US 11,899,433 B2
Multidrop make and break system
Roberto S. Marques, Cedarburg, WI (US); Yutao Wang, Brookfield, WI (US); William H. Martin, Milwaukee, WI (US); Chirag L. Malkan, Brookfield, WI (US); Mason Khan, Milwaukee, WI (US); and Steven T. Haensgen, New Berlin, WI (US)
Assigned to Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc., Mayfield Heights, OH (US)
Filed by Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc., Mayfield Heights, OH (US)
Filed on Sep. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/449,479.
Prior Publication US 2023/0098504 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. G05B 19/418 (2006.01); H04L 12/10 (2006.01)
CPC G05B 19/4185 (2013.01) [G05B 19/41885 (2013.01); H04L 12/10 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multidrop system configured to be installed within a motor control center (MCC) of an industrial automation system comprising:
a trunkline comprising multiple multidrop make and break devices connected through a trunkline cable extending from a first end to a second end, each of the multidrop make and break device comprises:
a memory;
processing circuitry, wherein the processing circuitry is communicatively coupled to the memory;
first physical layer circuitry configured to form a multidrop network comprising multiple MCC units over the trunkline, wherein the first physical layer circuitry is communicatively coupled to the memory and processing circuitry;
second physical layer circuitry configured to couple an MCC withdrawable unit and form an independent sub-network over a branchline that connects and enables communication with one or more nodes within the MCC withdrawable unit, wherein the multidrop make and break device is configured to couple the MCC withdrawable unit to, and decouple the MCC withdrawable unit from, the second physical layer circuitry without disrupting the multidrop network, wherein the second physical layer circuitry is communicatively coupled to the memory, processing circuitry, and first physical layer circuitry;
a sensor configured to detect a voltage, a current, or both, within the industrial automation system, wherein the sensor is communicatively coupled to the second physical layer circuitry;
a first terminal configured to communicatively couple to the first end of the trunkline;
a second terminal configured to communicatively couple to the second end of the trunkline; and
a third terminal, configured to communicatively couple to the MCC withdrawable unit.