] The dual power management module ensures that the system can automatically switch to the backup power supply in the event of a power failure, thus ensuring continuous system operation.

[0069] The environmental adaptation and protection module monitors the surrounding environment of the equipment in real time to prevent excessive temperature and humidity or electromagnetic interference from affecting system performance.

[0070] The storage expansion module records all critical data, ensuring the system can resume normal operation after a power outage.

[0071] Through the collaborative work of the above modules, this invention realizes a high-efficiency, stable, and intelligent programmable controller module, which is suitable for complex industrial automation control environments and provides excellent scalability, fault tolerance, and ease of maintenance.

[0072] All standard parts used in this application can be purchased from the market, and can be customized according to the description and drawings. The specific connection methods of each part adopt conventional methods such as bolts, rivets, and welding that are mature in the prior art. The machinery, parts and equipment adopt conventional models in the prior art. The control method is automatic control through a controller. The control circuit of the controller can be implemented by simple programming by those skilled in the art and is common knowledge in the field. Since this application is mainly used to protect mechanical devices, the control method and circuit connection will not be explained in detail in this application.

[0073] Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains can make various modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of this invention shall be determined by the claims.

Claims

1. A programmable controller module, characterized in that, Includes the following hardware modules: The main control unit is used for core computing, signal processing, and module coordination. An expandable I / O interface module connects to the main control unit for dynamically expanding input / output ports; A dual-mode power management module, connected to the main control unit, is used to provide power supply and switching between the main power supply and the backup power supply; A high-speed communication module, connected to the main control unit, is used to realize multi-channel data transmission; The environmental adaptation and protection module, connected to the main control unit, is used to monitor environmental parameters and protect the module's operation. The fault diagnosis module, connected to the main control unit, is used to detect hardware status and provide fault feedback; The storage expansion module, connected to the main control unit, is used to record operating data and store parameters.

2. The programmable controller module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The expandable I / O interface module includes multiple pluggable sub-modules, each with 8 general-purpose input / output pins. It uses a PCA9698 chip to communicate with the main control unit via an I2C bus. The sub-modules are cascaded via magnetic connectors, supporting up to 10 sub-modules and a total of 80 input / output ports. Each sub-module has a built-in short-circuit protection circuit, model MF-NSMF050.

3. A programmable controller module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dual-mode power management module includes a main power input terminal, a backup power input terminal, a power switching circuit, a voltage regulator chip, and a current detection chip. The main power input terminal is connected to a 24V DC power supply, and the backup power input terminal is connected to a 3.7V lithium battery. The power switching circuit uses an IRF9540N MOSFET to achieve seamless switching between the main power supply and the backup power supply. The voltage regulator chip is an LM317, and the current detection chip is an INA219, used to monitor the load current and feed it back to the main control unit.

4. A programmable controller module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The dual-mode power management module also includes a filter capacitor, a TVS diode, and a boost module; the filter capacitor has a capacity of 1000μF, the TVS diode is model P6KE33CA, connected to the main power input terminal for anti-interference protection; the boost module is model MT3608, connected to the backup power input terminal, for boosting 3.7V to 5V for power supply.

5. A programmable controller module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The high-speed communication module includes a CAN bus communication unit, an RS485 communication unit, and an Ethernet communication unit. The CAN bus communication unit uses a TJA1050 transceiver for high real-time data transmission. The RS485 communication unit uses a MAX485 chip for long-distance control signal transmission. The Ethernet communication unit uses a LAN8720A chip for remote data uploading.

6. A programmable controller module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The environmental adaptation and protection module includes a heat sink, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an electromagnetic shielding layer, and a surge protection circuit. The heat sink is made of aluminum alloy. The temperature sensor is model MF52, and the humidity sensor is model SHT30. They are connected to the main control unit via an I2C interface for real-time monitoring of environmental parameters. The electromagnetic shielding layer is made of copper foil composite material, and the surge protection circuit uses a 10D471K varistor to protect the module from electromagnetic interference and voltage spikes.

7. A programmable controller module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fault diagnosis module includes a multi-channel analog switch, LED status indicators, and a buzzer; the multi-channel analog switch is a CD4051 model, used to detect the working status of each hardware module; the LED status indicators include red, yellow, and green colors, used to display the fault type; the buzzer is a 5V active type, used to issue a fault alarm.

8. A programmable controller module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The storage expansion module includes a MicroSD card slot and an EEPROM chip; the MicroSD card slot is connected to the main control unit via an SPI interface and is used to record operation logs; the EEPROM chip is an AT24C256 chip used to store key parameters and supports data retention when power is off.

9. A programmable controller module according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The main control unit is an STM32F429 with a main frequency of 180MHz, used to coordinate the operation of various modules and process input and output signals.

10. A programmable controller module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The short-circuit protection circuit of the expandable I / O interface module uses an MF-NSMF050 PTC self-resetting fuse to prevent the sub-module from being damaged by a short circuit.

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