SENSOR HUB, SENSOR SYSTEM, METHOD FOR TRANSMITTING SENSOR SIGNALS AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM

Abstract

A sensor hub may be used to address complex cabling issues. Such sensor hub may include at least one sensor communication device designed to receive sensor signals from at least two sensors and/or to output signals to the at least two sensors; a computer device communicatively connected to the at least one sensor communication device and designed to generate sensor data using the sensor signals; and a transmitting device designed to transmit the sensor data to a user device via a single communications medium. The sensor data indicate addresses which are each assigned to one of the at least two sensors.

Claims

1. A sensor hub, comprising: at least one sensor communication device adapted to receive sensor signals from at least two sensors; a computer device which is communicatively connected to the at least one sensor communication device, and which is designed to generate sensor data using the sensor signals; a transmitting device adapted to transmit the sensor data to a user device via a single communications medium, wherein the sensor data indicate addresses which are each assigned to one of the at least two sensors.

2. The sensor hub according to claim 1, wherein the sensor signals indicate sensor readings.

3. The sensor hub according to claim 1, wherein the sensor signals indicate a temperature, a humidity, a fine dust indication, a vibration indication, a gas indication and/or further physical or chemical measurands.

4. The sensor hub according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor communication device is designed to be connected to at least one fieldbus system for communication with the at least two sensors.

5. The sensor hub according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting device is designed to transmit the sensor data periodically.

6. The sensor hub according to claim 5, wherein the sensor data within a transmission period comprise a data packet, wherein the data packet indicates a transmission channel, a sensor status, a sensor type and/or at least one sensor reading.

7. The sensor hub according to claim 5, wherein the sensor data within a transmission period comprises a data packet, wherein the data packet indicates at least two sensor types, a sensor status, and/or at least one sensor reading for one of the at least two sensor types.

8. The sensor hub according to claim 1, wherein the computer device is adapted to transmit a sensor address to a sensor using the at least one sensor communication device.

9. The sensor hub according to claim 8, wherein the computer device is adapted to process a response message from a sensor received via the at least one sensor communication device response to a/the transmitted sensor address and to determine the type of the sensor using the response message.

10. The sensor hub according to claim 8, wherein the computer device is adapted to determine that no sensor is connected to the at least one sensor communication device when no response message is received in response to a/the transmitted sensor address.

11. A sensor system, comprising: the sensor hub according to claim 1; at least one sensor which is designed to be communicatively connectable to the sensor hub; and a user device which is designed to be communicatively connected to the sensor hub via the single communications medium.

12. The sensor system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor is designed as a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a gas sensor and/or as a particle sensor.

13. A method for transmitting sensor data, comprising the steps of: receiving sensor signals from at least two sensors; generating sensor data using the sensor signals, wherein the sensor data indicates addresses each assigned to one of the at least two sensors; and transmitting the sensor data to a user device.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: transmitting a sensor address assigned to a sensor type to a first sensor of the at least two sensors; receiving a response message from the first sensor; and assigning the sensor address to the first sensor.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: transmitting a sensor address assigned to a sensor type to a first sensor of the at least two sensors; and determining that no sensor is connected to the sensor address when no response message is received in response to the transmission.

16. A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that cause at least one processor to implement the method according to claim 13, when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the preferred invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings:

[0056] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a sensor system;

[0057] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a sensor hub;

[0058] FIG. 3: shows a flowchart of a method for initializing sensors connected to a sensor hub;

[0059] FIG. 4 shows an illustration of a data packet in a first exemplary embodiment;

[0060] FIG. 5 shows an illustration of a data packet in a second exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0061] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a sensor system 1 comprising a production plant 10, a sensor hub 20 and a user device 5.

[0062] Four sensors 11, 12, 13, 14 are arranged in the production plant 10, i.e. a gas sensor 11, a fine dust sensor 12, a first temperature sensor 13 and a second temperature sensor 14. In addition, further components not shown are arranged in or at the production plant 10, such as a control programmable unit (PLC). Of course, in a further exemplary embodiment it is conceivable that only sensors of one type are used, for example only humidity sensors.

[0063] The sensors 11, 12, 13, 14 are each connected to the sensor hub 20 via fieldbus connections 2, for example an I.sup.2C bus connection. One way of communication, which is also used by the I.sup.2C bus, is characterized in that a four-wire connection is used, wherein one wire is used for the transmission of a clock signal and the second wire is used as a data line (¾ for the operating voltage of the sensor). Both wires are connected to a supply voltage via pull-up resistors. The fieldbus 2 is designed as a master-slave fieldbus. This means that a communication in the shown exemplary embodiment is initiated by the master. In the exemplary embodiment, the sensor hub 20 is designed as a master and the sensors 11, 12, 13, 14 are each designed as a slave.

[0064] The sensors 11, 12, 13, 14 connected via the fieldbus 2 can be addressed via addresses by the sensor hub 20. This means that the master transmits an address to the sensors 11, 12, 13, 14 via the field bus 2 and the sensor 11, 12, 13, 14 to which the address is to be assigned responds with sensor signals indicating the measured values.

[0065] The sensors 11, 12, 13, 14 are designed to transmit their measured values as sensor signals to the sensor hub 20. The sensor hub 20 is described in detail in connection with FIG. 2. The sensor hub 20 is designed to combine the received sensor signals of the sensors 11, 12, 13, 14 and to transmit them as a data packet to the connected user device 5.

[0066] A point-to-point connection is preferably used between the sensor hub 20 and the user device 5, for example an IO-Link connection 3.

[0067] A point-to-point connection is characterized in that no other devices are connected between two connected devices. Thus, with a point-to-point connection, only one other device can be connected to a port of a device.

[0068] With the invention described, it is now made possible to receive the sensor signals of a plurality of sensors 11, 12, 13, 14 via a connection on the user device 5. Furthermore, it is now possible to determine from which sensor which sensor data originates. Thus, in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, it is possible to determine whether a temperature value originates from the first temperature sensor 13 or from the second temperature sensor 14. Since the position of the sensors is generally known, in the event of a rise in temperature it is also possible to determine directly where this rise in temperature occurs in the production plant 10, so that a fault can be located quickly and reliably.

[0069] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the sensor hub 20. The sensor hub 20 has four ports or terminals or connections 21, 22, 23, 24 to which the sensors 11, 12, 13, 14 are connected. Thus, in the exemplary embodiment shown, exactly one connection 21, 22, 23, 24 is provided for a sensor 11, 12, 13, 14. However, due to the fact that a field bus 2 is used for communication between the sensor hub 20 and the sensors 11, 12, 13, 14, it is also conceivable that more than one identical or different sensor 11, 12, 13, 14 is connected via a connection or port 21, 22, 23, 24.

[0070] In the context of this application, the connections 21, 22, 23, 24 are also referred to as sensor communication devices.

[0071] The sensors 11, 12, 13, 14 transmit respective sensor signals 27, 27′, 27″, 27′″ to the computer device 25 via the connections 21, 22, 23, 24. The computer device 25 is configured to receive and process the sensor signals 27, 27′, 27″, 27′″. For example, the computer device 25 is adapted to calculate a temperature from voltage values 27 transmitted by a temperature sensor 13. In this respect, the computer device 25 may be appropriately preconfigured so that it is possible to assign a corresponding temperature to a digital data packet.

[0072] However, it is also conceivable that the computer device 25 performs more advanced calculations, such as determining an average value over a certain time interval, for example 24 hours.

[0073] Finally, in some exemplary embodiments, the computer device is adapted to form a virtual sensor. This means that the computer device 25 is adapted to process the values from at least one sensor 11, 12, 13, 14 and to transmit them as sensor data to the user device 5. For example, it is possible to create a virtual sensor which always indicates the temperature average of the last 24 hours.

[0074] The computer device 25 may further comprise a memory device in which, for example, the sensor data is temporarily stored. The addresses of the sensors 11, 12, 13, 14 may also be stored there.

[0075] The processed sensor signals 27, 27′, 27″, 27′″ are additionally aggregated by the computer device 5 as sensor data 28. This means that the sensor signals 27, 27′, 27″, 27′″ can be transmitted further together. For this purpose, the sensor data 28 are sent to a transceiver 26 which transmits the sensor data 28 to the user device 5.

[0076] The transceiver 26 may also be referred to as the transmitting device.

[0077] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an initialization procedure 300 for sensors 11, 12, 13, 14.

[0078] In the initialization step 301, the sensor hub 20 is switched on and thus supplied with power. Furthermore, it is checked whether all sensors 11, 12, 13, 14 known to the sensor hub 20 have already been initialized. For this purpose, the sensor hub 20 has a memory device in which a plurality of sensor addresses are stored. Each address is assigned a sensor type and an indication as to whether the associated sensor 11, 12, 13, 14 is already initialized.

[0079] In the test step 302, the computer device 25 of the sensor hub 20 checks whether at least one address has not yet been initialized. If this is the case, the method continues with the transmission step 305. If all sensors 11, 12, 13, 14 have already been initialized, the method ends with the end step 308.

[0080] In the transmission step 305, a sensor address 304 which is not yet initialized is read out from the memory device 303. The address 304 is transmitted in the transmission step 305 via a sensor communication device 21, 22, 23, 24.

[0081] If a response to the transmitted address 304 is received in the receiving step 306, an assignment from the address 304 to the sensor communication device 21, 22, 23, 24 used is stored in the storing step 307. Thus, from this point on, it is known which sensor 11, 12, 13, 14 can be reached via which sensor communication device 21, 22, 23, 24.

[0082] If no response is received to the sending of address 304 at step 306, the method proceeds to step 301.

[0083] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate two possible data formats of how the sensor data 7, 8 can be transmitted from the sensor hub 20 to the user device 5.

[0084] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment in which the sensor data 7 for a channel, i.e. for a sensor communication device or a connection 21, 22, 23, 24, indicates a status S1, a sensor type T1 and user data D1-D4. The status S1 indicates which data is transmitted as user data D1-D4. For example, the status S1 may indicate that temperature data is encoded as user data D1-D4. The sensor type D1 indicates what kind of sensor it is, e.g. a temperature sensor or a humidity sensor.

[0085] The sensor data 7 may also include the data for all channels, i.e. sensor communication devices or connections 21, 22, 23, 24. Thus, with reference to FIG. 1, the sensor data 7 comprises the data of FIG. 4 four times, wherein each channel indicates the data for a sensor 11, 12, 13, 14.

[0086] The described exemplary embodiment has the advantage that little process data must be transmitted, since the data necessary for a sensor can always be precisely transmitted in a compact manner at all times. A disadvantage is that the status S1 must be evaluated in order to determine what data is being transmitted.

[0087] This disadvantage is addressed by the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 5. FIG. 5 shows exemplary sensor data 8 comprising, for each channel, fields for all possible sensors 11, 12, 13, 14. This means that for a first channel data fields for all possible sensor types T1-T4 are provided. Thus, FIG. 5 shows data fields for sensor types T1, T2, T3 or T4. In the exemplary embodiment shown, each sensor type T1-T4 is assigned exactly one data field for user data D1-D4.

[0088] The definition of the sensor types T1-T4 in the sensor data 8 is thereby fixed, so that it can be recognized from the use of the data fields D1-D4 which type of data is involved. For example, if T1 is specified as a temperature sensor, it can be recognized from the use of the data field D1 with a value that the data in the data field D1 is temperature data of a connected temperature sensor 13. Thus, no status needs to be read out and interpreted.

[0089] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0090] 1 Sensor system [0091] 2 Fieldbus connection [0092] 3 IO-Link cable [0093] 5 User device [0094] 10 Production plant [0095] 11 Gas sensor [0096] 12 Fine dust sensor [0097] 13 First temperature sensor [0098] 14 Second temperature sensor [0099] 20 Sensor hub [0100] 21, 22, 23, 24 Port/terminal [0101] 25 Microcontroller [0102] 26 Transceiver [0103] 7, 8 27, 27′, 27″, 27′″ Sensor signals [0104] 28 Sensor data [0105] 300 Initialization procedure [0106] 301 Initialization step [0107] 302 Test step [0108] 303 Storage device [0109] 304 Address [0110] 305 Transmission step [0111] 306 Receive step [0112] 307 Storage step [0113] 308 End step [0114] S1 Status [0115] T1-T4 Sensor type [0116] D1-D4 Datum