The invention belongs to the field of control systems for automated production processes. For this we need: a properly programmed processor unit (a computer processor) that is connected to a power supply via interfaces or directly, input devices such as ON/OFF switches, sensors for monitoring the production process (temperature, pressure, rotation speed, counting), and output control devices for switch-on, switch-off and control of heaters, electric motors, etc. in the production process.

In prior art, the following is used for programming and control of automated production processes:

PLC modules that allow assembling in a way of components. An advantage of PLC modules is their easy assembly and programming. A bad feature is their high price, which makes them unsuitable for small users;

for each concrete production process, custom-made control circuit, to which a processor unit is connected. These circuits are suitable for performing a specific function (process management), but they can normally not be used if there is a need for the control process to be expanded or anyhow modified. In addition, such circuits cannot be used for other functions than those, for which they are conceived.

The present invention utilizes the advantages of PLC modules, namely modular assembly and a possibility of using different processors or of exchanging processors, a subsequent possibility of modular addition of input or output devices without the need to produce a complete control circuit every time. The present invention further allows developing, on the platform, an application for a particular production process, so there is no need for an additional development circuit. Once the application is developed, the platform of the invention provides for a simple and relatively cost- effective series production, since a majority of the parts of the platform is identical regardless of the particular application.

The platform of the invention consists of a processor adapter, a power supply board and a connector board. A processor adapter is a board adapted to have a processor or a processor board connected thereto in known ways, preferably via connecting bars. An appropriate processor adapter is produced for each type of processor or processor board. For example, the platform according to the invention is suitable for any processors or processor boards of SOM (System on Module) type, which includes, inter alia, ARM, INTEL, VIA and other processors.

The processor adapter is provided with connection points for a detachable and distinct connection with the power supply board, preferably with the connecting bar, even more preferably via two 80- pin connecting bars. The processor adapter, in combination with a corresponding type programming of the SOM processor, is configured in such a way that at all these connection points of the processor adapter with the power supply board always have the same pre-defined functions, wherein the term function in this context means power supply, any function, signal or processor protocol, regardless of the type of the processor or the processor board used. The functions that are connected to the power supply board via connecting points are primarily low-speed signals that are intended to control the production process, such as I/O, ADC, UART, SPI, I2C, PWM, CAN, 1-Wire, GPTimer. Within the meaning of the present invention, low-speed signals are the signals whose data transmission rate does not exceed 50 Mbit/s and these signals are connected with the power supply board (transmitted to the power supply board) via connecting points. The signals whose rate exceeds 50 Mbit/s are defined as high-speed signals and remain on the processor adapter as will be explained hereinbelow.

At least two USB ports, at least one LAN port and other high-speed signal connectors, such as JTAG, SATA, PCIe, LVDS, HDMI, VGA, SD Card, I2S, Touch Controller are provided on the processor adapter, but not connected to the power supply board and remain on the processor adapter. The JTAG connector is dedicated to transmit signals, i. e. the development and control protocol, SATA and PCIe are dedicated to the data storage protocol, LVDS, HDMI, VGA are dedicated to the on-screen display protocol, I2S is dedicated to the audio protocol, the Touch Controller is dedicated to the data input protocol.

The power supply board is designed to power the entire system (for example 5V and/or 3.3 V), i. e. the processor adapter, including the processor, and the connector board, and to connect the processor adapter (or processor or processor board) with the connector board. The power supply board is provided with connection points for the above-mentioned distinct detachable connection with the processor adapter, the connection is preferably carried out via bars, preferably via said connecting bars, even more preferably via two 80-pin connecting bars. In one embodiment, the power supply board has a cut-out, preferably formed in the middle of the power supply board and large enough to accommodate the processor board, and sufficiently small for the power supply board to preserve its carrying capacity. In this embodiment, the processor board is connected to the processor adapter on the side facing the power supply board. The thickness of the entire platform is herewith reduced, which is an advantage in certain cases.

The power supply board is connected to the connector board in known ways, either fixed, for example through one or more flat cables, or detachably (through one or more bars). The power supply board is preferably connected to the connector board with two flat cables attached to the adjacent sides of the power supply board and the connector board. In this way, the power supply board and the connector board, in end use, may be mounted either above each other or side by side or at any other angle as made possible by the spatial possibilities in a concrete situation.

The connector board is intended to receive plug-in modules, that is the input and output control devices, through which the automated production process is controlled. For this purpose, the connector board is provided with external connection points, preferably made as boreholes at pre determined positions. The external connection points are arranged in four identically large fields. One plug-in module can be connected to one field on one side, so if the external connection points are made as boreholes, two plug-in modules can be connected to one field, one on one side of the connector board and another one on the other side of the connector board. A first pair of adjacent fields is separated from a second pair of adjacent fields by a central power supply cable. The adjacent fields of the first pair have an identical arrangement of the connection points, each connection point in one field having its counterpart (identical function) on the corresponding connection point in the adjacent field. The power supply connections of the first pair of fields are located in the central power supply portion.

The adjacent fields of the second pair have an identical arrangement of the connection points (functions) as the adjacent fields of the first pair, except that the functions that are led to these connecting points are no longer identical but of the same type, and that each field in the second pair is rotated by 180 degrees relative to the field in the first pair. The adjacent fields of the second pair have an identical arrangement of the connection points, each connection point in one field having its counterpart (identical function) on the corresponding connection point in the adjacent field. The power supply connections of the second pair of fields are also located in the central power supply portion.

A 180-degree rotation of the second pair is necessary for all fields to have a power supply connection in the same area (power supply portion), thus achieving the shortest possible power supply connections.

The fields have identical arrangements of connection points so that plug-in modules of identical sizes and functionalities can be used.

In a preferred embodiment of the connector plate, wherein the connecting points are configured as boreholes, two plug-in modules can be inserted in each field, one on the underside of the connector board and the other on the upper side of the connector board, whereby both plug-in modules may not use the same function, i. e. the same connection point, in the field.

In this way, standard plug-in modules can be produced regardless of the processor type, i. e. the power supply board and the connector board are independent on a specific application and processor. The processor adapter having corresponding connections provided thereon thus only depends on the processor type and not on the particular application. The platform thus remains unchanged regardless of the application.

The use of the platform for a specific application for the control of an automated production process is as follows. A SOM processor of sufficient capacity is selected depending on the number of measured and controlled signals. Based on the selected SOM processor, a suitable processor adapter is selected/produced and the selected SOM processor is adequately programmed so that identical pre-defined functions are present at the connection points of the processor adapter with the power supply board. The processor adapter and processor software need not be produced for each specific application; they can be pre-fabricated for each type of a SOM processor. Then, it is necessary to produce a software user interface that depends on a specific application and which will allow the user to monitor and control the production process, as well as plug-in modules that also depend on a specific application. If there are empty fields on the connector board, they can later be used to extend the production process by adding plug-in modules and, if necessary, adjusting the user interface accordingly, however, the SOM processor needs not be re-programmed or the platform configuration does not need to be changed.

The invention will be described hereinbelow by way of an embodiment and illustrated on the figures which show:

Figure 1 shows a schematic control platform of the invention with a connected processor board and a plug-in module

Figure 2 shows a power supply board Figure 3 shows a connector board

Figure 4 shows a pin diagram on the connector board of two opposite fields, wherein the pin diagram of the other two opposite fields is identical.

A control platform shown in Figure 1 consists of a processor adapter 1, a power supply board 3, and a connector board 4. A processor 2 is connected to the processor adapter 1 via connecting bars. The processor adapter 1 is provided with connection points la as connecting bars for connection to the power supply board 3. The processor adapter 1 is configured in such a way that, in combination with the programming of the processor 2, the arrangement of functions of the processor 2 on individual connection points la, i. e. on the connecting bar on the processor adapter 1 with the power supply board 3, is pre-defined. This is achieved with appropriate connections on the processor adapter 1 and with appropriate programming of the processor 2. This is why the functions on the connection points la on the processor adapter 1 with the power supply board 3 have a pre-defined arrangement regardless of the type of the processor 2 used. So, there are always identical pre-defined functions on the connection points la of the processor adapter 1 with the power supply board 3.

The power supply board 3 shown in Fig. 2 is provided with connection points lb as connecting bars for connection to the connection points la on the processor adapter 1. The power supply board 3 is connected to the connector board 4 with two flat cables 3a attached to the adjacent sides of the power supply board 3 and the connector board 4. The power supply board 3 is provided with a central cut-out 3b, into which the processor 2 fits when all elements of the connector platform are connected, in order to reduce the thickness of the entire connector platform. The processor 2 is connected to the processor adapter 1 on the side facing the power supply board 3, wherein the processor 2, when the processor adapter 1 is fastened to the power supply board 3, fits into the cut out 3b.

The connector board 4 shown in Figure 3 preferably has dimensions of 12 cm x 12 cm. On the connector board 4, external connection points PM are provided as boreholes. The external connection points PM are arranged in four fields 4a-4d of identical sizes, wherein the first pair of adjacent fields 4a, 4b is separated from the second pair of adjacent fields 4c, 4d by a central power supply portion 4e. The adjacent fields 4a, 4b of the first pair have an identical arrangement of the connection points PM, wherein each connection point PM, i. e. each borehole in the field 4a, has its function and its counterpart defined, i. e. a connection point PM or a borehole having the same function on the corresponding connection point PM in the adjacent field 4b. A pin diagram of two opposite fields 4a and 4c is shown in Figure 4, wherein the pin diagram of the other two opposite fields 4b and 4d is identical. So, if there is an ADC1 function on the borehole Xi _{, a} of the field 4a, the same function ADC1 will also be located on the borehole Xi _{, 4b} of the adjacent field 4b.

The adjacent fields 4c, 4d of the second pair have an identical arrangement of the connection points PM as the adjacent fields 4a, 4b of the first pair, except that the functions that are led to the connecting points PM of the adjacent fields 4c, 4d are not identical to the functions led to the connecting points PM of the adjacent fields 4a, 4b but are of the same type. The arrangement of the external connection points PM on the field 4c is rotated by 180 degrees relative to the field 4a, while the arrangement of the external connection points PM of the field 4d is rotated by 180 degrees relative the field 4b. So, if there is an ADC1 function on the borehole Xi _{, a} of the first field 4a, the function ADC2 will also be located on the borehole Y _{2, 4c} of the field 4c, which function will not be identical but of the same type.

The adjacent fields 4c, 4d of the second pair have an identical arrangement of the connection points PM, wherein each connection point PM, i. e. each borehole in the field 4c, has its function and its counterpart defined, i. e. a connection point PM or a borehole having the same function on the corresponding connection point PM in the adjacent field 4d. So, if there is an 1/01 function on the borehole Yi _{, c} of the field 4c, the same function 1/01 will also be located on the borehole Yi _{, 4d} of the adjacent field 4d.

Each field 4a-4d has 80 connection points, this means that each two respective fields rotated one with respect to the other, i. e. the fields 4a and 4c and the fields 4b and 4d, have 160 connection points, so the number of all external connection points PM on the connector board is 320.

The power supply connectors of all fields 4a-4d are arranged in the central power supply portion 4e.

Plug-in modules 5 are inserted on the connector board 4 into the connection points PM, i. e. boreholes. The architecture of the connector board 4 allows for a connection of a maximum of eight plug-in modules 5, wherein two plug-in modules can be inserted in each field 4a-4d, one on the underside of the connector board 4 and the other on the upper side of the connector board 4, whereby the plug-in modules 5 may not use the same borehole in the field, i. e. the same connection point/the same function.

An example of use of the control platform of the invention is shown on a case of a control of a portable microbrewery.

The control platform of the invention is used to control the beer production process. Based on the selected beer production equipment which consists of a boiler, a heater, pumps, a thermometer, etc., the control platform of the invention is used with selected plug-in modules for controlling the beer production process. To adequately control the beer production, it is necessary to select an appropriate SOM processor, use a processor adapter that is pre-fabricated according to the selected SOM processor, and programme the SOM processor to have the corresponding functions at pre defined points, so that the arrangement of processor functions is pre-defined on individual connection points on the processor adapter with the power supply board on the platform, and to configure a software user interface for the specific beer brewing application that, for instance, allows the user to input the necessary data for the process control, such as concrete recipes for a particular beer. In a particular embodiment, one plug-in module will be used to measure the temperature in the boiler, while another plug-in module will be used to control the pumps with a heating and cooling fluid, with which the temperature in the boiler is controlled. The programming of the SOM processor will be standard programming depending on the SOM processor and not depending on the particular application, while the programme user interface needs to be programmed as to the specific application, in this concrete case beer brewing in a single boiler.

Minor changes in the brewing process, e.g. in the recipe, will be regulated by the user via the user interface. If, however, the user wishes to use two boilers instead of one, only two new plug-in modules (one for measuring the temperature in the second boiler and one for controlling the pumps for the second boiler) will have to be added, which will control the beer brewing process in the second boiler. If the user interface did not support two boilers, the user interface should be further programmed. The configuration of the platform remains unchanged.

Since four fields for plug-in modules have been used for two boilers and the adapter board which has the external connection points construed as boreholes is in fact provided with eight fields for connecting plug-in modules (four on each side of the adapter board), the control platform can be used, without any hardware changes, to control four beer brewing boilers by merely adding plug-in modules and appropriately adjusting the software user interface.

If the selected SOM processor turned out not to be powerful enough to control the four boilers and if there were enough plug-in modules and the user interface were appropriately programmed, it would only be necessary to replace the SOM processor, the adapter board, and to properly programme the SOM processor, such that the corresponding functions would be at pre-defined points. However, it will not be necessary to replace the power supply board, the connector board, the plug-in modules, and it will not be necessary to perform any changes in the software of the user interface.