Universal I/O Channels for RTU Size and Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional remote terminal units (RTUs) face challenges in supporting a flexible mix of input/output (I/O) channel types, often requiring fixed I/O cards with a limited number of inputs and outputs, which can lead to increased size, power consumption, and cost.
Innovation Solution
The development of a remote terminal unit (RTU) with universal I/O channels that can be configured as analog inputs, analog outputs, digital inputs, digital outputs, or pulse accumulator inputs, allowing for flexible user-defined I/O types through programming, eliminating the need for physical insertion of specific I/O channels and enabling late-binding terminations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fixed I/O cards are used to support specific I/O channel types, then the RTU can provide dedicated functionality for that I/O type, but the RTU size, power consumption, and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universal I/O channels that can be dynamically configured to support multiple I/O types (analog input, analog output, digital input, digital output, pulse accumulator input) through software programming rather than requiring separate fixed hardware cards for each I/O type. This multi-functionality allows a single hardware channel to replace multiple dedicated I/O cards, reducing RTU size while maintaining support for various I/O channel types
Solution Approach 2:
The I/O channels are designed to be reconfigurable and adaptable through programming, allowing the RTU to dynamically change the function of each channel based on the connected field device. This dynamic configuration capability enables the same hardware infrastructure to serve different I/O requirements without physical reconfiguration or additional hardware, thereby reducing overall RTU size and power consumption
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple fixed I/O cards are installed to support a large set of I/O types, then the RTU can handle diverse field devices, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs universal I/O channels capable of being programmed to support multiple I/O types including analog input, analog output, digital input, digital output, and pulse accumulator input. This universality allows the RTU to handle diverse field devices through software configuration rather than requiring multiple specialized hardware cards, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining broad adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The I/O channels utilize programmable parameters and configuration settings to adapt their functionality based on the connected field device requirements. By changing software parameters rather than hardware configuration, the RTU achieves high adaptability to different I/O types without increasing physical device complexity or requiring multiple fixed I/O cards
3Reliability
If dedicated I/O cards are used for each I/O type, then the I/O channels provide optimized performance for that specific type, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of multiple dedicated I/O cards into a single universal I/O channel infrastructure. By combining analog input, analog output, digital input, digital output, and pulse accumulator input capabilities into reconfigurable channels, the RTU reduces the total number of active hardware components, thereby lowering overall power consumption while maintaining optimized performance for each I/O type through software-based configuration
Data Source
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Figure 2
Figure 4A
AI summary
A system includes at least one industrial control and automation field device (106) and a remote terminal unit (RTU) (102). The RTU includes input/output (I/O) terminals (410) configured to be coupled to the field devices. The RTU also includes one or more I/O modules (204a-204n, 210a-210n) having one or more reconfigurable I/O channels (606a-606n) configured to be coupled to the I/O terminals. Each reconfigurable I/O channel is configurable as an analog input, an analog input supporting digital communication, an analog output, an analog output supporting digital communication, a digital input, a digital output, and a pulse accumulator input. The RTU further includes at least one processing device (502) configured to control a configuration of each of the one or more reconfigurable I/O channels.