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

A computer program product comprising software code adapted to verify a connection from a computing unit 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 computer program product comprises a program element arranged at one of the network components, the computer program including a list of possible network components and possible devices, and a library of software elements capable of establishing a communication path between the possible network components and possible devices;

• and wherein the computer program product is adapted to:
• forwarding a request received from the computing unit to the program element to verify the connection from the computing unit to a selected device, the request comprising a sequence of selected network components establishing a requested communication path between the computing unit and the selected device;
• wherein the program element is arranged 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;
• and
• if the communication connection can be established, forward a response to the computing unit that the connection exists, and if the communication connection cannot be established, forward a response to the computing unit identifying the selected network component to which the communication connection cannot be established.

An apparatus to verify a connection, the apparatus comprising:

• a computing unit 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 a list of possible network components and possible devices, and a library of software elements capable of establishing a communication path between the possible network components and possible devices;
• wherein the computing unit is configured for forwarding a request to the program element to verify the connection from the computing unit to a selected device, the request comprising a sequence of selected network components establishing a requested communication path between the computing unit and the selected device;
• wherein the program element is 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;
• if the communication connection can be established, forward a response to the computing unit that the connection exists;
• and
• if the communication connection cannot be established, forward a response to the computing unit identifying the selected network component to which the communication connection cannot be established.