Terminal module, head module, and system for collecting data from an automation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11500355-B2
Application number	US-201917259670-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2019
Priority date	Jul 12, 2018
Publication date	Nov 15, 2022
Grant date	Nov 15, 2022

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for collecting data from an automated plant having a field device connected for communication and for exchanging telegrams with a superordinate unit by means of a communication loop using a first protocol. The system includes a hat rail; and a terminal module mounted on the hat rail and embodied to monitor telegrams transmitted from the field device to the superordinate unit via the communication loop. The terminal module is further embodied to convert monitored telegrams into a second protocol and to output the converted telegrams. The system further includes a head module mounted on the hat rail and connected with the terminal module. The electronics unit of the head module is embodied to convert telegrams output from the terminal module into a third protocol to output them via the first network interface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for collecting data from an automated plant, wherein present in the plant is at least one field device that is connected for communication and for exchanging telegrams with a superordinate unit by means of a communication loop using a first protocol, the system comprising:
a hat rail;
a terminal module, including:
a connection region to which a communication loop is connectable, via which telegrams can be transmitted using the first protocol;
contacts that are embodied for connecting to another terminal module; and
an electronics module that is embodied to receive via the connection region the telegrams that are transmitted by the communication loop, to convert the telegrams received from the communication loop into a second protocol, and to output the converted telegrams via the contacts;

wherein the terminal module is mounted on the hat rail and is embodied to monitor telegrams transmitted from the at least one field device to the superordinate unit via the communication loop, to convert monitored telegrams into the second protocol, and to output converted telegrams; and
a head module, including:
contacts that are embodied for connecting to contacts of the terminal module;
a first network interface that is embodied for connecting to a wired or a wireless communication network that uses a third protocol;
a connection for an energy supply unit;
an energy distribution unit that is connected with the connection for the energy supply unit and with the contacts of the head module, wherein the energy distribution unit is embodied to supply the terminal module with electrical energy via the contacts of the head module and the contacts of the terminal module; and
an electronics module that is embodied to receive via the contacts telegrams transmitted from the terminal module, wherein the telegrams have the second protocol and the electronics module is further embodied to convert the telegrams into the third protocol and to output the converted telegrams via the first network interface;

wherein the head module is mounted on the hat rail, and wherein the terminal module is connected by means of its contacts with the contacts of the head module.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a closure module mounted on the hat rail and embodied such that the closure module is connectable with the contacts of the terminal module and upon connection with the contacts of the terminal module the closure module forms an electrical current loop composed of the head module, the terminal module, and the closure module.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising:
other terminal modules, each of which is connected with an additional communication loop of an additional field device and is located between the head module and the closure module, wherein the contacts of the additional terminal modules contact such that the electrical current loop includes the additional terminal modules and wherein the additional terminal modules are embodied to forward converted telegrams of the terminal module and, to receive, to convert, and to transfer to the head module telegrams of their respective communication loop.

4. The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the head module further includes an optical indicator, wherein the electronics unit of the head module is further embodied to checks for a presence of the closure module, and wherein the optical indicator is embodied in the case of presence of the closure module to emit an optical signal.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a service unit connected to a second network interface of the head module and embodied to access a Web server of the head module and via the Web server to retrieve data from the head module.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the electronics unit of the head module is further embodied to check for presence of terminal modules and to query identification information of terminal modules.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the Web server of the head module is embodied to present the present terminal modules with their corresponding identification information and to provide the present terminal modules with their corresponding identification information for the query.

8. The system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the system is embodied in such a manner that the service unit enables a servicing of the field device, wherein the service unit is embodied to transfer a service telegram to the head module, wherein the head module is embodied to convert the service telegram into a telegram conforming to the second protocol and to transfer such to the terminal module, wherein the terminal module is embodied in such a manner to convert the telegram into a telegram conforming to the first protocol and to transmit such via the communication loop into the field device.

Assignees

• Endress Hauser Process Solutions Ag

Inventors

• Ochsenreither Steffen
• Mannbar Uwe

Classifications

• G06F13/387

  for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system · CPC title

• G05B2219/31121

  Fielddevice, field controller, interface connected to fieldbus · CPC title

• H04L69/08

  Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion · CPC title

• G05B19/0423 Primary

  Input/output · CPC title

• G06F3/0661

  Format or protocol conversion arrangements · CPC title