ELECTRONIC DEVICE

Abstract

An evaluation device is provided for processing measurement data from a measurement device, the evaluation device including: at least a first two-wire interface, configured for communication between the evaluation device and the measuring device; at least one first communication circuitry, configured to provide communication with the measurement device in a first communication mode via the at least one first two-wire interface; at least one second communication circuitry, configured to provide communication with the measurement device in a second communication mode via the at least one first two-wire interface; and at least one first selection circuitry, configured to activate the first communication circuitry or the second communication circuitry in such a manner that the evaluation device communicates with the measuring device via the at least one first two-wire interface in the first communication mode or in the second communication mode.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. An evaluation device for processing measurement data from a measurement device, the evaluation device comprising: at least a first two-wire interface, configured for communication between the evaluation device and the measuring device; at least one first communication circuitry, configured to provide communication with the measurement device in a first communication mode via the at least one first two-wire interface; at least one second communication circuitry, configured to provide communication with the measurement device in a second communication mode via the at least one first two-wire interface; and at least one first selection circuitry, configured to activate the first communication circuitry or the second communication circuitry in such a manner that the evaluation device communicates with the measuring device via the at least one first two-wire interface in the first communication mode or in the second communication mode.

17. The evaluation device according to claim 16, further comprising a third communication circuitry configured to provide communication with the measuring device via the at least one first two-wire interface in a third communication mode, wherein the at least one selection circuitry is further configured to activate one of the at least one first and the at least one second communication circuitry such that the evaluation device communicates with the measuring device via the at least one first two-wire interface in one of the first and the second communication modes.

18. The evaluation device according to claim 17, wherein the third communication mode includes a mixed analog and digital communication according to analog 4 mA to 20 mA with a simultaneously digitally modulated signal according to the Highway Addressable Remote Transducer (HART) standard.

19. The evaluation device according to claim 16, further comprising: a second two-wire interface, configured for communication between the evaluation device and a further measuring device; a fourth communication circuitry, configured to provide communication with the further measuring device in the first communication mode via the second two-wire interface; a fifth communication circuitry, configured to provide communication with the further measuring device in the second communication mode via the second two-wire interface; and a second selection circuitry, configured to activate the fourth communication circuitry or the fifth communication circuitry in such a way that the evaluation device communicates with the further measuring device via the second two-wire interface with the further measuring device in the first communication mode or in the second communication mode.

20. The evaluation device according to claim 19, wherein the first communication mode includes the Ethernet Advanced Physical Layer (APL) standard, and wherein the second communication mode includes a mixed analog and digital communication according to analog 4 mA to 20 mA with a simultaneously digitally modulated signal according to the Highway Addressable Remote Transducer (HART) standard.

21. The evaluation device according to claim 20, further comprising a sixth communication circuitry, configured to communicate via the second two-wire interface with the measuring device in the third communication mode, wherein the first and the second selection circuitry are configured to activate one of the first, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth communication circuitry in such a way that the evaluation device communicates via the second two-wire interface with the further measuring device in one of the communication modes.

22. The evaluation device according to claim 16, further comprising: a third two-wire interface, configured for communication between the evaluation device and a further measuring device; a seventh communication circuitry, configured to provide communication with the further measuring device in the first communication mode via the third two-wire interface; an eighth communication circuitry, configured to provide communication with the further measuring device via the third two-wire interface in the second communication mode; a third selection circuitry, configured to activate the seventh communication circuitry or the eighth communication circuitry in such a way that the evaluation device communicates with the further measuring device via the third two-wire interface with the further measuring device in the first communication mode or in the second communication mode.

23. The evaluation device according to claim 22, further comprising a ninth communication circuitry, configured to communicate via the third two-wire interface with the measuring device in the third communication mode, wherein the first, the second, and the third selection circuitry are configured to activate one of the first, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, the seventh, the eighth, and the ninth communication circuitry in such a way that the evaluation device communicates with the further measuring device via the third two-wire interface in one of the communication modes.

24. The evaluation device according to claim 16, wherein the first communication mode includes the Ethernet Advanced Physical Layer (APL) standard, and wherein the second and/or the third communication modes include a mixed analog and digital communication according to analog 4 mA to 20 mA with a simultaneously digitally modulated signal according to the Highway Addressable Remote Transducer (HART) standard, or the Ethernet APL standard.

25. The evaluation device according to claim 22, wherein the first communication mode includes the Ethernet Advanced Physical Layer (APL) standard, wherein the second and/or the third communication modes include a mixed analog and digital communication according to analog 4 mA to 20 mA with a simultaneously digitally modulated signal according to the Highway Addressable Remote Transducer (HART) standard, or the Ethernet APL standard, and wherein the first and/or the second and/or the third selection circuitry are further configured in such a way that the Ethernet APL communication and the HART communication are simultaneously connected to the first and/or the second two-wire interface and the HART communication is modulated onto the Ethernet APL communication.

26. The evaluation device according to claim 16, wherein the first and the second communication circuitry are further configured to provide operating parameters and a communication protocol for a respective communication mode at the at least one first two-wire interface.

27. The evaluation device according to claim 16, wherein the at least one first selection circuitry is further configured to activate a communication circuitry based on a response signal of the measuring device to a communication signal of the at least one first selection circuitry.

28. The evaluation device according to claim 27, wherein the at least one first selection circuitry is further configured to send as a communication signal at least a first communication signal in the first communication mode to the measuring device, and/or to send a second communication signal in the second communication mode to the measuring device, and/or to send a third communication signal in a third communication mode to the measuring device, and to activate or deactivate the first, the second, and/or the third communication mode based on the response signal of the measuring device.

29. The evaluation device according to claim 16, further comprising: a fourth two-wire interface, configured for communication between the evaluation device and a further evaluation device; a tenth communication circuitry, configured to provide communication with the further evaluation device in the first communication mode via the fourth two-wire interface; an eleventh communication circuitry, configured to provide communication via the fourth two-wire interface with the further evaluation device in the second communication mode; and a fourth selection circuitry, configured to activate the tenth communication circuitry or the eleventh communication circuitry in such a way that the evaluation device communicates via the fourth two-wire interface with the further evaluation device in the first communication mode or in the second communication mode.

30. The evaluation device according to claim 29, further comprising a twelfth communication circuitry, configured to communicate via the fourth two-wire interface with the further evaluation device in a third communication mode, wherein the first, the second, the third, and the fourth selection circuitry are further configured to activate one of the first, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, the seventh, the eighth, the ninth, the tenth, and the eleventh communication circuitry in such a way that the evaluation device communicates with the further evaluation device in one of the communication modes via the fourth two-wire interface, and wherein the fourth two-wire interface is further configured to supply power to the evaluation device via the further evaluation device.

31. The evaluation device according to claim 16, further comprising at least one power supply, configured to convert an incoming voltage and to supply the evaluation device and/or an energy storage device with energy, wherein the at least one power supply is further configured to be operated in different operating modes, a respective operating mode of the at least one power supply being selected based on an activated communication mode.

32. The evaluation device according to claim 16, wherein the evaluation device is configured to determine whether the measuring device connected to the first two-wire interface allows different communication modes, and is further configured to determine a communication mode of the measuring device.

33. A method of selecting a communication mode of an evaluation device according to claim 16, the method comprising the steps of: sending a first communication signal via a two-wire interface by a selection circuitry to a measurement device, wherein the first communication signal is based on a first communication mode; activating a first communication circuitry when a response signal from the measuring device corresponds to the first communication mode; and/or sending a second communication signal via the two-wire interface by the selection circuitry to the measurement device, wherein the second communication signal is based on a second communication mode; activating the second communication circuitry when a response signal from the measuring device corresponds to the second communication mode; and/or sending a third communication signal via a two-wire interface by the selection circuitry to a measurement device, wherein the third communication signal is based on a third communication mode; activating the third communication circuitry when a response signal from the measuring device corresponds to the third communication mode.

34. A system for evaluating and/or processing measurement data of a measuring device, comprising: at least one evaluation device according to claim 16; and at least one measuring device configured to communicate with the at least one evaluation device in a first communication mode and/or in a second communication mode and/or in a third communication mode.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Below is a detailed description of the figures, therein shows

[0029] FIG. 1 a schematic view of a first preferred embodiment of an evaluation device according to the invention for processing measurement data of a measuring device;

[0030] FIG. 2 a schematic representation of a method according to the invention for selecting a communication mode of the first preferred embodiment of an evaluation device according to the invention

[0031] FIG. 3 a schematic view of a second preferred embodiment of an evaluation device according to the invention for processing measurement data of a measuring device; and

[0032] FIG. 4 a schematic view of a third preferred embodiment of an evaluation device according to the invention for processing measurement data of a measuring device;

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a first preferred embodiment of an evaluation device 100 according to the invention for processing measurement data of a measuring device.

[0034] The evaluation device comprises nine communication units 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112 comprising circuit units 104a, 105a, 106a, 107a, 108a, 109a, 110a, 111a, 112a. The circuit units 104a, 105a, 106a, 107a, 108a, 109a, 110a, 111a, 112a are suitable for setting or reading out suitable voltages, currents and/or modulation forms at their respective two-wire interfaces 101, 102, 103 to different communication modes. The circuit units 104a, 105a, 106a, 107a, 108a, 109a, 110a, 111a, 112a are thus suitable to physically implement the communication via the two-wire lines connectable to the two-wire interfaces of the evaluation device 100. Furthermore, the communication units 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112 comprise the software units 113, 114, 115, which are suitable to implement the protocol level of the respective communication mode. The evaluation device 100 obtains its energy necessary for operation from an energy supply interface 120, for example via a 230V mains supply. The energy is converted to different voltage levels by a power supply unit 119 integrated in the evaluation device 100, and made available to the other hardware units of the evaluation device 100. The evaluation device 100 further comprises a microcontroller 124 comprising software selection units 116a, 117a, 118a to drive hardware selection units 116b, 117b, 118b connected to circuit units 104a, 105a, 106a, 107a, 108a, 109a, 110a, 111a, 112a. The hardware selection units 116b, 117b, 118b are connected to the software selection units 116a, 117a, 118a.

[0035] In response to a signal from the software selection units 116a, 117a, 118a, the hardware selection units 116b, 117b, 118b are arranged to physically connect the circuit units 104a, 105a, 106a, 107a, 108a, 109a, 110a, 111a, 112a to the respective two-wire interfaces 101, 102, 103 and thus to a two-wire line.

[0036] Furthermore, it may be provided that the microcontroller 124 is connected to the power supply unit 119. Thus, it can be achieved that the power supply unit is instructed to make available a supply voltage suitable for the respective communication standard via the supply lines 126 at the two-wire interfaces 101, 102, 103. Consequently, the supply lines 121 are used to supply electrical power to the sensors which can be connected to the evaluation device 100. Furthermore, the control line between the microcontroller 124 and the power supply unit 119 can also be used to communicate to the microcontroller the current picked up by a device at a two-wire interface 101, 102, 103. In particular, in the case of purely analog communication via 4 . . . 20 mA communication mode, a measured value of a sensor can be acquired via this.

[0037] The microcontroller can process the measured values determined via the communication units 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111 and 112 and/or via the power supply unit 119, and use them in a known manner to control further devices such as pumps or valves, which can be connected to I/O interfaces 125. Alternatively or additionally, it can also be provided that the evaluation device 100 makes its data available to a further controller via a further bus interface 121, for example using Ethernet. For this purpose, the microcontroller 124 can be configured to combine a suitable electronic component 122 for controlling the respective communication mode and suitable communication software 123, and to implement the output of the signals. It may also be provided that a wireless interface is present instead of the bus interface 121.

[0038] It should be noted at this point that the hardware selection units 116, 117, 118 are shown schematically. The task of the hardware selection units 116, 117, 118 is to connect the appropriate circuit units 104a, 105a, 106a, 107a, 108a, 109a, 110a, 111a, 112a, which are necessary for implementing a particular communication mode, to the respective two-wire interfaces 101, 102, 103. This can be achieved, for example, via mechanical relays, solid state relays, or other switches. However, resistive-acting, capacitive-acting, or otherwise implemented electronic circuits can also effect coupling or decoupling of communication signals to the output signals. In addition, logic circuits can also be used at this point.

[0039] The software units 113, 114, 115 for protocol-side implementation of various communication standards may be present in a memory in the microcontroller 124. It may also be provided that they are stored in a memory outside the microcontroller 124, for example a non-volatile memory. It may be provided that these software units 113, 114, 115 are all loaded into the main memory of the microcontroller 124 during start-up. Alternatively, provision may be made to load the software units 113, 114, 115 only when necessary.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a method 200 according to the invention for selecting a communication mode of an evaluation device 100. The method starts in the start state 201, for example, whenever the power supply unit 119 registers a non-zero current flow at one of the respective two-wire interfaces 101, 102, 103. For this purpose, the power supply unit 119 applies a minimum supply voltage to each of the two-wire interfaces 101, 102, 103 already in the idle state. As an example, assume below that a sensor is connected to the two-wire interface 101. In step 202, the software selection unit 116a connects the two-wire interface 101 to the circuit unit 106a (Ethernet APL) by driving the hardware selection unit 116b. In step 203, circuit unit 106a (Ethernet APL) is activated. In step 204, software unit 115 (Ethernet APL) is loaded, and in step 205, power supply unit 119 is instructed to set the minimum required voltage at two-wire interface 101 for Ethernet APL communication mode. Then, in step 206, a communication signal is sent in Ethernet APL toward a sensor. In step 207, it is checked whether the sensor provides a response.

[0041] If this is the case, step 208 completes the initialization of Ethernet APL communication, and step 209 uses power supply unit 119 to set the maximum voltage for Ethernet APL.

[0042] If a sensor does not provide a valid Ethernet APL response, in step 210, the circuit unit 106a (Ethernet APL) is deactivated, and the circuit unit 105a (HART) is activated and connected to the two-wire interface 101 by appropriately driving the hardware selection unit 116b. In step 211, the power supply unit 119 is instructed to connect a voltage level suitable for the HART communication mode to the two-wire interface 101 before loading the software unit 114 (HART) in step 212. In step 213, a HART communication signal is transmitted to the sensor, and in step 214, a check is made to see if the sensor provides a valid response. If so, further HART initialization sequences are processed in step 215, and in step 216 the power supply unit 119 is instructed to raise the voltage at the two-wire interface 101 to the maximum voltage level intended for the HART communication mode.

[0043] If a sensor does not provide a valid HART response, in step 217 the circuit unit 105a (HART) is deactivated, and instead the circuit unit 104a (4 . . . 20 mA) is activated and connected to the output by driving the hardware selection unit 116b. In step 218, the power supply unit 219 is instructed to connect a voltage level suitable for the 4 . . . 20 mA communication mode to the interface 101. The procedure ends in state 221.

[0044] The aforementioned sequence can be automatically executed each time the evaluation device 100 is started up or ramped up after a voltage has been supplied to the power supply interface 120. In addition, when a current value greater than zero is detected on one of the two-wire interfaces 101, 102, 103, a corresponding sequence can be started. In this way, it can be achieved that a large number of sensors of different generations can be operated simultaneously, particularly in existing systems. If a modernization of the plant is carried out at a later time, for example by replacing a sensor with a newer sensor, an evaluation device according to the invention will automatically activate and use the new communication mode. In this way, it is possible to provide evaluation devices that enable the successive, staggered modernization of the sensors of existing plants.

[0045] In a further embodiment of the evaluation device 100, it may be provided that the evaluation device 100 performs an automated selection of a suitable communication standard based on an event on one of the two-wire interfaces 101, 102, 103 (voltage change, current change, etc.).

[0046] In a further embodiment, it may be provided that the evaluation device 100 adjusts to a predeterminable communication standard at one of the two-wire interfaces 101,102, 103 by user input.

[0047] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a second preferred embodiment of an evaluation device according to the invention for processing measurement data of a measuring device. The second preferred embodiment of the evaluation device 300 according to the invention differs from the first preferred embodiment described in FIG. 1 in that all of its power required for operation is drawn from a two-wire interface 301, which is also used for data exchange with a higher-level evaluation device, for example an APL power switch. The modified power supply unit 303 may be designed to convert the voltage levels of the two-wire line 302 into different voltage levels required by the microcontroller 304. In particular, energy storage devices 305 may be incorporated into the power supply unit 303 for this purpose. An electronic unit 306 matching the two-wire line 302, for example an APL-Phy (physical interface), can be configured to specify and/or evaluate voltages, currents and/or modulation forms thereof on the two-wire interface 301. A software unit 307 matching the communication mode on the two-wire line may be integrated in the microcontroller 304 and used to implement a communication on the two-wire line 302. The communication mode on the two-wire line 302 may be different from the communication standards used on the output side, or may match one of the standards provided on the output side.

[0048] The power supply unit 303, in interaction with the microcontroller 304 and a control line 308, may be further configured to determine the maximum electrical power obtainable via the two-wire interface 301, and to balance this power in comparison to the power values taken at the two-wire interfaces 309, 310, 311, respectively. For example, if the evaluation device 300 determines that a power deficit is imminent, the power supply unit 302 may be instructed, after control by the microcontroller 304, to reduce the supply voltages on the lines 312 down to the minimum value permitted for the respective communication mode used at the two-wire interface 309, 310, 311, thereby conserving power.

[0049] It is also possible to deactivate sensors connected on the output side in the event of an energy deficit and to send an error message to a higher-level controller.

[0050] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, an evaluation device 300 according to the invention can detect a measuring device 313 as part of the commissioning of a sensor at a two-wire interface 309, 310, 311, which in turn is configured to adapt its input interface to different communication standards. If a power deficit is detected by the evaluation device 300, it may briefly disconnect a measuring device 313 from the two-wire interface 311, and modify the communication mode of the respective two-wire interface 311 to a power-saving communication mode. After restarting the measuring device by activating the supply voltage on the two-wire interface 311, the measuring device 312 automatically adapts to the new communication mode, which may result in further energy savings. In a similar manner, a change to a communication standard that requires more power may also be provided in the event of an energy surplus.

[0051] FIG. 4 a schematic view of a third preferred embodiment of an evaluation device according to the invention for processing measurement data of a measuring device.

[0052] The evaluation device 400 comprises a plurality of electronic circuits or phy's or circuit units 401, 402, 403, for example an APL phy, a Profibus phy or an Ethernet phy. Suitably to these standards, the microcontroller 404 includes a plurality of software units 405, 406, 407 that can be loaded into memory as needed and executed to communicate according to a protocol used on the two-wire line 408. Control line 409 can be used to instruct power supply unit 410 to adapt to the particular communication mode used on the input side, for example by maintaining certain maximum input currents on two-wire interface 411.

[0053] Various communication modes can be used on the two-wire interface 411 and the two-wire line 408 for communication with a higher-level controller. By way of example, but by no means restrictively, Profibus PA, Foundation Fieldbus, Profinet, HART-IP, Modbus, Modbus-TCP or UPC-UA may also be mentioned here. Furthermore, the use of generally known Ethernet standards such as 10BASE-Tx, 100BASE-Tx, 1000-BASE-Tx or other standards with more than two wires is also possible. In particular, the communication modes can also be combined with Power over Ethernet.

[0054] The evaluation device 400 may further be configured to automatically determine the communication mode to be used for communicating with a higher-level controller after a voltage has been supplied to the two-wire interface 411.

[0055] In one embodiment of the evaluation device 400, the evaluation device 400 may be configured to perform an automated selection of an appropriate input-side communication standard at the two-wire interface 411 based on an event on the two-wire line 408 (voltage change, current change, etc.).

[0056] In a further embodiment of the evaluation device 400, the evaluation device 400 may be configured to be set to a presettable communication standard on the two-wire interface 411 by user input.

[0057] In a further embodiment of the evaluation device 400, it can be configured to determine its own measured values. A measurement value determination unit, which is not shown, can additionally be provided for this purpose.

[0058] However, the present invention is not limited in this regard to the foregoing preferred embodiments so long as it is encompassed by the subject matter of the following claims.

[0059] In addition, it is pointed out that the terms “comprising” and “having” do not exclude other elements or steps and the indefinite articles “a” or “an” do not exclude a plurality. Furthermore, the term unit is to be understood broadly, and in particular this term is not to be understood to mean that the respective units must be integral components. Also, the respective units may also be positioned differently. Finally, different units may also be combined in one assembly. Furthermore, it is pointed out that features or steps that have been described with reference to one of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0060] 100, 300, 400 Evaluation device [0061] 101, 102, 103, 301, 309, 310, 311, 411 Two-wire interface [0062] 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112 Communication unit [0063] 113, 114, 115, 307, 405, 406, 407 Software unit [0064] 104a, 105a, 106a, 107a, 108a, Circuit unit [0065] 109a, 110a, 111a, 112a, 401, 402, 403 Circuit unit [0066] 116, 117, 118 Selection unit [0067] 116a, 117a, 118a Software selection unit [0068] 116b, 117b, 118b Hardware selection unit [0069] 119, 303, 410 Power supply unit [0070] 120 Energy supply interface [0071] 121 Bus interface [0072] 122 Electronic component [0073] 123 Communication software [0074] 124, 304, 404 Microcontroller [0075] 125 I/O interface [0076] 126 Supply line [0077] 302, 408 Two-wire line [0078] 305 Energy storage [0079] 306 Electronic unit [0080] 308, 409 Control line [0081] 312 Line [0082] 313 Measuring device