Field device adapter for wireless data transfer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11336758-B2
Application number	US-201917312256-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 11, 2019
Priority date	Dec 11, 2018
Publication date	May 17, 2022
Grant date	May 17, 2022

Abstract

Disclosed is a field device adapter for HART communication with a field device. The field device adapter includes an adapter housing with an adapter chamber; arranged in the adapter chamber, an adapter electronics, which is adapted wirelessly to receive a second radio signal and by means of the second radio signal to control a circuit for shunting the communication resistor in such a manner that at least one communication resistor is selectively switchable in and out per radio, so that in a shunted condition a first radio signal received by the adapter electronics can be converted into a, preferably HART based, two conductor signal and modulated via the tapping point onto the loop current.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A field device adapter for HART communication with a field device, comprising:
an adapter housing having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end includes a first connecting element and a second connecting element for electrical connecting of a first two-conductor line and the second end includes a third connecting element and a fourth connecting element for electrical connecting of a second two-conductor line, wherein the adapter housing has, furthermore, an adapter chamber between the first and second ends; and
an adapter electronics arranged in the adapter chamber, the adapter electronics including:
a first electrical connecting line that connects the first connecting element with the third connecting element;
a second electrical connecting line that connects the second connecting element with the fourth connecting element;
a communication resistor provided in the first connecting line;
an unregulated power supply circuit for providing a supply voltage from a loop current flowing in the first connecting line;
a HART modem configured as a secondary master and connected with the first connecting line via a tapping point; and
a circuit for shunting the communication resistor,

wherein the adapter electronics is adapted to receive a second radio signal wirelessly and by means of the second radio signal to control the circuit for shunting the communication resistor such that the communication resistor is selectively switchable in and out per radio, so that in a shunted condition a first radio signal received by the adapter electronics can be converted into a two conductor signal and modulated via the tapping point onto the loop current.

2. The field device adapter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the circuit for shunting the communication resistor includes a first switching element having a transistor or an analog switch and connected in parallel with the communication resistor and which is conductive in the shunted condition of the communication resistor.

3. The field device adapter as claimed in claim 2 ,
wherein the circuit for shunting the communication resistor further includes a second and a third switching element, wherein the second switching element is arranged in a third connecting line connecting the HART modem with the first connecting line and the third switching element is arranged in a fourth connecting line connecting the third connecting line with the second connecting line, and
wherein the adapter electronics is adapted in the shunted condition to switch the second switching element blocking and the third and fourth switching elements as a function of an installed position of an external HART communication resistor.

4. The field device adapter as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the adapter electronics further includes contactable from outside of the adapter housing a fifth connecting element connected with the third connecting line via a fourth switching element, and wherein the adapter electronics is adapted in the shunted condition to switch the second and third switching elements, in each case, blocking and to switch the fourth switching element conducting so that via the fifth connecting element a shunting conductor is connectable to the first two-conductor line.

5. The field device adapter as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the adapter electronics further includes contactable from outside of the adapter housing a fifth connecting element connected with the third connecting line via a fourth switching element, and wherein the adapter electronics is adapted in the shunted condition to switch the second switching element blocking and the third switching element and also the fourth switching element as a function of an installed position of the external HART communication resistor.

6. The field device adapter as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the adapter electronics is adapted in a turned off condition in which no HART communication initiated by the field device adapter is or should be possible, to switch the first switching element conducting and the second switching element and also the third switching element blocking.

7. The field device adapter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the adapter electronics further includes a second radio module with an antenna for receiving the second radio signal, wherein the power supply circuit supplies the second radio module with energy via the supply voltage and the second radio module is adapted to control the circuit for shunting the communication resistor by the second radio signal, and wherein the second radio module is adapted to receive the second radio signal using a radio-based point-to-point connection, including a Bluetooth-, a Bluetooth Low Energy-, NFC- or RFID connection.

8. The field device adapter as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the adapter electronics further includes a first radio module with an antenna for transmitting and/or receiving the first radio signal, wherein the power supply circuit supplies the first radio module with energy via the supply voltage and the first radio module is adapted to convert the two conductor signal into the first radio signal and vice versa, wherein the first radio module is adapted, furthermore, to transmit and receive the first radio signal according to one of the following radio protocols, or radio technologies:
a Bluetooth protocol or a modified variant thereof,
a 6LoWPAN protocol,
a wireless HART protocol,
a 6TiSCH protocol, and/or
a mobile radio technology protocol, including 2G, 3G, LTE, 5G, or NB-IoT.

9. A system of automation technology, comprising:
a field device adapter, including:
an adapter housing having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end includes a first connecting element and a second connecting element for electrical connecting of a first two-conductor line and the second end includes a third connecting element and a fourth connecting element for electrical connecting of a second two-conductor line, wherein the adapter housing has, furthermore, an adapter chamber between the first and second ends; and
an adapter electronics arranged in the adapter chamber, the adapter electronics including:
a first electrical connecting line that connects the first connecting element with the third connecting element;
a second electrical connecting line that connects the second connecting element with the fourth connecting element;
a communication resistor provided in the first connecting line;
an unregulated power supply circuit for providing a supply voltage from a loop current flowing in the first connecting line;
a HART modem configured as a secondary master and connected with the first connecting line via a tapping point; and
a circuit for shunting the communication resistor,

wherein the adapter electronics is adapted to receive a second radio signal wirelessly and by means of the second radio signal to control the circuit for shunting the communication resistor such that the communication resistor is selectively switchable in and out per the second radio signal, so that in a shunted condition a first radio signal received by the adapter electronics can be converted into a two conductor signal and modulated via the tapping point onto the loop current;

a superordinate unit;
a field device of automation technology having a field device electronics arranged in a field device housing;
a first two-conductor line, which connects the adapter electronics via the first and second connecting elements electrically to the field device electronics;
a second two-conductor line, which connects the adapter electronics via the third and fourth connecting elements electrically to the superordinate unit; and
a mobile service unit adapted with the aid of the second radio

Assignees

• Endress Hauser Se Co Kg

Inventors

• Schäuble Harald
• Lill Dirk

Classifications

• G05B19/4186 Primary

  by protocol, e.g. MAP, TOP · CPC title

• Y02P90/02

  Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] · CPC title

• H04L69/323 Primary

  in the physical layer [OSI layer 1] · CPC title

• G05B2219/25428

  Field device · CPC title

• H04B1/38

  Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving · CPC title