SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXCHANGING DATA BETWEEN CONTROL OR EVALUATION APPARATUSES AND DATA-PRODUCING DEVICES, MORE PARTICULARLY TOOLS, NETWORK-CAPABLE MODULE AND TOOL HAVING A NETWORK-CAPABLE MODULE

Abstract

A system for exchanging data between control or evaluation apparatuses and data- producing devices, such as tools, testing installations, calibrating installations or appliances for automatic identification is proposed, wherein the system comprises a control or evaluation apparatus and at least one network-capable module which can be connected or is connected to a data-producing device, wherein the control or evaluation apparatus and the network-capable module are designed to exchange data via a wireless data link, wherein, in a first operating mode, a communication protocol provided for exchanging data between the control or evaluation apparatus and the data-producing device is tunneled via the wireless data link.

Claims

1. A system for exchanging data between control or evaluation apparatuses and data-producing devices, such as tools, testing installations, calibrating installations or appliances for automatic identification, comprising a control or evaluation apparatus and at least one network-capable module which can be connected or is connected to a data-producing device, wherein the control or evaluation apparatus and the network-capable module are designed to exchange data via a wireless data link, characterized in that, in a first operating mode, a communication protocol provided for exchanging data between the control or evaluation apparatus and the data-producing device is tunneled via the wireless data link.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the data-producing device is a torque wrench, a torque screwdriver, a testing installation or a calibrating installation.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the wireless data link uses the Internet Protocol(TCP/IP), and/or that the network-capable module can be connected or is connected to the data-producing device via a USB connection.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that in a second operating mode, the network-capable module generates a hotspot, in particular a WLAN hotspot.

5. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one further device, in particular a further network-capable module, a mobile terminal or a computing unit, in particular a laptop, can be integrated or is integrated into the system via the hotspot.

6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the network-capable module is assigned a unique address, in particular a unique IP address, statically or dynamically, preferably via DHCP.

7. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the data-producing device is connected to the Internet via the wireless data link, and/or that the data-producing device is connected to an Internet of Things via the wireless data link, wherein preferably the network-capable module identifies the data-producing device with respect to the Internet of Things.

8. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the control or evaluation apparatus is designed to execute client software and/or that the control or evaluation apparatus is designed to recognize network-capable modules connected via the wireless data link.

9. A network-capable module for a system according to claim 8.

10. The network-capable module according to claim 9, characterized in that the module comprises a printed circuit board, wherein at least one CPU, one WLAN chip and one WLAN antenna are arranged on the printed circuit board.

11. The network-capable module according to claim 10, characterized in that the printed circuit board comprises a USB interface.

12. The network-capable module according to claim 9, characterized in that the module has an energy storage, in particular a battery or an accumulator, or a connection for an external power supply, in particular by a data-producing device, or for a power supply unit.

13. The network-capable module according to claim 9, characterized in that the module has a switch for switching on, and/or that the module is triggered by a data-producing device connected to the module.

14. A tool with a network-capable module according to claim 9.

15. A method for exchanging data between control or evaluation apparatuses and data-producing devices, such as tools, testing installations, calibrating installations or appliances for automatic identification, wherein at least one network-capable module is connected to a data-producing device, wherein a wireless data link is established between the network-capable module and a control or evaluation apparatus, characterized in that, in a first operating mode, a communication protocol provided for communication between the control or evaluation apparatus and the data-producing device is tunneled via the wireless data link.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0050] The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the figures. In the figures

[0051] FIG. 1 shows a system for exchanging data between prior art control or evaluation apparatuses and data-producing devices, and

[0052] FIG. 2 shows a system for exchanging data between control or evaluation apparatuses and data-producing devices in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a known system 200 for exchanging data between a control or evaluation apparatus 210 and a data-producing device 211. The data-producing device 211 is connected to the control or evaluation apparatus 210 via a cable 212. In the known system 200, the communication protocol provided for exchanging data between the control or evaluation apparatus 210 and the data-producing device 211 must be converted into a network protocol provided for transmitting data via the cable 212.

[0054] FIG. 2 shows a system 100 for exchanging data between a control or evaluation apparatus 10 and a data-producing device 11. The control or evaluation apparatus 10 is designed as a personal computer 12 on which client software is executed. The data-producing device 11 is designed as a tool 13, in particular as a torque wrench 14. A network-capable module 15 is connected to the data-producing device 11 via a cable connection 16, wherein the cable connection 16 can be configured as a USB connection 17. The network-capable module 15 and the control or evaluation apparatus 10 are designed to establish a wireless data link 18, wherein the wireless data link 18 is designed as a WLAN connection 19. The network-capable module 15 receives data from the data-producing device 11 and transmits it via the WLAN connection 19 to the control or evaluation apparatus 10, which is designed as a personal computer 12. Likewise, control commands, for example, are transmitted from the control or evaluation apparatus 10 to the data-producing device 11 via the WLAN connection 19. In this case, the wireless data link 18 is not provided over the entire transmission path between the data-producing device 11 and the control or evaluation apparatus. Part of the transmission path can also be via a network 20, or via the Internet 21 or cloud services 22. Transmitting and receiving devices 23 can be provided for the transition from the wireless data link 18 to the network.

[0055] The wireless data link 18, or WLAN connection 19, uses the Internet Protocol. This has the advantage that the data packets to be transmitted can be transmitted via the Internet 21 without any further conversion effort for part of the transmission path. Furthermore, for the data exchange between the data-producing device 11 and the control or evaluation apparatus 10, a communication protocol provided for this purpose, which may be proprietary, is used. The communication protocol is tunneled through the Internet Protocol, so that the communication protocol does not need to be converted to the Internet Protocol. In other words, data to be transmitted using the communication protocol is embedded into the Internet Protocol along with the communication protocol. The data-producing device 11 and control or evaluation programs executed on the control or evaluation apparatus 10 get to see only the provided communication protocol and are shielded from the technical characteristics of the Internet Protocol.

[0056] A mobile terminal 24 can be integrated into the system 100. The mobile terminal 24 can be, for example, a notebook computer or a laptop computer 25. Client software executed on the personal computer 12 enables the network-capable module 15 integrated into the system 100 via the wireless data link 18 and the mobile terminal device 24 to be recognized and to control the exchange of data within the system 100. Furthermore, the data-producing device 11 and/or the tool 13 and/or the mobile terminal 24 can be connected to an “Internet of Things”.

[0057] The network-capable module 15 comprises a printed circuit board 26 on which a CPU 27, a WLAN chip 28 and a WLAN antenna 29 are arranged.

[0058] The network-capable module 15 is connected to the data-producing device 11 via the cable connection 16 and is supplied with power by the data-producing device 11. To switch on the network-capable module 15, it is triggered by the data-producing device 11. Alternatively or additionally, a switch 30 can be provided for switching on the network-capable module 15. Furthermore, an FTDI chip 31 can be disposed on the printed circuit board 26 of the network-capable module 15. Alternatively or additionally, a battery 32 can be disposed on the printed circuit board.

[0059] In addition, the network-capable module 15 can generate a WLAN hotspot via which further mobile terminal devices can be integrated into the system 100.