Verification of fieldbus network connected devices in a wind turbine sub-assembly

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising software code adapted to verify a connection from a computer to a device connected to a fieldbus network in a wind turbine sub-assembly, the fieldbus network comprises a plurality of network components, and wherein the software code comprises a program element arranged at one of the network components, the program element including network components and devices that connect to the fieldbus network, and a library of software elements comprising software elements used to establish a communication path between the network components and devices, and wherein, when the software code is executed by one or more processors, the one or more processors are adapted to:

• forward a request, which is received from the computer, to the program element to verify the connection from the computer to a selected device, the request comprising a sequence of selected network components establishing a requested communication path between the computer and the selected device;
• establish in a sequenced manner a communication connection between the selected network components and the selected device by establishing a communication connection between each selected network component and a subsequent selected network component along the requested communication path;
• and
• when the communication connection can be established, forward a response to the computer that the connection exists, and when the communication connection cannot be established, forward a response to the computer identifying the selected network component to which the communication connection cannot be established.

An apparatus to verify a connection, the apparatus comprising:

• a computer arranged to verify the connection to a device selectively connected to a fieldbus network in a wind turbine sub-assembly, the fieldbus network comprising a plurality of network components, and wherein one of the network components comprises a program element including network components and devices that connect to the fieldbus network, and a library of software elements comprising software elements used to establish a communication path between the network components and devices;
• wherein the computer is configured for forwarding a request to the program element to verify the connection from the computer to a selected device, the request comprising a sequence of selected network components establishing a requested communication path between the computer and the selected device;
• wherein, when the program element is executed by one or more processors of the network component comprising the program element, the one or more processors are configured to:
• establish in a sequenced manner a communication connection between the selected network components and the selected device by establishing a communication connection between each selected network component and a subsequent selected network component along the requested communication path;
• when the communication connection can be established, forward a response to the computer that the connection exists;
• and
• when the communication connection cannot be established, forward a response to the computer identifying the selected network component to which the communication connection cannot be established.