An I/O system having redundant removable and/or replaceable components. Each of the removable/replaceable components can be removed by displacement parallel to a common axis. An I/O device having an I/O base with a lock-out toggle to prevent installation of one or more I/O modules to the I/O base unless a ground screw has been secured to supporting structure.

A backplane is for electrically connecting electrical components, and a method is for producing the backplane. The backplane includes a mounting board, conductor tracks arranged on the mounting board, and at least one sensor unit. The method includes integrating the at least one sensor unit into the mounting board by an additive manufacturing method; printing the conductor tracks from an electrically conductive paste, the electrically conductive paste being cured after being applied to the mounting board, by way of 3D printing; and detecting and monitoring, via the at least one sensor unit, function of the conductor tracks during production of the backplane.

An I/O system having redundant removable and/or replaceable components. Each of the removable/replaceable components can be removed by displacement parallel to a common axis. An I/O device having an I/O base with a lock-out toggle to prevent installation of one or more I/O modules to the I/O base unless a ground screw has been secured to supporting structure.

A modular I/O system for an industrial automation network includes a network adapter including first and second adapter modules, wherein each adapter module is configured for connection with an industrial network. The I/O system further includes a first I/O device with first and second I/O modules each configured for operative connection to a controlled system for input/output of data with respect to the controlled system. The I/O system further includes first and second independent backplane data networks that connect each of the first and second adapter modules to each of the first and second I/O modules. The network adapter includes first and second removable backplane network switches and the first I/O device includes third and fourth removable backplane network switches that establish the backplane networks. The backplane network switches can be Ethernet gigabit switches.

An I/O system having redundant removable and/or replaceable components. Each of the removable/replaceable components can be removed by displacement parallel to a common axis. An I/O device having an I/O base with a lock-out toggle to prevent installation of one or more I/O modules to the I/O base unless a ground screw has been secured to supporting structure.

A method for maintaining continuity of a network signal path extending along a backplane includes providing a bypass signal circuit compatible with the network signal path and being electrically connected in series with the first and second portions of the network signal path. The bypass signal circuit includes a normally open circuit portion and an electrical contact movable with respect to the bypass signal circuit. An electrical contact is mechanically moved out of contact with the bypass signal circuit and moved mechanically into contact with the bypass signal circuit in response to the function module being detached from or attached to the function module electrical connector and not in response to an electrical control signal.

Various embodiments disclosed herein relate to a building automation controller and related method and storage medium including a processor configured, through at least execution of a distributed computer program, to: receive sensor data generated by a sensor, wherein the sensor data is indicative of a state of a defined space, identify an action to be performed by a device to affect the state in accordance with an operating characteristic for the defined space, determine that the device is attached to a second controller of a plurality of additional controllers, and transmit to the second controller, an indication that the action is to be performed by the device, wherein: the distributed computer program is configured to be distributed among the processor and the plurality of additional controllers and, the processor is further configured to apportion work to be performed by the computer program between at least the additional controllers.

A system and approach that may connect communication modules together in a daisy chain fashion as an expansion bus. A communication module may be connected with a data bus and a voltage bus to a baseboard having a controller. The communication module may have a multi-port universal serial bus hub connected to the data bus from the expansion connector, an electronic device connected to the hub and the voltage regulator. Another communication module having a similar structure as the first communication module may be connected to the first communication module via a data bus between the multiport hub of the first expansion module and a universal serial bus hub of the other communication module, and may have a voltage bus connected to the voltage bus of the first communication module. More communication modules may be connected in a daisy chain or serial fashion to a preceding module, and so on.

A backplane or backplane module for transmitting data along a signal path of a network to one or more functional modules attached to the signal path includes a printed circuit board, a functional module electrical connector attached to the printed circuit board, and a mechanically actuated bypass circuit assembly that maintains signal continuity along the signal path when a function module is not attached to the function module electrical connector.

Tools and techniques are described to automate line testing when wiring devices (such as equipment and sensors) to controllers. Controllers have access to databases of the devices that are controlled by them, including wiring diagrams and protocols, such that the controller can automatically check that each wire responds correctly to stimulus from the controller. After testing, a reporting device rapidly shows the results of the line testing.