FIELD DEVICE, METHOD FOR OPERATING A FIELD DEVICE AND CLOUD SERVICE

Abstract

A field device (1) and interface (2), a method for operating a field device (1) as well as a cloud service that achieve simplified data communication is obtained in that the interface is a cloud interface (2) via which data communication takes place between the field device (1) and a cloud (3).

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. Field device and at least one cloud interface via which data communication takes place between the field device and a cloud.

14. The field device according to claim 13, wherein the interface is a component of the field device.

15. The field device according to claim 13, wherein the field device has a standard interface, wherein the cloud interface is a component of a communication device, and wherein the field device communicates with the communication device via the standard interface.

16. The field device according to claim 13, wherein the field device has means to transmit data to the cloud and/or receive data from the cloud according to a predefinable time schedule.

17. The field device according to claim 13, wherein the field device has means for intermittently going into an energy-saving mode.

18. The field device according to claim 13, wherein the field device has means to transmit data to the cloud and/or retrieve a piece of information from the cloud after receiving a query signal.

19. Method for operating a field device, comprising: communicating data between the field device and cloud via a cloud interface.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein, at least in an activation process, at least one activation code is transmitted to the field device from the cloud, wherein, after receiving the activation code, verification of the received activation code is performed by the field device, and wherein, after successful verification, the field device communicates with the cloud.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein a query signal is transmitted to the field device, wherein, after receiving the query signal, information is retrieved from the cloud, and, based on the information retrieved, data is transmitted to the cloud from the field device.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein a query signal is transmitted to the field device, after receiving the query signal, data is transmitted to the cloud from the field device.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein a query signal is transmitted to the field device, after receiving the query signal, data from the cloud is received by the field device.

24. Method according to claim to 22, wherein the receipt of data is acknowledged by the cloud to the field device

25. Method according to claim to 23, wherein the receipt of data is acknowledged by the field device to the cloud.

26. Method according to claim 25, wherein, when receipt of data is acknowledged, at least one point in time for at least one subsequent transfer of data is transmitted.

27. Method according to claim 24, wherein, when receipt of data is acknowledged, at least one point in time for at least one subsequent transfer of data is transmitted.

28. Cloud service, via which data communication with at least one field device is implemented.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a processing system,

[0049] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a processing system in an alternative embodiment,

[0050] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a procedure for communication between a field device and a cloud,

[0051] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method procedure that follows the procedure shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTON

[0052] A processing system is shown highly schematically in FIG. 1, in which several field devices 1 are provided. However, this is only one embodiment, since the invention can also be implemented with only one field device 1. This is thereby, in some instances, a measuring device (for fill level, flow or pH values) and, in one case, a control element in the form of a valve.

[0053] The separately arranged field device 1 for determining fill level is provided with its own cloud interface 2, which allows for communication with a cloud 3.

[0054] Data transfer is wireless in the illustrated embodiment, e.g., using radio wireless technology. Alternatively, the cloud interface is an ethernet based interface or an interface to a data service of cellular mobile communications (e.g., GPRSfor General Packet Radio Serviceor HSPA for High Speed Packet Access).

[0055] The other field devices 1 have a standard interface 4 for connection to a communication device 6 via a fieldbus 5. The communication device 6 has a cloud interface 2 and thus allows for communication with the cloud 3 via the fieldbus 5 with its connected field devices 1 in the sense of a gateway.

[0056] The cloud 3 is implemented by a computing device 7, which provides the corresponding cloud service. The computing device 7 is, thereby, in the shown embodiment, a component of the processing system itself.

[0057] In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the computing device 7 is operated by an external instance that offers cloud services.

[0058] The field devices 1 have real-time devices 8 which allow the data that is to be transmitted to be provided with a time stamp, and, additionally, allow measurement and/or data transfer to be carried out at previously defined points in time.

[0059] Synchronizing the data of the field devices 1 is carried out in conjunction with the cloud service, for example with the help of a technology such as the Network Time Protocol (NTP) with a reference time.

[0060] An activation process of a field device 1 is schematically shown in FIG. 2.

[0061] Thereby, the field device 1 is attached to the upper side of a container 9 and is designed as a measuring device for determining the fill level of the medium 10.

[0062] The cloud 3 transmits an activation code to the field device 1 for a first connection between the field device 1 and the cloud 3. This takes place, here, via a wireless connection and the cloud interface 2.

[0063] The activation code is shown via a display/input device 11 in the form of a human-machine interface. The code is verified by a user 12 and the field device 1 is activated for communication with the cloud 3.

[0064] In that connection is only allowed with a known cloud 3, it is prevented that, e.g., an interception cloud 13 starts contact and that data thereby reaches an incorrect recipient.

[0065] A procedure for communication between a field device, which acts as a sensor, and a cloud is shown in FIG. 3.

[0066] In step 100, the field device is mounted at a measuring site. In a possibly provided further step, the field device is, for example, added to or made known to the cloud by means of a unique identification (e.g., phone number of the SIM card, serial number).

[0067] In step 101, the field device receives an activation code coming from the cloud, which distinguishes and identifies the specific cloud. This takes place, for example, in the form of an SMS.

[0068] The activation code is verified by the user or by the service personnel in step 102, so that in the positive case, the field device communicates with the cloud starting at step 103.

[0069] In the case that the activation code does not originate from a permitted cloud, the connection is rejected, wherein, in step 104 here, in particular, a signalization is generated that non-permissible connection was attempted.

[0070] In step 105, the field device goes into energy-saving mode, in that, for example, in particular, the components used for measurement in the field device are no longer supplied with energy.

[0071] In step 106, the field device goes back into the measuring state according to a time schedule stored in the field device and determines a measured value.

[0072] In step 107, the measured value is thereby transmitted to the cloud as a raw value, the cloud, in step 108, determining the actual value for the process variable from the raw value.

[0073] Furthermore, the measurement data from several field devices is centrally managed by and preferably also stored in the cloud.

[0074] In step 109, the cloud transmits a confirmation signal as acknowledgement for the measured value to the field device, whereupon the field device goes into the energy-saving mode again in step 105.

[0075] An alternative scenario is shown in FIG. 4, in which a measured value is required at a point in time outside of the time schedule stored in the field device.

[0076] For this, in order to obtain a current measured value, a query signal is transmitted to the field device after step 109, in step 110.

[0077] The query signal, in one case, leads to the field device automatically generating a measured value and transmitting it to the cloud in step 111.

[0078] In an alternative case, the field device inquires at the cloud in step 112, which measured data or which information is required.

[0079] In step 113, the cloud transmits a corresponding request to the field device, which is then carried out by the field device in step 114.

[0080] In the illustrated embodiment, the next point in time for transmitting a measured value is transmitted from the cloud to the field device in step 115. This means that, for the subsequent steps, the time schedule is reduced to one point in time, namely the next measurement.

[0081] Accordingly, the field device goes into energy-saving mode in step 116, in order to then, in step 117, generate the measured value and transmit it to the cloud.

[0082] The field device receives the next point in time for transmitting or, with it, possibly also generating the measured value from the cloud as acknowledgement. The point in time for determining the measured value and data transfer can, thereby, be different. Thus, it is provided in one embodiment that the field device determines a preset number of measured values and then transmits them collectively.