Configurable field device for use in process automation systems

A configurable field device for process automation technology for determining a process variable, comprising:

• a probe;
• a control unit;
• an analog sensor circuit, which is connectable with said probe for registering the process variable and which outputs an analog measurement signal dependent on the registered process variable;
• a converter unit connected after said sensor circuit for changing the analog measurement signal into a digital measurement signal;
• a process unit connected with said converter unit, in which function modules are provided, which serve for evaluating the measurement signal, for generating an output value for the process variable and for control of the field device;
• and
• an analog communication circuit connected with said processing unit which serves for forwarding the output value to an external unit, wherein:
• said processing unit comprises a partially dynamically reconfigurable logic chip, in which function modules are configured on request of a control program running in said control unit.

A method for operating a configurable field device of process automation technology, comprising the steps of:

• executing a control program in a microcontroller of the processing unit;
• requesting a function module by the control program;
• and
• configuring the function module on a dynamically reconfigurable logic chip during runtime.