초록 ▼

A system for automatically configuring I/O devices is provided in accordance with the present invention. The system includes a plurality of I/O devices operatively coupled to each other and a sub-system for determining physical locations of the I/O devices with respect to one another. The sub-system

A system for automatically configuring I/O devices is provided in accordance with the present invention. The system includes a plurality of I/O devices operatively coupled to each other and a sub-system for determining physical locations of the I/O devices with respect to one another. The sub-system assigns node addresses to each I/O device—each assigned node address corresponds to the physical location of the respective I/O devices.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A system for automatically configuring and communicating to a plurality of I/O devices, comprising: the plurality of I/O devices operatively coupled to each other, wherein each of the I/O devices is operatively coupled to a neighboring device through a direct physical connect

What is claimed is: 1. A system for automatically configuring and communicating to a plurality of I/O devices, comprising: the plurality of I/O devices operatively coupled to each other, wherein each of the I/O devices is operatively coupled to a neighboring device through a direct physical connection that includes a bus, absent a rack that houses the plurality of I/O devices, the bus employs a first protocol for I/O device configuration commands and a second protocol for standard network communications, wherein the plurality of I/O devices employ the first protocol for determining physical locations of the I/O devices with respect to one another and automatically assigns node addresses to each of the plurality of I/O devices in which each assigned node address corresponds to the physical location of each of the respective I/O devices; and an interface component for communicating with the plurality of I/O devices via the second protocol using the standard network communications, wherein the interface component employs the first protocol to sequentially enable at least one of the plurality of I/O devices to receive the standard network communications, the interface component enables at least one other I/O device of the plurality of I/O devices to form an I/O group by employing the first protocol. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein a leftmost I/O device includes the interface component. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface component comprises a network connection and the bus enabling additional I/O devices to be sequentially powered and added to the system. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein a first of the plurality I/O devices is connected through the bus to the at least one other I/O device of the plurality I/O devices. 5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a bus component that functions as an input line from a connector on one side of at the least one of the plurality of I/O devices and an output line from a connector on the opposite side of the at least one I/O device. 6. The system of claim 5, the bus component that enables the I/O devices to exchange messages. 7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a communication system associated with bus architecture that may be employed to provide exchange of data between the interface component and the I/O devices. 8. The system of claim 1, further comprising an Offlink Connection Manager (OCM) that receives configuration messages from the network and reformats them for the I/O devices. 9. A method for providing an adaptable control system, comprising the steps: physically connecting a plurality of I/O device modules, wherein a first I/O device module cooperatively engages with an adjacent second I/O device module through a bus, absent a rack that houses the plurality of I/O device modules, the first and second I/O device modules selected from the plurality of I/O device modules, the bus employs a first protocol for I/O device configuration commands and a second protocol for standard network communications; receiving network communications at the plurality of I/O device modules via a network interface employing the second protocol; sequentially enabling at least one of the I/O device modules to receive the network communications from the interface by employing the first protocol, wherein each of the I/O device modules is assigned a node address based upon the I/O device module's physical distance along the bus from the network interface; and enabling at least one other I/O device module of the plurality of I/O device modules to form an I/O group by employing the first protocol. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising presenting the plurality of I/O device modules to the network as a single node at least in part by reformatting messages transmitted between the network and the plurality of I/O device modules. 11. The method of claim 9, precluding the I/O device modules from communicating over an invalid network due to low power supply, by monitoring power of a media converter associated with the interface. 12. The method of claim 9, further comprising automatically configuring the I/O device modules by determining physical locations of the I/O device modules with respect to one another. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising automatically configuring the I/O device modules by sequentially enabling the I/O device modules hence forming the I/O group. 14. The method of claim 9, wherein the bus allows an input to enable an output to initiate a network connection. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising waiting for the input and determining a network address for the at least one of the I/O device modules. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising enabling the at least one I/O module to receive the network address after determining the network address for a first I/O device module. 17. A system for automatically configuring I/O devices, comprising: means for operatively coupling the I/O devices, absent a rack that houses the I/O devices wherein each of the I/O devices is operatively coupled to a neighboring device through a direct physical connection, wherein the direct physical connection includes a bus that employs a first protocol for I/O device configuration commands and a second protocol for standard network communications; means for determining physical locations of the I/O devices with respect to one another on the bus via the second protocol; means for communicating with the I/O devices over a network to a standard network interface attached to the bus via the second protocol; and means for assigning node addresses to each of the I/O devices via the first protocol, each assigned node address corresponding to the physical location of the respective I/O devices, the means for assigning node addresses employs the first protocol to sequentially enable at least one of the I/O devices to receive the standard network communications, the means for assigning node addresses enables at least one other of the I/O devices to form an I/O group by employing the first protocol. 18. The system of claim 17, further comprises means for receiving network communication through an adaptable control system. 19. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for assigning node addresses enables the at least one other of the I/O devices to receive network address after determining the network address for the at least one of the I/O devices.