US 12,255,448 B2
Intrinsically safe multi-drop communication hub
Vitaliy Demin, Saco, ME (US); Timothy Dyson, South Berwick, ME (US); John J. Gillis, Sebago, ME (US); and Alexander Lapayev, Portland, ME (US)
Assigned to Franklin Fueling Systems, LLC, Madison, WI (US)
Appl. No. 17/906,649
Filed by Franklin Fueling Systems, LLC, Madison, WI (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 18, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/022987
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 19, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/188808, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 23, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/991,626, filed on Mar. 19, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0145314 A1, May 11, 2023
Int. Cl. H02H 9/00 (2006.01); G05B 9/02 (2006.01); G05B 19/042 (2006.01)
CPC H02H 9/008 (2013.01) [G05B 9/02 (2013.01); G05B 19/0425 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An intrinsically safe (IS) multi-drop communication hub (IS hub) operable in a hazardous environment, the IS hub comprising:
a power contact to receive external power therethrough;
a controller including multiplexing sequence logic;
a multiplexer communicatively connected to the controller and having a power input contact;
an inductor connected in series between the power contact and the power input contact of the multiplexer; and
a communication port to transmit signal data provided by the multiplexer corresponding to signals generated by IS devices connected to the IS hub when the IS hub is in use,
wherein when executed by the controller the multiplexing sequence logic causes the multiplexer to supply power in a predetermined sequence to a first of the IS devices during a first time interval to generate a signal from the first of the IS devices and, after the first time interval, to a second of the IS devices during a second time interval, which does not overlap in time with the first time interval, to generate a signal from the second of the IS devices.