US 10,401,819 B2Granted

Method for operating a specific field device via a mobile operator device

AssigneeEndress+Hauser Conducta GmbH+Co. KG

InventorBjörn Haase

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Abstract

A method for operating a specific field device from a first group and a second group of field devices, wherein the first group exchanges data in an IP-based network, and the second group communicates at least via a non-IP-based connection, the method includes the following: transmitting multicast messages having an item of connection information via at least one portion of the field devices of the first group; integrating the operator device into the IP-based network; initiating a connection establishment with a field device of the second group; receiving the transmitted multicast messages by the operator unit so that the connection information is made available to the operator unit; generating a list of all field devices of the first group and the second group; selecting the specific field device using generated list; initiating a specific connection establishment with the specific selected field device; and operating of the specific selected field device with the mobile operator unit.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method for operating a specific field device via a mobile operator device, wherein the specific field device is specifically selected from at least a first group of field devices and a second group of field devices in an automation system, wherein the first group of field devices exchange data in an IP-based network, and the second group of field devices communicate at least via a non-IP-based connection or transmission route, the method comprising:

transmitting multicast messages from at least one portion of the field devices of the first group of field devices, wherein the multicast messages include at least one item of connection information for connection with the respective field device that transmitted the multicast message;
integrating the mobile operator device into the IP-based network so that the mobile operator device is enabled to communicate with the field devices of the first group via a first IP-based connection;
initiating at least one connection establishment with at least one field device of the second group so that the mobile operator device is enabled to receive data from the at least one field device of the second group via a second, non-IP-based transmission route;
receiving via the mobile operator device the multicast messages transmitted by the first group of field devices, wherein the at least one item of connection information is made available to the mobile operator device via the received multicast messages;
generating a list of all field devices of the first group from which the mobile operator device received the at least one item of connection information via the multicast messages, and of all field devices of the second group that are connected with the mobile operator device, such that the list includes field devices of the first group and the second group;
selecting the specific field device using the list generated by the mobile operator device;
initiating a specific connection establishment with the specific field device via the mobile operator device, wherein the specific connection establishment is initiated using the connection information id the specific field device belongs to the first group of field devices;
and
operating the specific field device with the aid of the mobile operator device.

6 more elements

An automation technology system, comprising:

a first group of field devices configured to communicate via an IP-based network, wherein at least one portion of the field devices of the first group is configured to transmit multicast messages, wherein the multicast messages include at least one item of connection information for connection with the respective field device from the first group configured to transmit the multicast messages;
a second group of field devices configured to communicate via a non-IP-based connection;
a mobile operator unit configured to establish a first connection to the IP-based network and, if a connection to the IP-based network is established, the mobile operator unit is enabled to receive the transmitted multicast messages such that the connection information is available to an operator via the received multicast messages;
wherein the mobile operator unit is also configured to establish a second, non-IP-based connection to the field devices of the second group, such that the field devices of the second group are connected to the mobile operator unit;
wherein the mobile operator unit is also configured to generate a list of all field devices of the first group from which the connection information is made available to the mobile operator unit via the multicast messages, and all field devices of the second group that are connected to the mobile operator unit via the second connection, such that the list has field devices of the first group and of the second group;
wherein the mobile operator unit is also configured to initiate a specific connection establishment with a field device in the list if the field device in the list is selected;
wherein the mobile operator unit is configured to perform the specific connection establishment using the connection information if that the specific field device belongs to the first group of field devices.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/838,806Filed 12 Dec 2017
Priority: DE 10 2016 124 16813 Dec 2016
Published: US 2018/0164767 A114 Jun 2018
Granted: 3 Sep 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

G05B 19/05
Program control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers: programmable logic controllers, e.g. simulating…
G05B 19/054
Programmable logic controllers, e.g. simulating logic interconnections of signals according to ladder diagrams or function charts: input/output
G06K 7/10297
Sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves: arrangements for handling protocols designed for…
H04L 67/12
Protocols: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in…