Endress+hauserse+co. Kg

Gautham Karnik

Tareq Al Qaisi

Matthew Krygier

Brian Hartman

Chris Abbott

Eric Birgel

Ralf Lobenstein

An interface circuit enabling communication via a differential transceiver with both differential signaling and non-differential signaling field devices connected to the same bus includes switches and control logic to enable differential signaling on the bus in a first mode and non-differential signaling on the bus in a second mode. In the second mode of non-differential signaling, the differential conductors of the bus are held at the same potential. Further in the second mode of non-differential signaling, a differential signal is created within the interface circuit from one signal of the bus and provided to the differential transceiver.

Interface circuit allowing differential and non-differential signaling on one bus

A process automation system includes a central controller, a four-conductor, multi-drop bus, 1 to 16 1-5 V field devices, and 1 to 16 coupler boxes, each coupler box connecting a respective field device with the bus. The central controller includes a dual-tone, multiple-frequency (DTMF) encoder and each coupler box includes a DTMF decoder. Each coupler box isolates its associated field device's 1-5 V signal from the bus unless the coupler box is addressed by the central controller via a DTMF signal.

Multidrop 1-5 v process automation network

An interface circuit enabling serial data communication between a master UART and a slave UART includes two master terminals, two slave terminals, and various logic gates and switches. If data are sent by the master UART before the interface circuit is internally configured, data are sent to both slave terminals. Data received from the slave UART internally configures the interface circuit to route slave transmit data to the master receiver and to route master transmit data to the slave receiver. A master UART including such an interface circuit is also disclosed.

Self-configuring UART interface and method of operation

A device menu controls connector for a process automation field device include a field device part and a removable knob assembly. The field device part includes one or more Hall effect sensors, and the knob assembly includes one or more magnets. When the knob assembly is attached to the field device part, the knob may be rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise, or may be pushed or pulled. The interaction of the magnets and Hall effect sensors allow the field device to sense the rotation and the pushing and pulling of the knob. The programming of the field device allows the device menu controls connector to simulate <Up>, <Down>, <Right>, <Left>, <Enter>, and <Esc> key presses of a user interface. A field device having such a device menu controls connector is also disclosed.

Device menu controls connector

A method of monitoring a state of charge of a battery of a field device wherein the field device includes the battery, a voltage converter and a battery-powered component connected to the voltage converter, is disclosed. The method includes enabling the voltage converter and subsequently operating the voltage converter in duty cycles based on a current flowing from the battery to the voltage converter by repeatedly: disabling the voltage converter when the current exceeds an upper limit and enabling the voltage converter again when the current drops below a lower limit; and at least once determining and providing a state of charge of the battery determined based on a duration of at least one first time interval during which the voltage converter was enabled during one of the duty cycles and a previously determined dependency of the durations on the state of charge of the battery.

Method of monitoring a state of charge of a battery

A field device comprising: a device electronic; a bus interface embodied to connect the field device to a field bus and a surface acoustic wave connecting the device electronic to the bus interface is disclosed. The bus interface includes a bus driver transmitting communication signals corresponding to digital transmission signal provided by the device electronic onto the field bus and a bus receiver receiving communication signals from the bus and providing corresponding digital reception signals to the device electronic. The surface acoustic wave transceiver transmits the digital transmission signals provided by the device electronic to the bus driver and transmits the digital reception signals provided by the bus receiver to the device electronic. Thereby, the surface acoustic wave transceiver galvanically isolates the device electronic from the bus driver and the bus receiver.

Field device comprising a bus interface using a surface acoustic wave isolator

A bidirectional serial communication interface comprising a slave powered by a master connected to the slave via a signal line and a return line is disclosed. The master includes a master switch inserted in a line connecting a supply voltage to the signal line and a transceiver transmitting binary signals by opening and closing the master switch and receiving binary signals whilst the master switch is open. The slave includes an energy storage charged via the signal line and providing an internal power supply; a pull-up switch inserted in a line connecting the signal line to the internal power supply; a pull-down switch inserted in a line connecting the signal line to the return line; and a transceiver transmitting binary signals by opening and closing the pull-up and the pull-down switch whilst the master switch is open and receiving binary signals whilst the pull-up and the pull-down switch are open.

One wire power and bi-directional data interface for serial communication

A module for asynchronous differential serial communication on a bus is disclosed. The module is connectable to the bus in a first connecting mode, wherein a non-inverting terminal of the module is connected to a non-inverted bus signal line and an inverting terminal is connected to an inverted bus signal line, and a second connecting mode given by an inverse of the first connecting mode. The module includes a detector determining the connecting mode based on the binary state of a start bit of a reception signal provided by a transceiver of the module based on a received communication signal and a binary state of a first bit of a reference signal corresponding to a voltage difference between the voltages of the signals received via the non-inverted and the inverted terminal during reception of this communication signal.

Module for asynchronous differential serial communication

Disclosed is a data cable connector for a field device of process automation, wherein the data cable connector has a field device part and a data cable part. The field device part includes one or more magnetically activated switches. The data cable part includes a magnet. The field device is configured to determine from the states of the magnetically activated switches whether the data cable part is connected with the field device part, and if so, in what orientation. Based on the states of the magnetically activated switches, the field device may enable and disable communication circuits within the field device including any PHY circuits and modems.

Data cable connector

Disclosed is a method of enabling and disabling Bluetooth communication in a WirelessHART field device of process automation technology Also disclosed is a process automation system implementing the inventive method of enabling and disabling Bluetooth communication in a WirelessHART field device.

Method to configure wireless HART device using Bluetooth

The disclosure includes a voltage output circuit for use in a process automation field device, the voltage output circuit including an op-amp configured to supply the output voltage. The output circuit's op-amp is connected to the process automation system though a normally open switch. The normally open switch is closed only when the voltage output circuit is properly powered and operating. An improper connection of a power supply to the voltage output circuit will not power the voltage output circuit, and thus the switch remains open and protects the voltage output circuit from power being drawn in from the improper connection. The disclosure includes also a transceiver circuit having similar power draw protection.

Voltage output op-amp protection circuit

The present disclosure discloses a hybrid Power over Ethernet/Device Level Ring network in which power is delivered to connected devices on the same cable in which data are delivered, and the devices are configured to connect to the network in a daisy-chain fashion. The network of the disclosure may be configured to operate as a token ring. According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, a hybrid PoE/DLR network switch and a hybrid PoE/DLR network device for such a PoE/DLR hybrid network are disclosed.

Power over ethernet device level ring bridge

A system for triangulating a location of a wireless process automation transmitter for use by a smart glass device is provided. A wireless process automation transmitter transmits a join request signal, and a plurality of network receivers receive the join request signal and transmit time of arrival information to a network manager. The network manager uses the information, including network receiver information and corresponding location information, to triangulate a location of the wireless process automation transmitter. A smart glass device location is triangulated in a similar manner but may also use the wireless process automation transmitter to receive a join request signal and transmit time of arrival information to the network manager. With the location information of both devices, along with an orientation angle of the smart glass device, the network manager determines if the wireless process automation transmitter is in a field of view of the smart glass device.

System and method for triangulating location of wireless process automation transmitter for use by smart glass device

A device for wireless communication with a process automation field device. The device may include an inductive interface in the field device embodied to couple with a complementary inductive interface of a service tool. The field device inductive interface may be embodied to inductively transfer data to the service tool and to inductively receive data and energy from the service tool. The energy received from the service tool may be sufficient for operating the field device's inductive interface. A method of wireless communication is also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Whitestown, IN, United States of America

Gautham Karnik