EP3626973B1 - Vacuum system and method for identifying electronic modules in such a system - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a vacuum system and a method for identifying multiple electronic modules in such a vacuum system. The vacuum system includes at least one vacuum device, multiple electronic modules, and a connector that establishes at least one electrical connection between the multiple modules.

A vacuum device usually includes one or more vacuum pumps and/or pressure gauges as well as control and/or regulating devices, each of which can have a number of electronic modules. In addition, the vacuum device can be connected to several external electronic modules with which, for example, a vacuum plant or a vacuum system as a whole can be controlled. The connection between the components and the several internal modules of the vacuum device as well as between the internal and external modules is usually established by means of lines, with a common transmission path for data transmission between the internal and external electronic modules being referred to as a bus.

In order to enable reliable and correct control or regulation of a vacuum device, the electronic modules require a unique identifier in the form of an address. In known vacuum devices, each type of a specific electronic module is assigned a respective offset address that characterizes this type of the respective module. However, if several modules of the same type are present in a vacuum device or connected to it, there is another distinguishing feature in addition to the respective offset address of the module type necessary to create a unique identifier or addressing of a specific module for correct data transmission to it.

In known systems, switches on the respective module have hitherto been used in order to produce a unique identification or addressing of identically constructed modules in a vacuum device or vacuum system. Each of several identical modules has a different switch position when installed in a vacuum system or vacuum device. Alternatively, a respective programming interface can be provided on each of the modules, on which an individual and unique identifier or address is stored or programmed when the module is manufactured. In both cases, means are therefore required on the respective module in order to achieve a unique identification or addressing of the module as soon as several modules of the same construction are present in a vacuum device or in a vacuum system. This is associated with additional effort. If switches are used on the respective module, the maximum number of different switch positions and thus the maximum number of identical modules within the vacuum device or vacuum system is also limited.

From the EP 3 029 327 A1 a vacuum system with the features according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method with the features according to the preamble of claim 11 are known.

the DE 20 2014 005 481 U1 describes a similar vacuum system and method, but without providing a contact point with a unique identifier.

In the DE 10 2010 033 545 A1 describes a coding for a data bus via a connector.

the EP 3 029 687 A1 describes a system with multiple electrical modules in which a junction box has addressing as part of wiring.

One object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum system and a method for identifying electronic modules of such a system, in which electronic modules of the same type are unambiguously identified in each case, without additional tools being required on the respective electronic modules.

This object is achieved by a vacuum system having the features of claim 1 and a method having the features of claim 11.

The vacuum system includes at least one vacuum device, multiple electronic modules, and a connector that establishes at least one electrical connection between the multiple modules. According to the invention, the connecting device has an electrical contact point for each of the several modules. Each of these contact points includes a unique identifier.

Since the unique identifier is assigned to the respective contact point and not to one of the plurality of modules, similar modules can be distinguished based on the respective unique identifier of the contact point at which the respective similar modules are arranged. Therefore, no tools such as switches on the respective modules are required in order to be able to differentiate between modules of the same type. Since each of the contact points has a unique identification feature, the identification features of all contact points of the vacuum system, each of which is assigned to one of the plurality of modules, are different from one another. In other words, a unique identifier occurs only once within the vacuum system. This is in turn the maximum number of similar or structurally identical modules that can be installed within the vacuum system is not limited.

Each module has a type identifier associated with a module type. The type identifier can be combined or combined with the unique identifier of the contact point of the respective module to provide a unique identifier for each module.

Identical or structurally identical modules therefore each have the same type identifier and can still be distinguished within the vacuum system, since the unique identifier of each module is generated by combining the type identifier with the respective unique identifier of the contact point with which the respective module is connected. In other words, the distinguishing feature between the respective modules, which can be structurally identical, is shifted from the module to the respective contact point.

If the connection device within the vacuum system is preferably set up in such a way that the spatial position of the respective electrical contact point within the vacuum system is known, the respective spatial position of modules of a certain type is also known due to the unique identifier of the module, as soon as they are connected to the corresponding electrical Contact point are connected. Since the unique identifier of a module is the combination of its type identifier with the unique identifier of its contact point, if the type identifier is known, the identifier of the respective contact point can be derived from the unique identifier. Furthermore, conversely, the known spatial position of the contact point can be assigned via the unique identifier to a type identifier of the module, so that it is subsequently known which module type is present at which contact point.

Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims. The unique identifier can be provided or is provided in particular by combining the type identifier with the respective unique identifier on the respective module or by the respective module.

If the unique identifier can be provided or is provided on the respective module, a central or higher-level module can, for example, read both the type identifier of the respective module and the unique identifier of the contact point that is assigned to this module, in order to then use the unique identifier of the module To generate a combination of the type identifier and the identifier of the contact point and to provide it to the respective module, for example in a memory that can be present in the respective module anyway. Alternatively, the respective module can generate the unique identifier itself by using the unique identifier reads out its contact point and combines it with its type identifier. In both cases, no individual distinguishing features are required on the respective modules, since the unique identifier of the respective module is generated by combining the type identifier with the respective unique identifier of the contact point.

The unique identifier preferably includes a respective addressing of the contact point, while the type identifier preferably includes a basic addressing of the module type. In this embodiment, a unique addressing of a respective module is based on a combination of the basic addressing of the respective module type with the addressing of the contact point for the respective module.

In this embodiment, the unique identifier of each module is thus realized by the unique addressing of the respective module, which is made up of the addressing of the respective contact point and the basic addressing of the module type. In this embodiment, the connection device can comprise a communication channel for addressing. Furthermore, the unique addressing of the respective module can be generated in such a way that the basic addressing of the module type and the addressing of the respective contact point are added. This allows a particularly simple generation of the unique addressing of the respective module.

According to a further embodiment, the multiple modules include a main module which is designed to identify the unique identifier of each contact point and/or a unique addressing of the respective module. The main module can therefore be able to check the presence of the respective modules when the vacuum system is started up. The identification of the respective modules by means of the main module can also be used to communicate via the main module, for example, between internal electronic modules of the vacuum device and external electronic modules.

The connecting device for establishing the electrical connection between the individual modules can include one or more individual lines, which are designed in particular as a ribbon cable or a conductor track arrangement and preferably in the form of a flexible printed circuit board or printed circuit board. As a result, the connecting device can be implemented in a simple and cost-effective manner.

According to a further embodiment, the unique identification feature of each contact point includes at least one characteristic resistor. The connection means may further include an identification line and a ground line. In such an embodiment, the characteristic resistance of a respective contact point is in each case arranged between the identification line and the grounding line. Alternatively, the characteristic resistance can be arranged between other individual lines. The realization of the unique identifier by means of at least one characteristic resistor is simple and robust. In addition, the identification line can provide a power supply for the modules. Consequently, the identification line can be used not only in connection with the unique identification feature of the contact point, but also to support the operation of the respective modules.

Alternatively or additionally, the unique identifier of each contact point can include a code. The coding can be stored, for example, in a memory device at the respective contact point, for example in a read-only memory (EPROM). When the contact points are installed, they can then be provided with an individual coding, for example by means of firmware, which represents the unique identification feature of the respective contact point. The contact points of the multiple electronic modules of the vacuum system can thus initially be produced as identical units, which each receive a unique, individual identification feature by means of the coding during the installation of the vacuum system. An individual production of the respective contact points, for example with a clearly defined characteristic resistance, is not necessary in such an embodiment.

Another object of the invention is a method for identifying a plurality of electronic modules of a vacuum system comprising at least one vacuum device. The vacuum system also includes a connection device for establishing at least one electrical connection between the plurality of modules.

Each module has a type identifier associated with a module type, while the connector has a contact point for each of the plurality of modules. Each of these contact points also has a unique identifier. According to the method, the modules are each identified using a combination of the unique identifier of their contact point with their type identifier.

The combination of the unique identification feature, which is assigned to the respective contact point of a module, with the type identifier of the module thus results in a unique identifier for the respective module. Similar or structurally identical modules only need to have the type identifier and no other distinguishing features in order to be able to be identified, since the contact point that is assigned to the respective module has the unique identifier. In other words, the individualization of the respective modules, ie also modules of the same construction or of the same type, is shifted from the module itself to its respective contact point. As a result, structurally identical or similar modules can initially be produced in an identical manner and provided with a type identifier without the need to set up individual distinguishing features, for example by means of switches.

According to one embodiment, the unique identifier includes a respective addressing of the contact point, while the type identifier includes a basic addressing of the module type. A unique addressing of a respective module can then be generated using a combination of the basic addressing of the respective module type with the addressing of the contact point for the respective module. The unique addressing thus represents a unique identifier for the respective module. In a simple case, the respective addresses are added when the basic addressing is combined with the addressing of the contact point.

Furthermore, the unique identifier can be combined with the type identifier on the respective module or by the respective module. In the first case, for example, a higher-level module can combine the unique identifier of the contact point with the type identifier of the module in order to store this combination as a unique identifier on the respective module. In the second case, the respective module itself can read out the unique identifier of the contact point and combine it with the type identifier.

According to a further embodiment, the multiple modules comprise a main module, and the unique identifier of each contact point and/or a unique addressing of the respective module are identified by means of the main module. In other words, in this embodiment, the main module has a respective unique identifier for all electronic modules of the vacuum system, in order to control data transmission between the respective modules, for example.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Vakuumsystems,

Fig. 2

eine schematische Darstellung von Kontaktstellen und Modulen des Vakuumsystems von Fig. 1 und

Fig. 3

eine schematische Darstellung einer Verbindungseinrichtung des Vakuumsystems von Fig. 1.

The invention is described below by way of example using advantageous embodiments with reference to the attached figures. Show it:

1

a schematic representation of a vacuum system according to the invention,

2

a schematic representation of contact points and modules of the vacuum system of 1 and

3

a schematic representation of a connection device of the vacuum system of FIG 1 .

1 shows a schematic representation of a vacuum system 11 which includes a vacuum device 13 . The vacuum device 13 in turn includes a vacuum pump 15. The vacuum system 11 also includes a pressure gauge 17 and a plurality of electronic modules 19 which are connected to the vacuum pump 15 and/or to the pressure gauge 17.

In addition to the vacuum pump 15 , the vacuum device 13 includes internal electronic modules 21 . In addition, the vacuum system 11 also includes modules 23 that are provided for controlling the pressure gauge 17 , but not for controlling the vacuum pump 15 . Therefore, the modules 23 are referred to as external modules 23 with respect to the vacuum device 13 .

The multiple modules 19 are connected to one another and to the vacuum pump 15 and/or the pressure gauge 17 by means of a connecting device 25 . The connecting device 25 comprises a plurality of individual lines 26 which are designed in the form of a ribbon cable 37 (cf. 3 ). As an alternative or in addition, the plurality of individual lines 26 can also be designed in the form of a flexible printed circuit board or printed circuit board. Since the connecting device 25 represents a common transmission path for data transmission between the several modules 19 among themselves and between these and the vacuum pump 15 or the pressure measuring device 17, the connecting device 25 can be referred to as a bus.

Each of the plurality of modules 19 has a type identifier 18 embodied in the form of a base address 20 . The internal modules 21 comprise a main module 22 having #1 as a type identifier 18 or base address 20, and a slave module 24 having #2 as a type identifier 18 or base address 20. Furthermore, the internal modules 21 include a module with the base address #10 and two modules with the base address #20, which are provided for controlling accessories of the vacuum pump 15. Of the external electronic modules 23 which have the base address #30 or #40, the module with the base address #30 is provided for carrying out a pressure measurement using the pressure measuring device 17 .

The two internal modules 21, which have the circled base address #20, cannot be distinguished via the connecting device or the bus 25 for the other modules, in particular for the main module 22, as long as only the type identifier 18 in the form of the base address 20 for addressing is used. In order to enable correct data transmission via the connecting device 25 during the operation of the vacuum system 11, the two modules with the base address #20 require another distinguishing feature that can be used to uniquely address the respective modules.

2 shows a section of the schematic representation of 1 , in which only the connecting device 25 and the two internal modules 21 are shown, each having #20 as type identifier 18 or base address 20. In addition to individual lines 26, the connecting device 25 has a respective contact point 27, which is assigned to one of the modules 21 and connected to it are connected. The individual lines 26 extend through the respective contact point 27 and are provided for the power supply of the electronic modules 21 and for data transmission or communication between the modules 21 shown and the further modules 19 .

In addition, each contact point 27 has a unique identification feature 29 that includes a unique addressing i1, i2 of the respective contact point 27 in each case. The identifiers 29 of all contact points 27 to which a module of the vacuum system 11 is connected differ from one another, ie each identifier 29 occurs within the vacuum system 11 only once. The respective addressing i1, i2 of the contact points 27 is used to create a unique identifier 28 in the form of a unique addressing for each of the two in 2 generate electronic modules 21 shown. For this purpose, the respective addressing i1, i2 of the contact points is added to the respective base address 20 of the respective module 21 in order to generate the unique addressing of the respective module 21. Since the two addresses i1, i2 of the contact points 27 differ, the addresses of the respective modules 21 of the same type differ despite the same basic addressing 20 or type identifier 18, since the two addresses i1 and i2 of the respective contact points 27 are different.

Thus, the individual addressing of the electronic modules 19, especially in the case of modules such as those in 2 shown modules 21 of the same type shifted from the respective modules 19, 21 to the contact point 27 by the contact points 27 of a vacuum system 11 each having different identification features 29 or addressing i1, i2. The modules 21 can thus be structurally identical and do not require any distinguishing features with which different addressing could be produced when the modules are installed in the vacuum system 11 .

In the case of an installation within the vacuum device 13, the position, ie the spatial location, of the respective contact point 27 is also known. This means that due to the unique addressing or unique identifier 28 of the modules 19, 21 due to the identifier 29 of the respective contact point 27, the physical position or the installation site of the respective module 19, 21 is known. This would not be the case, for example, if the distinguishing feature were attached to the respective module 19, 21, e.g. in the form of switch positions. In this case, the modules 19, 21 could be interchanged without another module reading the addressing of the two modules receiving information about the exchange of the modules 19, 21. The address of the respective modules would remain the same regardless of the physical position or installation site. In the present vacuum system 11, on the other hand, each contact point 27 has a different identifier 29 or a different addressing i1, i2, based on which, together with the basic addressing 20 or type identifier 18, it can be identified at which contact point 27 and thus at which location within the vacuum system 11 which module type is located.

In 3 is the connector or bus 25 of the vacuum system 11 of FIG 1 shown schematically in detail. The connecting device 25 comprises a plurality of individual lines 26, one of which is in the form of a grounding line 31 or GND and another is in the form of an identification line 33 or GND/ID. The connecting device 25 electrically connects the main module 22 to three further modules 19-1, 19-2 and 19-3.

The main module 22 provides the power supply for the modules 19-1, 19-2 and 19-3 by means of two lines (+24 V or +5 V). In addition, two additional lines CAN_H and CAN_L are shown for data transmission.

Different characteristic resistors 35 are arranged between the grounding line 31 and the identification line 33 for each contact point 27 of the respective modules 19 - 1 , 19 - 2 or 19 - 3 , which act as a respective unique identification feature 29 of the respective contact point 27 . In detail, the respective characteristic resistor 35 generates an address offset of the respective contact point 27-1, 27-2 or 27-3, which are assigned to the respective modules 19-1, 19-2 or 19-3. Together with the type-specific basic addressing of the respective module 19-1, 19-2 or 19-3, each module receives its unique identifier 28 or addressing. The type-specific addressing of each module 19-1, 19-2 and 19-3 is added to the address offset of the respective contact point 27-1, 27-2 and 27-3.

In the contact point 27-1 of the first module 19-1, the identification line 33 and the grounding line 31 are conductively connected to one another, so that the characteristic resistance 35 of the contact point 27-1 is almost zero. The identification line 33 is thus used as an additional grounding line and thereby enables an increased power supply for the first module 19-1. Such a module 19-1 with an increased power supply can, for example, enable a heating or outgassing process (degas) to be enabled on a measuring device that is connected to the module 19-1. However, only one such module 19-1 is present within the vacuum system 11, since a predetermined address offset Y, which is associated with the characteristic resistance 35 of approximately zero, is defined for the corresponding contact point 27-1. Another contact point 27, for which the characteristic resistance 35 would also be approximately equal to zero, would receive the same address offset Y and would therefore not be distinguishable from the contact point 27-1.

On the other hand, the second module 19-2 connected to the pad 27-2 has a finite resistance R2=X between the ground line 31 and the identification line 33 which is greater than zero. Since this resistance can be chosen to be different in size for different modules, several modules of the same type within the vacuum system 11 are possible. There the characteristic resistance 35 is used as an address offset, only the characteristic resistances of the contact points 27-2 have to differ in each case in order to be able to distinguish between modules of the same construction.

The third module 19-3 connected to the pad 27-3 lacks the resistance between the identification line 33 and the ground line 31 (R=∞). In this case, the contact point 27-3 is assigned an address offset of zero, so that again only one module of this type 19-3 is possible within the vacuum system 11. Since the modules should already be distinguishable based on the address offset of their associated contact point 27-1, 27-2 or 27-3, the contact points 27 of all other modules must have an address offset greater than 0.

As already explained, the individual lines 26 of the connecting device 25 are designed as ribbon cables 37 . For the contact points 27-2 and 27-3, one line of the ribbon cable 37 is separated in order to either insert the appropriate characteristic resistor 35 with R = X (contact point 27-2) or to leave the grounding line 31 and the identification line 33 separate (R = ∞, junction 27-3). The identification lines 33 of the respective contact points 27-1, 27-3 and 27-3 are not connected to one another, as in FIG 3 can be seen to allow independent identification of the contact points 27-1, 27-2 and 27-3.

In an alternative embodiment, the connecting device 25 can also include flexible printed circuit boards instead of ribbon cables 37, which have a corresponding printed circuit board routing in order to be able to implement the contact points of the type 27-1, 27-2 or 27-3. In the type 27-1 pad, there is a conductive connection between the traces corresponding to the ground line 31 and the identification line 33 in this embodiment with flex circuit boards. In the 27-2 type contact point, on the other hand, there is between these traces have a corresponding resistance with R=X, while in the 27-3 type pad there is no resistance between the traces corresponding to the ground line 31 and the identification line 33.

In a further alternative embodiment, the identification feature 29 of the respective contact point 27 is not realized by characteristic resistors, but by a respective coding that is stored in the respective contact point 27 and the respective addressing i1, i2 (cf. 2 ) of the respective contact point 27 determines. In this embodiment, the respective module 19, 21 of the vacuum system 11 is set up to read out the respective coding and thus the individual addressing of the respective contact point 27 and add it to the respective base address 20 of the respective module 19 as an address offset. As a result, each module 19 in turn receives its unique identifier in the form of a unique address of the respective module 19 by means of the addressing i1, i2 as an identifier 29 of the contact point 27.

Reference List

11

vacuum system

13

vacuum device

15

vacuum pump

17

pressure gauge

18

type identifier

19

electronic module

20

base address

21

internal module

22

main module

23

external module

24

side module

25

connecting device

26

single line

27

contact point

28

unique identifier

29

unique identifier

31

ground wire

33

identification line

35

characteristic resistance

37

ribbon cable

Claims (14)

1. A vacuum system (11) comprising

   at least one vacuum device (13);

   a plurality of electronic modules (19, 21, 23); and

   a connection device (25) which establishes at least one electrical connection between the plurality of modules (19, 21, 23),

   wherein the connection device (25) has a respective electrical contact point (27) for each of the plurality of modules (19, 21, 23), and

   wherein each contact point (27) comprises a unique identifying feature (29),

   characterized in that

   each module (19, 21, 23) has a type identifier (18) which is associated with a module type and the type identifier (18) can be combined or is combined with the unique identifying feature (29) of the contact point (27) of the respective module (19, 21, 23) to provide a unique identifier (28) of each module (19, 21, 23).
2. A vacuum system (11) in accordance with claim 1,
   wherein the unique identifier (28) can be provided or is provided at the respective module (19, 21, 23) or by the respective module (19, 21, 23) by combining the type identifier (18) with the respective unique identifying feature (29).
3. A vacuum system (11) in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2,

   wherein the unique identifying feature (29) comprises a respective addressing of the contact point (27),

   wherein the type identifier (18) comprises a base addressing (20) of the module type, and

   wherein a unique addressing of a respective module (19, 21, 23) is based on a combination of the base addressing (20) of the respective module type with the addressing of the contact point (27) for the respective module (19, 21, 23).
4. A vacuum system (11) in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of modules (19, 21, 23) comprise a main module (22) which is configured to identify the unique identifying feature (29) of each contact point (27) and/or a unique addressing of the respective module (19, 21, 23).
5. A vacuum system (11) in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connection device (25) comprises one or more individual lines (26) to establish the electrical connection between the individual modules (19, 21, 23).
6. A vacuum system (11) in accordance with claim 5,
   wherein the connection device (25) comprises a ribbon cable (37) or a conductor path arrangement, preferably in the form of a flexible circuit board or circuit board.
7. A vacuum system (11) in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the unique identifying feature (29) of each contact point (27) comprises at least one characteristic resistance (35).
8. A vacuum system (11) in accordance with claim 7,

   wherein the connection device (25) comprises a ground line (31) and an identification line (33), and

   wherein the characteristic resistance (35) of a respective contact point (27) is in each case arranged between the identification line (33) and the ground line (31).
9. A vacuum system (11) in accordance with claim 8,
   wherein the identification line (33) provides a power supply for the modules (19, 21, 23).
10. A vacuum system (11) in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the unique identifying feature (29) of each contact point (27) comprises a coding.
11. A method of identifying a plurality of electronic modules (19, 21, 23) of a vacuum system (11) which comprises at least one vacuum device (13) and which comprises a connection device (25) for establishing at least one electrical connection between the plurality of modules (19, 21, 23),

    wherein the connection device (25) has a respective contact point (27) for each of the plurality of modules (19, 21, 23), and

    wherein each contact point (27) has a unique identifying feature (29), characterized in that

    each module (19, 21, 23) has a type identifier (18) which is associated with a module type, and

    the method comprises the modules (19, 21, 23) each being identified based on a combination of the unique identifying feature (29) of its contact point (27) with its type identifier (18).
12. A method in accordance with claim 11,

    wherein the unique identifying feature (29) comprises a respective addressing of the contact point (27),

    wherein the type identifier (18) comprises a base addressing (20) of the module type,

    and wherein a unique addressing of a respective module (19, 21, 23) is generated based on a combination of the base addressing (20) of the respective module type with the addressing of the contact point (27) for the respective module (19, 21, 23).
13. A method in accordance with claim 11 or claim 12,
    wherein the combination of the unique identifying feature (29) with the type identifier (18) is performed at the respective module (19, 21, 23) or by the respective module (19, 21, 23).
14. A method in accordance with any one of the claims 11 to 13,
    wherein the plurality of modules (19, 21, 23) comprise a main module (22) and the method further comprises the unique identifying feature (29) of each contact point (27) and/or a unique addressing of the respective module (19, 21, 23) being identified by means of the main module (22).

Images