Commissioning and Maintenance of Sensor and Measuring Transducer

Abstract

A method for commissioning and maintenance of a sensor and a measuring transducer includes detecting an identity of the sensor and the measuring transducer, retrieving information from a data storage device with reference to the previously detected identities and the information relates to an operation of the sensor 1 and the measuring transducer, determining with reference to the previously retrieved information whether the sensor and the measuring transducer are configured for a cooperative operation, outputting the result of the determination via a graphic display.

Claims

1. A method, comprising: a) detecting an identity of a sensor and a measuring transducer; b) retrieving information from a data storage device with reference to previously detected identities, said information relating to an operation of the sensor 1 and the measuring transducer; c) determining, with reference to the previously retrieved information, whether the sensor and the measuring transducer are configured for a cooperative operation; d) outputting a result of said determination via a graphic display.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: connecting the sensor and the measuring transducer to one another in order to render possible a cooperative operation of the sensor and the measuring transducer upon determining the sensor and the measuring transducer are configured for cooperative operation.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the identities of the sensor and the measuring transducer 2 is detected via an optical detection of at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the identities of the sensor and the measuring transducer is detected via an optical detection of at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retrieving and determining are performed by a mobile data processing device.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said retrieving and determining are performed by a mobile data processing device.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the processing device comprises a smartphone or a tablet.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the processing device comprises a smartphone or a tablet.

9. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said detecting, retrieving and determining are performed by a mobile data processing device.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the processing device comprises a smartphone or a tablet.

11. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said outputting is performed by a mobile data processing device.

12. The method as claimed in step 11, wherein the processing device comprises a smartphone or a tablet.

13. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising: connecting the sensor and the measuring transducer to one another in order to render possible a cooperative operation of the sensor and the measuring transducer upon determining the sensor and the measuring transducer are configured for cooperative operation; wherein, subsequent to connection of the sensor and the measuring transducer, the method further comprises: e) building a data connection from the mobile data processing device to at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer; f) transmitting data in relation to a calibration of at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer from at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer to the mobile data processing device; g) transmitting the data, which is received by at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer, in relation to the calibration of at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer into the data storage device; h) determining, based on the transmitted data in relation to the calibration of at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer whether the sensor 1 and the measuring transducer are furthermore configured for one of the cooperative operation and whether new calibration data must be transmitted from the data storage device; i) transmitting, when the new calibration data must be transmitted from the data storage device, the new calibration data from the data storage device to at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer by the mobile data processing device; j) graphically outputting by the mobile data processing device an indication that the sensor 1 and the measuring transducer can furthermore be connected to one another.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising: connecting the sensor and the measuring transducer to one another in order to render possible a cooperative operation of the sensor and the measuring transducer 2 upon determining the sensor and the measuring transducer are configured for cooperative operation; wherein subsequent to connection of the sensor and the measuring transducer, the method further comprises: e) building a data connection from the mobile data processing device to at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer; f) transmitting data in relation to a calibration of at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer from at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer to the mobile data processing device; g) transmitting the data, which is received by at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer, in relation to the calibration of at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer into the data storage device; h) determining, based on the transmitted data in relation to the calibration of at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer whether the sensor and the measuring transducer are furthermore configured for one of the cooperative operation and whether new calibration data must be transmitted from the data storage device; i) transmitting, when the new calibration data must be transmitted from the data storage device, the new calibration data from the data storage device to at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer by the mobile data processing device; j) graphically outputting by the mobile data processing device an indication that the sensor 1 and the measuring transducer can furthermore be connected to one another.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising: connecting the sensor and the measuring transducer to one another in order to render possible a cooperative operation of the sensor and the measuring transducer upon determining the sensor and the measuring transducer are configured for cooperative operation; wherein subsequent to connection of the sensor and the measuring transducer, the method further comprises: e) building a data connection from the mobile data processing device to at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer; f) transmitting data in relation to a calibration of at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer from at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer to the mobile data processing device; g) transmitting the data, which is received by at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer, in relation to the calibration of at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer into the data storage device; h) determining, based on the transmitted data in relation to the calibration of at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer whether the sensor and the measuring transducer are furthermore configured for one of the cooperative operation and whether new calibration data must be transmitted from the data storage device; i) transmitting, when the new calibration data must be transmitted from the data storage device, the new calibration data from the data storage device to at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer by the mobile data processing device; j) graphically outputting by the mobile data processing device an indication that the sensor and the measuring transducer can furthermore be connected to one another.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein after said determining in accordance with step h) a calibration rhythm is determined for at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer with reference to the transmitted data in relation to the calibration of at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer and with reference to calibration data, which is already previously stored on the data storage device, in relation to the calibration of at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein environmental parameters which have previously been determined by at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer are also incorporated in cases of the determination of the calibration rhythm for at least one of the sensor and the measuring transducer.

18. A mobile data processing device, comprising: a processor; and memory; wherein the processor is configured to: a) detect an identity of a sensor and a measuring transducer; b) retrieve information from a data storage device with reference to previously detected identities, said information relating to an operation of the sensor and the measuring transducer; c) determine, with reference to the previously retrieved information, whether the sensor and the measuring transducer are configured for a cooperative operation; d) output a result of said determination via a graphic display.

19. The device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the mobile data processing device comprises a smartphone or a tablet.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable program product encoded with program commands which, when executed by a processor of a computer, trigger said computer to commission a sensor and an associated measuring transducer, the program commands comprising: a) program code for detecting an identity of a sensor and a measuring transducer; b) program code for retrieving information from a data storage device with reference to previously detected identities, said information relating to an operation of the sensor and the measuring transducer; c) program code for determining, with reference to the previously retrieved information, whether the sensor and the measuring transducer are configured for a cooperative operation; and d) program code for outputting a result of said determination via a graphic display.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0031] A sensor 1, a measuring transducer 2, a mobile data processing device 3 and a data storage device 4 are illustrated in the FIG. 1. The sensor 1 has a QR code 5 as identification information. The measuring transducer 2 also has a QR code 6 as identification information. The mobile data processing device 3 has a camera 7 for identifying optical information.

[0032] The sequence of the method in accordance with the invention is explained below in an exemplary manner. The sensor 1 and the measuring transducer 2 are to be connected to one another for use in a technical installation. For this purpose, a commissioning engineer of the technical installation in a first method step I detects the QR codes 5, 6 of the sensor 1 and the measuring transducer 2 via the mobile data processing device 3 via the camera 7. In a second method step II, the mobile data processing device 3 subsequently establishes contact with the data storage device 4 and conveys the previously detected identities of the sensor 1 and the measuring transducer 2 to the data storage device 4.

[0033] In a third method step III, with reference to the conveyed identities, the data storage device 4 (more precisely: an authority that controls the data storage device) provides information to the mobile data processing device 3, where the information relates to an operation of the sensor 1 and the measuring transducer 2. In a fourth method step IV, the mobile data processing device 3, based on the previously retrieved information, determines whether the sensor 1 and the measuring transducer 2 are configured for a cooperative operation. The result of this check is represented graphically via a graphic display 8 of the mobile data processing device 3 and can be understood in particular by the commissioning engineer. In the case of a positive check result, the sensor 1 and the measuring transducer 2 can be combined with one another (paired).

[0034] After connecting the sensor 1 and the measuring transducer 2, the following steps are additionally performed:

[0035] Initially, a data connection is built from the mobile data processing device 3 to the sensor 1 and/or the measuring transducer 2. Data in relation to a calibration of the sensor 1 and/or the measuring transducer 2 is thereupon transmitted from the sensor 1 and/or the measuring transducer 2 to the mobile data processing device 3. The data, which is previously received by the sensor 1 and/or the measuring transducer 2, in relation to a calibration of the sensor 1 and/or the measuring transducer 2, is transmitted into the data storage device 4. Based on the transmitted data in relation to a calibration of the sensor 1 and/or the measuring transducer 2, it is then determined whether the sensor 1 and the measuring transducer 2 are furthermore configured for a cooperative operation or whether it is necessary to transmit new calibration data from the data storage device 4.

[0036] In this case, a calibration rhythm is additionally determined for the sensor 1 and/or the measuring transducer 2 with reference to the transmitted data in relation to a calibration of the sensor 1 and/or to the measuring transducer 2 and with reference to calibration data, which is already previously stored on the data storage device 4, in relation to a calibration of the sensor 1 and/or the measuring transducer 2. Here, it is also possible to incorporate environmental parameters that have previously been determined by the sensor 1 and/or the measuring transducer 2 in the case of the determination of the calibration rhythm for the sensor 1 and/or the measuring transducer 2.

[0037] Where applicable, the new calibration data is finally transmitted by the mobile data processing device 3 from the data storage device 4 to the sensor 1 and/or to the measuring transducer 2. Finally, a graphic output by the display 8 of the mobile data processing device 3 then occur such that the sensor 1 and the measuring transducer 2 can furthermore be connected to one another.

[0038] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the method in accordance with the invention. The method comprises a) detecting an identity of a sensor 1 and a measuring transducer 2, as indicated in step 210.

[0039] Next, b) information from a data storage device 4 with reference to previously detected identities is retrieved, as indicated in step 220. In accordance with the invention, the information relates to an operation of the sensor 1 and the measuring transducer 2.

[0040] Next, c) whether the sensor 1 and the measuring transducer 2 are configured for a cooperative operation is determined with reference to the previously retrieved information, as indicated in step 230.

[0041] Next, d) a result of the determination is output via a graphic display 8, as indicated in step 240.

[0042] Thus, while there have been shown, described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the methods described and the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.