Motor controller for application in a motor controller network

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A motor controller according to the present invention incorporates all of the advantages of RS-485, yet allows the user to interface with the controller through RS-232 without a separate RS-232 to RS-485 converter.
A controller according to the present invention includes a port for receiving RS-232 compatible signals.
The RS-232 signals are converted to RS-485 compatible signals which are, in turn, converted into logic level signals suitable for the motor controller.
The RS-485 signals may be shared among a number of controllers, and an RS 485 port is provided for such a purpose.
RS-485 ports can be interconnected via a common bus so that a number of motors can be separately controlled from a master controller (usually a personal computer) connected to any available RS-232 port.
Each motor controller interprets command information that is received from the master controller via the RS-485 bus and accepts data that is addressed to it.
By including an RS-232 port and an RS-485 port in each of the motor controllers, and by converting RS-232 signals to RS-485 signals which, in turn, are converted to logic level control signals for the motor controller, any desired multi-controller configuration can be created without any need for a stand-alone converter with its attendant housing, circuit boards, and power circuitry.
In a motor controller network according to the present invention, several controllers of the above-described type can be linked together through their RS-485 ports.
The master controller may be coupled to the network through any one of the available RS-232 ports.