DE10113676A1 - System has plug connectors enabling optional connections between sensor or actuator and configuration/diagnosis/maintenance unit or communications module and between module and unit - Google Patents

Abstract

The system has a separable wireless communications module and a configuration /diagnosis / maintenance unit, whereby the sensor or actuator (1), communications module (2) and configuration/diagnosis/maintenance unit (3) have corresponding plug connectors (4-6) so that optional interconnections can be made between these devices. The system has a separable wireless communications module and a configuration / diagnosis / maintenance unit, whereby the sensor or actuator (1), communications module (2) and configuration/diagnosis/maintenance unit (3) have corresponding plug connectors (4-6) so that connections can be optionally made between the sensor or actuator and configuration/diagnosis/maintenance unit, between the sensor or actuator and the communications module and between communications module and the configuration/diagnosis/maintenance unit.

Description

The invention relates to a system with a sensor or actuator with a detachable Communication module. The invention can be used, for example, in the case of a proximity scarf tern / proximity sensors, temperature measuring sensors, pressure measuring sensors, current measuring sensors or voltage measuring sensors as well as in micromechanical, piezoelectric , electrochemical, magnetostrictive, electrostatic or electromagnetic Actuators are used.

In particular, the invention is suitable for a machine or system with a lot number of sensors and / or actuators, for example industrial robots, manufacturing tomat or manufacturing machine.

In DE 199 26 799 A1, a system for a machine having a plurality of wireless proximity sensors, in particular a production machine, is proposed, wherein

• - Each proximity sensor at least one for energy consumption from a medium fre quent magnetic field has suitable secondary winding,
• - At least one primary winding fed by a medium-frequency oscillator for the wireless supply of the proximity sensors with electrical energy is seen  
• - And wherein each proximity sensor is equipped with a transmitter, which radio signals containing interesting sensor information to a central, with outputs a base station connected to a process computer of the machine.

Compared to conventional solutions, this wireless system is also eliminated Wire / cable connection for electrical power supply and for communication relatively high due to planning, material, installation, documentation and maintenance Cost factor of the wire / cable connections. Failures due to Ka broken or bad, for example corroded contacts occur.

DE 199 26 562 A1 describes a method and an arrangement for wireless Supply of a large number of actuators with electrical energy, one actuator and one primary development and a system for a large number of actuators Schine proposed, the proposed technology with respect to Energiever Supply and communication similar to that for DE 199 26 799 A1 given technology.

The invention has for its object to provide a system with a sensor or actuator to specify separable communication module that is easy to commission, Configuration, diagnosis and maintenance guaranteed.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a system with a sensor or actuator with detachable wireless communication module and configuration / diagnostic I maintenance unit, whereby both the sensor or actuator and the communication module, as well as the configuration / diagnosis / maintenance unit with each other correct sponding connectors are provided, so that optionally a connection between sensor or actuator and communication module as well as a connection between the sensor or actuator and configuration / diagnosis / maintenance unit as well Connection between communication module and configuration / diagnosis / maintenance unity is feasible.

The advantages that can be achieved with the invention consist in particular in that proposed system using both the commissioning of a plant or machine  a variety of sensors and / or actuators as well as the diagnosis as well Troubleshooting and maintenance are made easier. The handling is clear light and uncomplicated. Both the sensor with sensor head and signal evaluation also the actuator with actuator unit and control unit as well as the communication mo module with radio transmitter, radio receiver, antenna, modulator / encoder and demodula Tor / decoder can be with one and the same configuration / diagnosis / maintenance be connected.

If the communication module also contains an electrical power supply unit, which serves to supply the components of the connected sensor / actuator and to supply the components of the communication module 2 itself - modulator / encoder, radio transmitter, radio receiver, demodulator / decoder - the configuration / Diagnostic / maintenance unit also ensures configuration / diagnostics / maintenance of this electrical power supply unit.

In addition, the proposed system with sensors / actuators is suitable the existing plug connections are also ideal for connecting these sensors / actuators at least not with communication modules, but with fieldbus plugs and / or to connect conventional wire connections. It is ge mixed systems realizable, in which the sensors / actuators partly with communication cation modules, some with fieldbus connectors and some with conventional wire connections are equipped. Even with such a mixed system it remains Advantage of the configurability and the diagnostic capability of the sensors / actuators under Receive use of the configuration / diagnostic / maintenance unit.

Further advantages are evident from the description below.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims net.

The invention is described below with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawing Examples explained. Show it:  

Fig. 1, the separate units sensor or actuator, communication module confi guration / diagnostic IWartungseinheit,

Fig. 2, the interconnected units sensor or actuator and communication navigation module,

Fig. 3, the interconnected units sensor or actuator and configura TION / diagnostic / maintenance unit,

Fig. 4, the interconnected units communication module and Configu rations- / diagnostic / maintenance unit,

Fig. 5, 6 a field bus with its connectors and the verbun together the units sensor or actuator and field bus,

Fig. 7, 8, a conventional wire connection, and a sensor or actuator with con ventional wire connection.

In Fig. 1, the separate units sensor or actuator 1 with connector 4 , communication module 2 with connector 5 and configuration / diagnosis / maintenance unit 3 with connector 6 are shown. In the following, there is always talk of a sensor / actuator 1 if it can be either a sensor or an actuator. The sensor contains a sensor head that detects the sensor environment with downstream signal evaluation. The actuator contains an actuator unit (for example a compressed air valve or a contactor) and a control unit therefor.

The communication module 2 contains the required radio transmitter and / or radio receiver including antenna as well as the required modulator / encoder and demodulator / decoder in order to implement wireless communication between sensor / actuator 1 and a central base station, the base station advantageously being connected to a central computer (Process computer, programmable logic controller) is connected.

The base station receives sensor signals relating to the sensors and message signals the current status of actuators, gives control signals for activation / deactivation of the actuators and gives signals for setting specific parameters of the actuators sensors and sensors.

Appropriately, the communication module 2 also contains an electrical energy supply unit, which serves to supply the components of the connected sensor / actuator 1 and to supply the components of the communication module 2 itself - modulator / encoder, radio transmitter, radio receiver, demodulator / decoder. This power supply unit consists of at least one secondary winding, a resonance capacitor arranged in parallel or in series, a rectifier and an energy store at the DC output of the rectifier. The secondary winding is powered by magnetic coupling from a magnetic field. The voltage that can be taken from the rectifier is fed to the sensor head and the signal evaluation in the case of a sensor or the actuator unit and the control unit in the case of an actuator via the plug connections.

Regarding the wireless power supply of the above-mentioned secondary is based on the corresponding versions of DE 199 26 799 A1 and DE 199 26 562 A1 directed. It describes in detail in what way the magnetic field generation (alternating field) used for energy transmission under On set of at least one primary winding and an oscillator. The secondary wick Lung generates an electrical voltage from the produ graced magnetic field.

In FIG. 2, the two are about their connections 4 and 5 galvanically interconnected units sensor / actuator 1 and the communication module 2 is shown. This configuration is available during normal operation of the system or machine with the sensor / actuator 1 ready for operation. The sensor transmits the detected and evaluated sensor signals to the communication module 2 via the plug connections, which forwards them to the base station. In the case of an actuator, the communication module 2 receives the control signals from the base station and outputs signal signals relating to the current state of the actuator. Furthermore, the communication module 2 receives signals for setting parameters both in an actuator and in a sensor.

In Fig. 3 the two are about their connectors 4 and 6 electrically interconnected units sensor / actuator 1 and the configuration / diagnostic IWartungseinheit 3 is shown. This configuration is present during commissioning or generally during the configuration of the system or machine or during maintenance or during a malfunction with subsequent troubleshooting. By means of the configuration / diagnosis / maintenance unit 3 , parameter sets such as sensor switching thresholds or switching hysteresis and / or correction factors for different materials to be identified (when the sensor is designed as a proximity sensor) can be entered into the sensor during commissioning or generally for configuration ,

When commissioning or during configuration, parameter sets such as special time functions or time profiles for switching on and off (delay times) or end positions of the actuator unit to be observed or positions of the actuator unit or position ranges to be entered can also be entered into an actuator. Furthermore, programming of the sensor / actuator is possible during configuration. Furthermore, programs of sensor / actuator 1 can be "upgraded" during configuration.

For diagnosis or maintenance purposes, the configuration / diagnosis / maintenance unit 3 can detect and display the sensor signal emitted by a sensor (for example as a visible or audible signal). A control signal or special test signals can be supplied to an actuator by the configuration / diagnosis / maintenance unit 3 in order to determine and analyze the reaction behavior of the actuator. In this way it is possible to check the correct functioning of the sensor head and signal evaluation for a sensor or Actuator unit and control unit possible with one actuator. Furthermore, for diagnostic or maintenance purposes, it is possible to read stored error messages from the sensor / actuator 1 .

In FIG. 4, the electrically verbun each other through their plug connections 5 and 6 which units communication module 2 and the configuration / diagnostic JWartungseinheit 3 are shown. This configuration is also available during commissioning or configuration of the system or machine or during maintenance or during a malfunction with subsequent troubleshooting. By means of the configuration / diagnosis / maintenance unit 3 , the communication module 2 can be specified during commissioning or generally during configuration, such as channel (for systems with different frequencies), code (for CDMA systems, code division multiplex access) ), Address or time slot within a cyclic TDMA frame (TDMA = Time Division Multiple Access). Furthermore, programming of the communication module 2 is possible during commissioning or configuration. Furthermore, during the commissioning or configuration, an "upgrading" of programs of the communication module 2 can take place.

For diagnostic purposes or for maintenance, the signals output by the communication module 2 can be detected and analyzed by the configuration / diagnostic / maintenance unit 3 . Furthermore, it is possible to input signals, in particular special test signals, to the communication module 2 by means of the configuration / diagnosis / maintenance unit 3 in order to test the reaction behavior (radio signals emitted) thereon. In this way it is possible to check the correct functioning of the radio, radio receiver, modulator / encoder, demodulator / decoder and antenna. It is also possible to read out stored error messages from the communication module 2 .

If the communication module 2 has the electrical power supply unit explained above, it is expedient if at the same time the connection between the configuration / diagnosis / maintenance unit 3 and this electri by the connection of the communication module 2 and configuration / diagnosis / maintenance unit 3 power supply unit, in particular secondary winding. In this way it can be determined whether the electrical energy supply unit is working correctly. On the other hand, by detecting the voltage induced in the secondary winding, it is possible to record the magnetic field strength at the current installation location of the sensor or actuator. In this way, an analysis of the primary generated magnetic field is possible, for example the distribution of the magnetic field can be determined within the system or machine.

In Fig. 5, a field bus is shown with its terminals. The fieldbus plug 7 has a plug connection 8 which corresponds to the plug connection 4 of the sensor or actuator 1 . On the other hand, the fieldbus connector 7 is connected via a connecting cable 9 to a bus which is connected to a central computer. For the design of a control / control system using such fieldbus connectors, reference is made to the explanations in DE 19 92 554.

In Fig. 6, the units sensor or actuator 1 and fieldbus connector 7 are shown galvanically interconnected via their plug connections 4 and 8 . This confi guration is intended to clarify that the proposed system with sensors Reno / Actuators 1 is also ideally suited to at least partially connect these sensors / actuators 1 not with communication modules 2 , but with fieldbus connectors 7 .

In Fig. 7, a conventional wire connection is illustrated. Said mating En de this conventional wire connection 11 is conveniently see corresponding with a compound of the plug 4 of the sensor or actuator 1 Connector 10 ver.

In FIG. 8 is a sensor or actuator is shown with a conventional wire connection. The connection is realized by inserting the plug connection 10 into the plug connection 4 of the sensor or actuator. This configuration is intended to clarify that the proposed system with sensors / actuators 1 is also ideally suited to at least partially connecting these sensors / actuators 1 not with communication modules 2 but with conventional wire connections 11 . This makes it possible to implement mixed systems in which the sensors / actuators are partly equipped with communication modules, partly with fieldbus connectors and partly with conventional wire connections. Even with such a mixed system, the advantage of the configurability and the diagnostic capability of the sensors / actuators explained in detail above is retained using the configuration / diagnostic / maintenance unit 3 .

Claims (4)

1. System with sensor or actuator with detachable wireless communication module and configuration / diagnosis / maintenance unit, both the sensor or actuator ( 1 ) and the communication module ( 2 ), as well as the configuration / diagnosis / maintenance unit ( 3 ) are provided with corresponding plug connections ( 4 , 5 , 6 ), so that either a connection between sensor or actuator ( 1 ) and communication module ( 2 ) as well as a connection between sensor or actuator ( 1 ) and configuration / diagnostic / Maintenance unit ( 3 ) and a connection between the communication module ( 2 ) and the configuration / diagnosis / maintenance unit ( 3 ) can be realized. 2. System with sensor or actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that the detachable communication module ( 2 ) additionally has a unit for energy supply of the sensor or actuator via the plug connections ( 4 , 5 ). 3 system with a sensor or actuator according to claim 1 and / or 2, characterized in that the sensor or actuator (1) is optionally connectable to a field bus (7), to which the field bus (7) with a to the plugging compound (4) the sensor or actuator corresponding connector ( 8 ) is provided. 4. System with sensor or actuator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensor or actuator ( 1 ) is optionally connectable with a conventional wire connection ( 11 ), for which purpose the conventional wire connection ( 11 ) with a plug connection ( 4 ) of the sensor or actuator corresponding plug connection ( 10 ) is provided.