INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICES HAVING RECONFIGURABLE FUNCTIONALITY

摘要

Systems and methods provide re-configurable functionality within components of I/O devices without the need of disconnecting the components from each other. For example, in certain embodiments, when certain types of components are connected to each other, certain functionality sets within the components may be activated to provide combined functionality sets between the components. The combined functionality sets may, for example, be preferred functionality sets to be used when the particular types of components are connected to each other. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, functionality activation keys may be physically inserted into (or electronically communicated to) the components of the I/O device to activate certain functionality sets within the component into which the functionality activation key is inserted (or electronically communicated to), as well as within the other components of the I/O device to which the component is connected.

主权项

1. An industrial automation input/output (I/O) device configured to facilitate control of a process control field device, the I/O device comprising:
a first component of the I/O device, wherein the first component comprises a first mating feature configured to communicatively and physically couple with a second mating feature of a second component of the I/O device; a first plurality of electrical connectors of the first mating feature, wherein the first plurality of electrical connectors is configured to couple with a second plurality of electrical connectors of the second mating feature; a first subset and a second subset of the first plurality of electrical connectors configured to electrically couple to a third subset and a fourth subset of the second plurality of electrical connectors, respectively, wherein the first subset and the third subset couple to complete a first circuit and the second subset and the fourth subset couple to complete a second circuit, and wherein the first circuit is distinct from the second circuit; at least one functionality feature of the first component, wherein the functionality feature is configured to perform one or more specific functions, locally within the first component; and an activation feature of the first component, wherein the activation feature is configured to activate or disable the at least one functionality feature based on an identification mechanism of the second component.