DISPLAY DEVICE IN PROCESS AUTOMATION

Abstract

A display device for displaying data in a process automation Ethernet network having a specified physical layer and one or more different higher layer network protocols, the display device being arranged to detect one or more subscriber devices of the network and to display measured values of the one or more subscriber devices.

Claims

1. A display device comprising: circuitry configured to display subscriber device data in a two-wire Ethernet network for process automation having a specified physical layer of the two-wire Ethernet network and one or more different network protocols of higher layers, wherein the circuitry of the display device is connected to the two-wire Ethernet network and configured to detect at least one subscriber device of the two-wire Ethernet network and to display data of the at least one subscriber device.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the display device is a standalone display device directly connected to a field switch of the two-wire Ethernet network, or integrated into a field switch.

3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is an APL display device and the specified physical layer is an APL transmission layer.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the two-wire Ethernet network is a subnetwork of an Ethernet network having a plurality of two-wire Ethernet networks as subnetworks, wherein within the two-wire Ethernet network a protocol of higher layers is the same, wherein the subnetworks are interconnected via an Ethernet backbone, and wherein the circuitry of the display device is further configured to detect a subscriber device of another two-wire Ethernet network.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is configured to display a subscriber device according to a configuration.

6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is configured to implement different network protocols.

7. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device comprises a web browser and/or an Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture (OPC UA) client, wherein the web browser or the OPC UA client is configured to detect the at least one subscriber device, to acquire data from the at least one subscriber device, and to process and display the data.

8. The display device according to claim 7, wherein the web browser sends a broadcast signal to detect the at least one subscriber device.

9. The display device of claim 7, wherein the web browser receives a broadcast signal from a subscriber device to detect the subscriber device on the network.

10. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is configured to enable an additional network connection according to a configuration or a control.

11. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device further includes one or more relay modules and/or transistor outputs, which are configured to output a signal for a limit value message, limit level exceeded, diagnostic message information, a collective fault message, a fault message, an emergency shutdown, an on-site pump shutdown and/or to switch an acoustic or optical warning device.

12. A field switch comprising: a display device having circuitry configured to display subscriber device data in a two-wire Ethernet network for process automation having a specified physical layer of the two-wire Ethernet network and one or more different network protocols of higher layers, wherein the circuitry of the display device is connected to the two-wire Ethernet network and configured to detect at least one subscriber device of the two-wire Ethernet network and to display data of the at least one subscriber device.

13. A process automation network, comprising: a display device having circuitry configured to display subscriber device data in a two-wire Ethernet network for process automation having a specified physical layer of the two-wire Ethernet network and one or more different network protocols of higher layers, wherein the circuitry of the display device is connected to the two-wire Ethernet network and configured to detect at least one subscriber device of the two-wire Ethernet network and to display data of the at least one subscriber device; and/or a field switch including the display device.

14. The process automation network of claim 13, further comprising at least one two-wire Ethernet subnetwork, wherein the display device is disposed in a two-wire Ethernet subnetwork), and wherein each subnetwork includes at least one subscriber device.

15. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the display device is an APL display device and the specified physical layer is an APL transmission layer.

16. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the two-wire Ethernet network is a subnetwork of an Ethernet network having a plurality of two-wire Ethernet networks as subnetworks, wherein within the two-wire Ethernet network a protocol of higher layers is the same, wherein the subnetworks are interconnected via an Ethernet backbone, and wherein the circuitry of the display device is further configured to detect a subscriber device of another two-wire Ethernet network.

17. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the display device is configured to display a subscriber device according to a configuration.

18. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the two-wire Ethernet network is a subnetwork of an Ethernet network having a plurality of two-wire Ethernet networks as subnetworks, wherein within the two-wire Ethernet network a protocol of higher layers is the same, wherein the subnetworks are interconnected via an Ethernet backbone, and wherein the circuitry of the display device is further configured to detect a subscriber device of another two-wire Ethernet network.

19. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the display device is configured to display a subscriber device according to a configuration.

20. The display device according to claim 4, wherein the display device is configured to display a subscriber device according to a configuration.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0045] In the following, embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. Neither the description nor the figures are to be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a process automation network according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0047] The display devices A1, A2, A1′, and A2′ are grouped under reference numeral 100, the APL field switches F1, F2, F1′, and F2′ are grouped under reference numeral 104, the APL power switches are grouped under reference numeral 106, and the Ethernet APL devices or subscriber devices are grouped under reference numeral 102.

[0048] By supporting line lengths of up to 1000 m at 10 Mbit/s, in future 100 Mbit/s in full duplex in the main branch (below the APL power switch also called “trunk”) and up to 200 m sub-branches each (below the APL field switch also called “track”), APL is suitable for the requirements of process automation. Different topologies, such as ring, line, star, are possible. Furthermore, a standardized PA-DIM (Process Automation Device Information Model) facilitates the visualization of different APL field devices from different manufacturers in the APL display device by means of uniform, machine-readable semantics of field devices.

[0049] The explanations regarding network 110 apply analogously to network 120.

[0050] An Ethernet network is shown consisting of an “office Ethernet area” E1, the so-called backbone, to which different controllers (PLC/DCS), Scada, Parameterization or operating programs, asset management programs or even cloud applications 112 can be connected. One or more APL networks APL-NW 1, 110, . . . , APL-NW n′, 120 are connected below the APL power switch (P1, P1′). The sum of all APL networks APL-NW 1, . . . , APL-NW n′ can also be considered as APL network group, APL network environment or overall network 150. The APL network 110 starts with the APL power switch P1 which establishes a high power APL branch E2. Several APL field switches F1 . . . Fn 104 can be connected to this APL branch, which can also be designed in increased security (“Exe”). The actual APL field devices 102, S1 Sn or V1 . . . Vn are connected to these via the intrinsically safe point-to-point connections E3 . . . En. Instead of intrinsically safe, the above-mentioned can also be designed as non-intrinsically safe in non-Ex systems. S1 . . . Sn stand for APL sensors, V1 . . . Vn stand for APL valves or APL positioners. One of these intrinsically safe point-to-point connections, E5, can be used, for example, to connect an APL display unit A1. The self-sufficient and independently operating APL indicator A1 uses its own housing, which can also be set up on site, in a harsh environment.

[0051] Alternatively, the APL display unit A2 can also be integrated in the APL field switch F2, for example. In this case, it performs the same tasks at a central location as the autonomous and independently operating APL display unit A1, but in this embodiment, it does not have its own housing, but is to be seen as a component or partial functionality of the APL field switch F2.

[0052] Corresponding to the APL display units A1 or A2, the APL display unit A1′ and/or A2′ can be used in adjacent APL networks n′. A restriction to a certain number of APL display units in an APL network APL-NW 1 . . . APL-NW n′ is not necessary.

[0053] Any APL display device in this example A1, A2, A1′ or A2′ can receive data from Display any APL devices in the APL network group 1 . . . n′.

[0054] The APL display units A1, A2, A1′ or A2′ shown here in the example are parameterized to target APL devices that are to be displayed in the APL display unit. This can be done via on-site operation, on-site interface, wirelessly (e.g., via Bluetooth and operating program), or via the network and an operating program that can be used to define the desired APL sensors to be visualized in the APL display device. These can be one or more of the 1 . . . n APL devices, such as S1 . . . Sn as well as V1 . . . Vn. Likewise, a wire-based interface such as a USB cable with sensor parameterization interface (e.g. I.sup.2C interface) and an operating program can be used.

[0055] The APL display A1, A2, A1′ or A2′ works as a web browser and automatically detects via broadcast all connected APL field devices S1 . . . Sn as well as V1 . . . Vn, which are either located in the own APL network “APL-NW 1, but also in neighboring APL networks APL-NW n′ of the relevant overall Ethernet system 150. The protocol used in the Ethernet network (APL network and backbone) 150 (e.g., Profinet, Ethernet/IP, HART-IP, EtherCAT . . . ) is usually the same for all plants.

[0056] The APL display A1, A2, A1′ or A2′ visualizes, in addition to detection information such as. The measured values of individual or all APL stations S1 . . . Sn as well as V1 . . . Vn are displayed either as sequential information one after the other or summarized or condensed. In addition, diagnostic information from individual or all APL stations is displayed (sequentially) individually or also as collective diagnostic information.

[0057] If required, the APL display unit A1, A2, A1′ or A2′ can have an additional data channel to the “outside” in the sense of the NOA (NAMUR Open Architecture) requirement of a “second communication channel” of the chemical and petrochemical industry (NOA). This would mean that a main channel (communication channel 1) would be available via the Ethernet structure for the exchange of essential data such as measured values as before, as well as a second data channel (communication channel 2) that forwards other, permissible or desired data to parallel, higher-level systems (e.g. cloud) via a radio interface (GPS, GPRS, UMTS, LTE, 5G, LoRa, etc.).

[0058] Furthermore, the APL display unit A1, A2, A1′ or A2′ can also include a locally parameterizable relay module or transistor output(s) 1 . . . n and/or transistor outputs 1 . . . n. This is used for limit value indication, collective fault indication, fault messages, emergency shutdown, on-site pump shutdown, switching of warning devices (horn, warning light, etc.).

[0059] Further, the APL display device A1, A2, A1′, or A2′ may operate as a local on-site visualization system.

[0060] The APL display unit A1, A2, A1′ or A2′ can still be used as a protocol converter. of different protocols from e.g., Profinet to Ethernet/IP work.

[0061] If required, the APL indicator A1, A2, A1′ or A2′ can work as an on-site message system via email, SMS, SIM card, LoRa, \Man, etc. in the sense of a second communication channel (NOA), as well as serve as an on-site visualization with colors according to NAMUR recommendation NE107 or the plant operators own color definition.

[0062] The drawing is merely schematic and not to scale. In principle, identical or similar parts are provided with the same reference signs.

[0063] In FIG. 1, the following reference signs are used: [0064] C1 . . . Cn Controls such as PLC, DCS, Cloud applications, Asset Management programs, operating programs . . . [0065] E1 Ethernet network (office/control room area) also backbone called [0066] P1 APL Power Switch from the first APL network below the backbone [0067] P1′ APL Power Switch from the “n”th APL network below the backbone [0068] E2 Ethernet APL network from first APL network [0069] E2′ Ethernet APL network from “n”th APL network [0070] F1 APL field switch 1 from the first APL network [0071] F1′ APL field switch 1 from the “n “th APL network [0072] F2 APL field switch 2 from the first APL network [0073] F2′ APL field switch 2 from the “n “th APL network [0074] A1 APL display 1 connected point-to-point at switch Fl [0075] A1′ APL display 1′ connected point-to-point at switch F1′. [0076] A2 APL display 2 integrated in APL field switch F2 [0077] A2′ APL display 2′ integrated in APL field switch F2′. [0078] E3 . . . En Ethernet APL point-to-point connections to the APL devices in the APL-Network 1 [0079] E3′ . . . En′ Ethernet APL point-to-point connections to the APL devices in the APL-Network n′ [0080] S1 . . . Sn Ethernet APL devices (sensors) in network 1 [0081] S1′ . . . Sn′ Ethernet APL devices (sensors) in the network n′ [0082] V1 . . . Vn Ethernet APL devices (positioners/valves) in network 1 [0083] V1′ . . . Vn′ Ethernet APL devices (positioners/valves) in the network n′ [0084] 100 Display device(s) [0085] 102 Ethernet APL device(s) (subscriber devices) [0086] 104 APL field switch(es) [0087] 106 APL Power Switch(es) [0088] 112 Control system/Cloud application [0089] 110 Subnetwork APL-NW 1 [0090] 120 Subnetwork APL-NW n′ [0091] 150 Ethernet network