JPH1188382A - Hand-held communicator for field bus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To transmit signals without contacting a field bus without asking the maker of a field equipment. SOLUTION: One or more field equipments 21a-21e and host equipments 24 and 25 are connected to field bus signal lines 22 and 26 and a field bus signal/infrared signal conversion part 30 for converting field bus transmission signals to infrared communication signals and transmitting them is connected to the field bus signal lines 22 and 26. A PCMCIA card 52 for performing conversion to transmission signals at the time of receiving the infrared communication signals transmitted from the conversion part 30 is provided in a hand-held communicator part 50.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a handheld communicator which is connected to a field device via a field bus and performs initial setting and status monitoring of the field device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional handheld communicator (hereinafter, referred to as HHC) has a different configuration depending on the type of a field bus to be connected. FIG. 5 is a conventional example showing a system in a case where the field bus is constituted by optical signal lines. In this conventional example, the field devices 1a to 1c
Are connected by an optical fieldbus signal line 2 and are connected to a host device 4 via an optical star coupler 3. The HHC unit 5 also has the optical fieldbus signal line 2
Through the optical star coupler 3. H
The configuration of the HC unit 5 is as follows.
(Personal Computer Memory Card Intenational Assoc
iation) Standard card 7 is attached, and P
The CMCIA card 7 includes a driver / receiver 8 and a field bus driver logic 9.

FIG. 6 is a conventional example showing a system in a case where a field bus is constituted by electric signal lines. In this conventional example, the field devices 1a to 1c and the host device 4 are connected to each other by an electric field bus signal line 11. Further, the HHC unit 12 is also connected to the electric field bus signal line 11. The configuration of the HHC unit 12 is such that a PCMCIA card 13 is mounted on a portable personal computer 6. Built-in. FIG. 7 is a conventional example showing still another method, in which the field device 1a and the HHC unit 17 transmit data in a non-contact manner.
Both of the HCs 17 have a built-in infrared communication unit (not shown).

[0004]

However, in the conventional method of connecting the field bus and the HHC, the H
Whenever it is attempted to communicate with a field device using HC, it is necessary to connect to a field bus each time, and the portability function, which is a feature of HHC, is impaired.
It lacks convenience. In contrast, the equipment and HH
In the case of non-contact communication between Cs by infrared communication, portability is not impaired because connection work is unnecessary, but the procedure of infrared communication differs depending on the manufacturer.
There has been troublesome preparation of HHC for each device manufacturer.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a first aspect of the present invention is a field bus system comprising at least one field device and a higher-level device and a field bus signal line connecting them. Fieldbus handheld communicator connected to the fieldbus, converts the fieldbus transmission signal to an infrared communication signal and transmits it, and converts the received infrared communication signal to a fieldbus transmission signal Fieldbus signal to be output to the fieldbus
An infrared signal conversion unit, installed in the HHC main unit, converts an infrared communication signal from the conversion unit into a transmission signal when it is received, outputs the transmission signal to the main unit, and transmits the transmission signal output from the main unit to the field bus. An infrared signal transceiver for converting a signal into an infrared communication signal and transmitting the signal.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the field bus signal / infrared signal converter is connected to the field bus composed of the electric signal line in the first embodiment, the electric signal line is transferred into the signal converter. A power reception detection circuit for detecting power reception and a power supply switching circuit for switching the drive power of the signal conversion unit from the built-in battery to the electric signal line when the power reception detection circuit detects power reception.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment includes a fieldbus signal / infrared signal converter 30 and an HHC unit 50 as shown. The field devices 21 a to 21 c constituting the field bus system are connected by an optical field bus signal line 22 formed of an optical cable, and are connected to an upper device 24 and a connector 31 of a signal conversion unit 30 via an optical star coupler 23.

[0008] Similarly, the field devices 21 d and 21 e and the higher-level device 25 are connected to each other by an electric field bus signal line 26 composed of a twisted wire line, and are also connected to a terminal 32 of a signal converter 30. The signal conversion unit 30 converts signals from the bus signal lines 22 and 26 input from the connector 31 and the terminal 32 into an infrared signal and transmits the infrared signal from the light emitting element (LED) 33.
The infrared signal received by the light receiving element (PD) 34 is converted into a field bus signal and output to the bus signal lines 22 and 26.

The HHC unit 50 facing the signal conversion unit 30 includes a portable personal computer 51 and a PCM mounted on the portable personal computer 51.
And a CIA card 52. PCMCIA
The card 52 receives the infrared signal transmitted from the signal conversion unit 30 by the light receiving element (PD) 53, converts the infrared signal into an electric signal, and outputs the electric signal to the portable personal computer 51 via the PCMCIA interface 54. The signal output from the band-type personal computer 51 is transmitted to the PCMCIA interface 5.
4, the light is transmitted to a light emitting element (LED) 55, converted into an infrared signal, and transmitted. The bus signal lines 22 and 26 connected to the signal conversion unit 30 are different types of signal medium lines, but can operate even when only one of them is connected.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the fieldbus signal / infrared signal converter 30 shown in FIG. In the figure, a connector 31 is connected to an optical fieldbus signal driver / receiver 38 via a light receiving element (PD) 35 and a light emitting element (LED) 36. Similarly, the terminal 32 is connected to an electric fieldbus signal driver / receiver 39 via a bridge circuit 37. These driver / receivers 38 and 39 are connected to an infrared / fieldbus signal conversion circuit 41, whereby the fieldbus signal input via the connector 31 is converted after passing through the PD 35 and the driver / receiver 38. Input to the circuit 41. The field bus signal input via the terminal 32 is input to the conversion circuit 41 after passing through the bridge circuit 37 and the driver / receiver 39.

The conversion circuit 41 converts each of the input fieldbus signals into an infrared signal and converts the signal into an infrared signal driver.
The signal is transmitted to the LED 33 via the receiver 42 and transmitted.
Further, the infrared signal received by the PD 34 is sent to the conversion circuit 41 via the infrared signal driver / receiver 42, is converted into a field bus signal, and is sent to the driver / receivers 38 and 39. Next, the field bus signal input to the driver / receiver 38 is
The light is converted into an optical signal by 6 and sent to the connector 31. Similarly, from the conversion circuit 41 to the driver / receiver 39
The field bus signal input to the
Through the terminal 32.

The transmission signal input from the electric field bus signal line 26 via the terminal 32 is a DC power supply superimposed signal which is a field bus standard signal. This signal is separated into a power receiving signal for power supply and a transmission signal for transmission in the driver / receiver 39, and the power receiving signal is sent to the electric field bus power receiving circuit 43. The transmission signal is transmitted from the infrared / fieldbus signal conversion circuit 41 as described above.
Sent to Power receiving circuit 43 which is a power receiving detecting circuit
Outputs a power reception signal to the selector 45 and the power supply terminal 47 when the input power reception signal is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage set in the built-in Zener diode 44.

The selector 45, which is a power supply switching circuit, is provided with a switch 48 having a contact b connected between a battery 46 incorporated in the converter 30 and a power supply terminal 47, and a power receiving circuit 43. When there is an output from the power supply terminal 47, the switch 48 is opened and the power supply from the battery 46 to the power supply terminal 47 is stopped, and instead, the power reception signal output from the power reception circuit 43 is used as the power supply for driving. Supplied to In this way, when only the optical field bus signal line 22 is connected to the conversion unit 30, the power receiving circuit 4
Since there is no output from 3, the switch 48 is closed and power is supplied from the battery 46 to the power supply terminal 47, and the converter 30 is driven by the battery 46.

When the electric field bus signal line 26 is connected to the conversion unit 30, since there is an output from the power receiving circuit 43, the switch 48 is opened and the power supply from the battery 46 to the power supply terminal 47 is stopped. The conversion unit 30 is driven by electric power from the electric field bus signal line 26. In this case, since the battery 46 is not consumed, the number of times of changing the battery of the conversion unit 30 is reduced.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing the operation of the converter 30 shown in FIG. The figure shows a case where the electric field bus signal line 26 is connected to the conversion unit 30. When the signal line 26 is connected at the timing shown in FIG. Then, the power receiving circuit 43 detects an increase in the potential and is turned on, the switch 48 at the contact b of the selector 45 is opened, and the drive power is switched from the internal battery 46 to the signal line 26. Thereafter, when a reception signal is input from the higher-level device or the like onto the electric field bus signal line 26 at the timing of (3), the reception signal is transmitted as an infrared signal from the LED 33 via the infrared signal driver / receiver 42 of the conversion unit 30, and the HHC It is transmitted to the unit 50.

Further, at the timing shown in FIG.
Is input to the infrared signal driver / receiver 42 via the PD 34 of the conversion unit 30, the signal is converted into an electric signal by the conversion circuit 41 and sent to the electric fieldbus signal line 26. The transmission and reception of these signals are the same when a reception signal of the optical field bus is input. That is, when the optical fieldbus signal line 22 is connected,
Although the power supply is not switched, the procedure and timing of signal transmission and reception are the same as in the case where the electric field bus signal line 26 is connected.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the HHC section 50 of FIG. In the figure, when an infrared signal from the signal conversion unit 30 is input to the PD 53 of the PCMCIA card 52, it is converted into an electric signal, and is input to the field bus signal modulation / demodulation circuit 57 via the infrared signal driver / receiver 56. Is done. Fieldbus signal modulation / demodulation circuit 5
The signal demodulated in 7 is sent to the CPU 58 and subjected to communication control based on the fieldbus communication standard, and the data content is input to the portable personal computer 51 via the PCMCIA interface 54.

In the personal computer 51, the received data contents are processed according to the built-in software. When data to be transmitted on the field bus occurs in the portable personal computer 51, data to be transmitted is sent from the portable personal computer 51 to the CPU 58 via the PCMCIA interface 54 of the PCMCIA card 52. The data sent to the CPU 58 is assembled according to the fieldbus communication control procedure, and then sent to the modem 57.
Further, after modulation in accordance with the field bus signal standard is performed, the signal
It is transmitted from the ED 55 as an infrared signal.

Next, the transmitted infrared signal is transmitted to PD3 of the fieldbus signal / infrared signal converter 30 in FIG.
4, received by the infrared / fieldbus signal conversion circuit 4
The waveform is transmitted to 1 and the waveform distortion due to the infrared communication is corrected to a waveform conforming to the fieldbus communication standard. Next, the corrected signals are supplied to field bus signal drivers 38 and 39.
, And then transmitted on the field bus signal lines 22 and 26. The field bus signal lines 22, 26 here
Up transmission corresponds to that of FIG.

With this configuration, in the above-described embodiment, the fieldbus / infrared signal converter 30 mounted on the fieldbus signal lines 22 and 26 converts the fieldbus signal, which is an open transmission protocol, into red. The signal is converted to an external signal and transmitted to the HHC unit 50. At this time, since no protocol conversion has been performed, the field bus signal line 2
Spatial communication conforming to the fieldbus communication standard is performed between the HHC unit 50 and the HHC unit 50. Thereby,
Even when a plurality of devices of different manufacturers are connected on the field bus signal lines 22 and 26, the HHC unit 5
0 enables signal transmission with the device without being aware of the manufacturer of the device. Further, since the fieldbus signal / infrared signal converter 30 is connected to the fieldbus signal lines 22 and 26, it is necessary to provide infrared communication means inside each of the field devices 21a to 21e as in the conventional example. Disappears. As a result, the cost of the entire system can be reduced.

A driving power supply for the fieldbus signal / infrared signal converter 30 connected to the fieldbus signal lines 22 and 26 is built in the converter 30 while only the optical fieldbus signal line 22 is connected. Using the battery 46
While the electric field bus signal line 26 is connected,
This is automatically recognized and the electric field bus signal line 2
6 to the conversion unit 30 so that the battery 4
6 can be prevented from being consumed. In recent years, a fieldbus communication standard, which is an open communication system, has been proposed to enable communication between manufacturers. Therefore, by applying this open communication standard to the HHC of the present invention, it becomes possible to supply an extremely effective HHC.

In the above-described embodiment, two types of bus signal lines 22 and 26 are connected to the signal conversion unit 30. However, terminals or connectors are additionally provided to connect other bus signal lines. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which: In addition, the signal conversion unit 30 according to the embodiment is configured such that the bus signal lines 22 and
Although only the mediation of signals between the respective devices via the 26 is performed, a function of mediating signals between the bus signal lines 22 and 26 can be added to the signal conversion unit 30.
Alternatively, it is also possible to add a function of causing the HHC unit 50 to mediate signals between the bus signal lines 22 and 26.

[0023]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a field bus signal / infrared signal converter is installed in a field bus to which one or more field devices are connected, and a red light is provided on the HHC main body side. Install an external signal transceiver,
Since the fieldbus transmission signal is transmitted and received in a non-contact manner, the portability of the HHC body is not impaired, and the usability is improved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the field bus is composed of an electric signal line, the power supply of the field bus signal / infrared signal converter installed on the field bus side is supplied from the field bus. In this case, the power consumption of the internal battery of the signal conversion unit can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a fieldbus signal / infrared signal converter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing an operation of the conversion unit in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of an HHC unit in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a conventional example.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a conventional example.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 21a to 21e Field device 22 Optical field bus signal line 23 Optical star coupler 24, 25 Host device 26 Electric field bus signal line 30 Field bus signal / infrared signal converter 31 Connector 32 Terminal 33 Light emitting element (LED) 34, 35 Light reception Element (PD) 36 Light-emitting element (LED) 38 Optical fieldbus signal driver / receiver 39 Electric fieldbus signal driver / receiver 41 Infrared / fieldbus signal conversion circuit 42 Infrared signal driver / receiver 43 Electric fieldbus power receiving circuit 45 Selector 46 Battery 47 Power supply terminal 48 Switch 50 Handheld communicator (HHC) section 51 Portable personal computer 52 PCMCIA card 53 Light receiving element (PD) 54 PCMCIA interface 55 Light emitting element (L) D) 56 infrared signal driver receiver 57 field bus signal modulation and demodulation circuit 58 CPU

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI H04B 10/10 H04L 11/00 310B 10/22 H04L 12/28

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A fieldbus handheld communicator connected to a fieldbus system comprising at least one field device and one or more higher-level devices and a fieldbus signal line connecting them, wherein the fieldbus is connected to a fieldbus. A fieldbus signal / infrared signal converter for converting a bus transmission signal into an infrared communication signal and transmitting the same, and converting a received infrared communication signal into a fieldbus transmission signal and outputting the signal on a fieldbus; Installed in the communicator main body, when receiving the infrared communication signal from the conversion unit, converts it to a transmission signal and outputs it to the main body, and transmits the transmission signal output from the main body to the field bus to the infrared communication signal. A field bus, comprising: an infrared signal transmitter / receiver that converts the signal into a signal and transmits the signal. Handheld communicator. 2. A field-bus handheld communicator according to claim 1, wherein when the fieldbus signal / infrared signal converter is connected to the fieldbus composed of the electric signal lines, the electric signal lines are transferred into the signal converter. A field bus comprising: a power reception detection circuit that detects power reception of the power conversion circuit; and a power supply switching circuit that switches the drive power of the signal conversion unit from the built-in battery to an electric signal line when the power reception detection circuit detects power reception. Handheld communicator.