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.

An industrial controller with a modular backplane includes multiple modules, where each module includes a base and a chassis. Electrical connectors located on each side of the base engage the base of an adjacent module such that the bases are electrically connected. The backplane is defined by and extends through each of the bases connected to each other. A chassis is inserted into each base. Each chassis includes an embedded switch and a local circuit. The embedded switch is in communication with the base, and the local circuit performs the operation of the corresponding module. The embedded switch receives data transmitted along the backplane between bases. The embedded switch reads the data intended for the module and passes the data to the local circuit for further processing. Similarly, the embedded switch receives data from the local circuit and inserts the data on the backplane for transmission to the appropriate module.

A control system and a method for mounting a control system, the control system comprising a signal-distribution board, a top-hat rail, at least a first contact device and at least a second contact device. The first contact device and the second contact device are arranged at the signal-distribution board with an offset relative to each other with the signal-distribution board electrically connecting the first contact device to the second contact device for at least transmitting data. The top-hat rail is mechanically fastened to the signal-distribution board and a first coupling module may be mechanically fastened to the top-hat rail, where the second contact device is embodied to electrically contact a signal-processing module or a second coupling module. The first contact device may be electrically connected to a field device.

An industrial controller with a modular backplane includes multiple modules, where each module includes a base and a chassis. Electrical connectors located on each side of the base engage the base of an adjacent module such that the bases are electrically connected. The backplane is defined by and extends through each of the bases connected to each other. A chassis is inserted into each base. Each chassis includes an embedded switch and a local circuit. The embedded switch is in communication with the base, and the local circuit performs the operation of the corresponding module. The embedded switch receives data transmitted along the backplane between bases. The embedded switch reads the data intended for the module and passes the data to the local circuit for further processing. Similarly, the embedded switch receives data from the local circuit and inserts the data on the backplane for transmission to the appropriate module.

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 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 modularly assembled automation system includes a main unit with a plug-in bus port connector, a plurality of modules each with a plug-in bus connector and a plug-in signal connector, a backplane bus board in a layered structure with bus conductor tracks, a motherboard on which a plurality of connector elements are arranged, wherein the plug-in signal connectors of the modules are arranged in the connector elements and the connector elements are in electrical contact with conductor tracks of the motherboard, the bus conductor tracks and the layered structure of the backplane bus board are configured such that a layer stack forming the bus conductor tracks and core material contains features necessary for maintaining signal integrity of the signals on the backplane bus board and thus, with respect to the signal integrity of the signals on the backplane bus board, this is arranged separately on the motherboard.

Various embodiments relate to a method, apparatus, and machine-readable storage medium including one or more of the following: identifying a chunk of computer code from a larger process to be executed as a distributed computation; creating a job request specifying the chunk of computer code and data on which the chunk of computer code is to operate; selecting a device from a plurality of devices to process the job request; transmitting the job request to the selected device; receiving a job result from the selected device; continuing the larger process based on the job result.

Systems, methods, and devices for monitoring operation of industrial equipment are disclosed. In one embodiment, a monitoring system is provided that includes a passive backplane and one more functional circuits that can couple to the backplane. Each of the functional circuits that are coupled to the backplane can have access to all data that is delivered to the backplane. Therefore, resources (e.g., computing power, or other functionality) from each functional circuits can be shared by all active functional circuits that are coupled to the backplane. Because resources from each of the functional circuits can be shared, and because the functional circuits can be detachably coupled to the backplane, performance of the monitoring systems can be tailored to specific applications. For example, processing power can be increased by coupling additional processing circuits to the backplane.

A controller for an industrial automation system includes a main module having a housing, which can be fitted onto a DIN rail via a base, at least two printed circuit boards arranged in the housing, and a heat sink also arranged in the housing and connected with the base. One of the circuit boards is a backplane bus printed circuit board, which provides a backplane bus, and the other is a main printed circuit board. The heat sink is attached to at least one of the printed circuit board to cool its components.