DE102015114839A1 - System and method for transmitting at least one information generated by a field device of automation technology - Google Patents

Abstract

System and method for transmitting at least one of a field device (1) of the automation technology generated information, which at least one memory (2) for storing the information, an electronic unit (3) which is mounted in the field device (1), wherein the electronic unit (3) is electrically connected to the memory (2) and stores the information in the memory (2), a radio unit (4) mounted in the field device (1), the radio unit (4) storing the memory (2) wherein the memory (2) is electrically connected to the radio unit (4) and wherein the radio unit (4) reads out and transmits the information from the memory (2), and a mobile unit (5) for transmitting a communication pulse and for receiving and displaying the information.

Description

The invention relates to a system and method for transmitting at least one information generated by a field device of automation technology, which has at least one memory for storing the information, an electronics unit mounted in the field device, a radio unit mounted in the field device, and a mobile unit for transmitting a communication pulse and for receiving and displaying the information.

Field devices are already known from the prior art, which are used in industrial plants. In automation technology, in particular process automation and factory automation technology, field devices are often used. In principle, field devices are all devices that are used close to the process and that provide or process process-relevant information. For example, field devices are used to detect and / or influence process variables. Measuring devices or sensors are used to record process variables. These are used, for example, for pressure and temperature measurement, conductivity measurement, pH measurement, flow measurement, level measurement, etc. and record the corresponding process variables pressure, temperature, conductivity, pH value, level, flow etc. Actuators are used to influence process variables. These are, for example, pumps or valves that can influence the flow of a liquid in a pipe or the level in a container. In addition to the measuring devices and actuators mentioned above, field devices are also understood as remote I / Os, radio adapters or general devices which are arranged at the field level.

A large number of such field devices are produced and sold by the Endress + Hauser Group.

The reading of information from a field device can usually be done via a display attached to the field device or via digital communication, such as a 4 ... 20 mA current loop or a fieldbus network. A system operator or service technician must keep his eye contact for reading out the data via the display. At inaccessible measuring points of a process plant or at measuring points with human risky environmental conditions, optical reading on the display is difficult. The field device must also be powered during the reading process to get the energy needed to operate the display.

The invention is thus based on the object of providing a method and a system which makes it possible to carry out the read-out of information from a field device in a simple manner.

• – einen Speicher zum Ablegen der Information;
• – eine Elektronikeinheit, die in dem Feldgerät angebracht ist, wobei die Elektronikeinheit mit dem Speicher elektrisch verbunden ist und die Information in dem Speicher ablegt;
• – eine Funkeinheit, die in dem Feldgerät angebracht ist, wobei die Funkeinheit den Speicher enthält, wobei der Speicher mit der Funkeinheit elektrisch verbunden ist und wobei die Funkeinheit die Information aus dem Speichert ausliest und aussendet; und
• – eine mobile Einheit zum Aussenden eines Kommunikationspulses und zum Empfangen, Speichern und Anzeigen der Information.

The object is achieved by a system for transmitting at least one information generated by a field device of automation technology, which comprises at least:

• A memory for storing the information;
• An electronics unit mounted in the field device, the electronics unit being electrically connected to the memory and storing the information in the memory;
• A radio unit mounted in the field device, the radio unit including the memory, the memory being electrically connected to the radio unit and the radio unit reading and transmitting the information from the memory; and
• A mobile unit for transmitting a communication pulse and for receiving, storing and displaying the information.

The advantage of the method according to the invention is that the reading out of data from the field device is wireless. A system operator or service technician therefore need not be in the immediate vicinity of the field device, which is an advantage in particular if the field device is located at an inaccessible point of the process plant and / or if it is a measuring point with dangerous human conditions.

Another advantage is that no energy of the field device is required for the read-out process. For example, if the field device is in a sleep mode for energy saving reasons, it only collects data between defined periodic time intervals. Due to the presence of the non-volatile memory, the field device for reading the data does not have to be awakened from the sleep mode and thus does not require any additional energy.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the system according to the invention provides that the radio unit is a passive RFID transponder, wherein the energy of the RFID transponder required for reading out the information from the memory and the information required for transmitting the information from the communication pulse of the mobile Unit is won.

In an advantageous development of the system according to the invention, the mobile unit is a mobile terminal. As a mobile terminal are in the context of this application in particular laptops, tablets and / or mobile-enabled devices such as cell phones and smartphones. A plant operator or service technician thus requires for reading no additional hardware, which no further, sometimes high initial costs.

A preferred variant of the system according to the invention provides that the information is measured values and / or diagnostic data.

In an advantageous embodiment of the system according to the invention, it is provided that the measured values and / or diagnostic data are provided with a time stamp. During reading, this ensures that the reader receives information about the actuality of the read data. This may be important, in particular in the case of a malfunction of the field device, since diagnostic data must be unambiguously assigned to the malfunction in terms of time in order to be able to make a statement about the cause of the malfunction.

An advantageous variant of the method according to the invention provides that the information is cryptographically signed. This prevents unauthorized reading of the sometimes sensitive information by third parties.

In a preferred development of the system according to the invention, the information is provided with a measuring point-specific identification. As a result, there is the advantage, in particular when reading out a plurality of field devices, that the information can be unambiguously assigned to a measuring point. Furthermore, there is the advantage that a plant operator or service technician can acknowledge the respective readout of a field device during a tour to read out a plurality of field devices, that is, record it in time.

In a particularly preferred variant of the system according to the invention, the memory is designed as a nonvolatile data memory. A non-volatile memory maintains the information stored in it at all times, even if it is not powered. The information stored in the memory can thus be read at any time using the system according to the invention, regardless of whether the field device is powered or not. Should a field device fail due to a malfunction, the information stored in the memory, in particular diagnostic data that allow conclusions about the cause of the malfunction, can still be read out.

• – Speichern der Information in einem Speicher mittels einer in dem Feldgerät angebrachten Elektronikeinheit;
• – Aussenden eines Kommunikationspulses von einer mobilen Einheit an eine in dem Feldgerät angebrachte Funkeinheit;
• – Auslesen der in dem Speicher gespeicherten Information durch die Funkeinheit und Senden der Information an die mobile Einheit mittels der Funkeinheit; und
• – Speichern und Anzeigen der ausgelesenen Information mittels der mobilen Einheit.

Furthermore, the object is achieved by a method for transmitting at least one information generated by a field device of automation technology by means of the system according to the invention, comprising the following steps:

• - storing the information in a memory by means of an electronic unit mounted in the field device;
• Sending a communication pulse from a mobile unit to a radio unit mounted in the field device;
• - reading the information stored in the memory by the radio unit and sending the information to the mobile unit by means of the radio unit; and
• - Store and display the information read by means of the mobile unit.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention provides that the storage of the information in the memory takes place at fixed, regular time intervals. This ensures that the information read out is up-to-date. Alternatively, the information is stored, for example calibration data, when the field device is put into operation. It can also be provided that the electronics stores the current information in the memory each time a read-out process takes place.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the following figure. It shows

1 : An advantageous embodiment of the system according to the invention.

1 , shows an embodiment of the system according to the invention. A field device 1 is by means of a supply line 7 to an energy source 6 connected. At the energy source 6 it may be, for example, a battery in the supply line 7 for easy wiring.

Is the field device 1 designed as a two-wire field device, so is the supply line 7 a current loop, which is the field device 1 powered and at the same time measuring data according to the 4-20 mA standard to a control center, which is also the source of energy 6 represents transfers.

Alternatively, it may be at the supply line 7 to a communication network, in particular a field bus network according to one of the common field bus protocols (HART ^{®, ®} Modbus, Profibus ^®, Foundation Fielbus ^®, etc.) act which the field device 1 energized.

The field device stores at regular intervals 1 current information, such as measured values and / or diagnostic data in a memory 2 from. The storage is done via a in the field device 1 attached electronics unit 3 , This electronics unit 3 may be, for example, a microprocessor. The electronics unit 3 is with the store 2 electronically connected. The connection is realized via an interface, for example SPI or I ² C. However, it can also be provided that the electronics stores the current information in the memory each time a read-out process takes place.

The memory 2 is a radio unit 4 implemented. This radio unit 4 is in particular a passive RFID transponder. For reading the in the memory 2 stored information sends a mobile unit 5 a communication pulse. The mobile unit may be a mobile terminal, such as a laptop, a tablet, and / or a mobile-enabled device, such as a cell phone or a smartphone.

The communication pulse is from the radio unit 4 receive. The radio unit 4 wins the energy necessary for their operation inductively from the communication pulse and sends the in the memory 2 stored information back to the mobile unit 5 , The mobile unit 5 then saves the information and displays it.

The ones in the store 2 stored information is provided with a time stamp. During reading, this ensures that the reader receives information about the actuality of the read data. In addition, the information can be cryptographically signed, whereby an unauthorized reading of the sometimes sensitive information is prevented by third parties.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

 field device

2

 Storage

3

 electronics unit

4

 radio unit

5

 mobile unit

6

 energy

7

 supply line

Claims (10)

System for transmitting at least one of a field device ( 1 ) of automation technology, comprising at least - a memory ( 2 ) for storing the information; An electronic unit ( 3 ) stored in the field device ( 1 ), the electronics unit ( 3 ) with the memory ( 2 ) and the information in the memory ( 2 ) drops; A radio unit ( 4 ) stored in the field device ( 1 ), the radio unit ( 4 ) the memory ( 2 ), the memory ( 2 ) with the radio unit ( 4 ) and wherein the radio unit ( 4 ) the information from the memory ( 2 ) and sends out; and - a mobile unit ( 5 ) for transmitting a communication pulse and for receiving, storing and displaying the information. A system according to claim 1, wherein the radio unit ( 4 ) is a passive RFID transponder, which for reading the information from the memory ( 2 ) and the energy required for transmitting the information of the RFID transponder from the communication pulse of the mobile unit ( 5 ) is won. A system according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the mobile unit ( 5 ) is a mobile terminal. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the information is measured values and / or diagnostic data. System according to claim 4, wherein the measured values and / or diagnostic data are provided with a time stamp. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the information is cryptographically signed. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the information is provided with a measuring point-specific identification. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the memory ( 2 ) is designed as a nonvolatile data memory. Method for transmitting at least one of a field device ( 1 ) of the automation technology by means of a system according to one of claims 1 to 8, comprising the following steps: - storing the information in a memory ( 2 ) by means of a in the field device ( 1 ) mounted electronics unit ( 3 ); Sending a communication pulse from a mobile unit ( 5 ) to one in the field device ( 1 ) radio unit ( 4 ); - reading in the memory ( 2 ) stored information by the radio unit ( 4 ) and sending the information to the mobile unit ( 5 ) by means of the radio unit ( 4 ); and - storing and displaying the read-out information by means of the mobile unit ( 5 ). The method of claim 9, wherein storing the information in the memory ( 2 ) at fixed regular intervals.

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