# US 2024/0201896 A1 · Field device

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- Number: US 2024/0201896 A1
- Document ID: US20240201896A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/554,851
- Filed: 2022-03-21
- Published: 2024-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2021-04-14
- Assignees: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
- Applicants: Endress+Hauser SE+Co. KG
- Inventors: Harald Schäuble; Bernd Strütt; Christoph Schleith
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240201896A1

## CPC

- G06F 3/0656: {Data buffering arrangements}
- G06F 3/0616: {in relation to life time, e.g. increasing Mean Time Between Failures [MTBF]}
- G06F 3/0685: {Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays}
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A field device in which device-related data are intelligently stored such that the lifetime of the memory unit and thus the possible service life of the field device is increased initially buffer-stores the generated data in a FRAM-based buffer memory unit and then stores them as a common data packet in an EEPROM-based long-term memory unit as soon as the device-related data have reached a defined data volume in the buffer memory unit. Collecting the data beforehand and then copying the resulting data packet to the long-term memory unit in the form of a common dataset reduces the write cycles to the EEPROM memory, as a result of which the lifetime of the EEPROM memory is lengthened. It is not necessary to retain any large FRAM-based data memory, making it possible to keep memory space costs for the field device low.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-7. (canceled)

### Claim 8

A field device, comprising:
a central data processing unit designed to receive device-related data, the central data processing unit having a buffer memory unit that can be rewritten for at least 106 write cycles, in which the device-related data can be at least buffer-stored up to a defined data volume; and
a long-term memory unit that can be rewritten for a maximum of 5*105 write cycles,
wherein the central data processing unit is configured to copy at least a portion of the device-related data as a common data packet from the buffer memory unit when the device-related data have reached the defined data volume in the buffer memory unit or when a defined time interval has been reached.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The field device according to claim 8, wherein the buffer memory unit is based upon a FRAM-based memory, and/or wherein the long-term memory unit is based upon an EEPROM-based memory.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The field device according to claim 8, wherein the data processing unit is configured to copy the entire data volume of device-related data as a common data packet from the buffer memory unit when the device-related data have reached the defined data volume in the buffer memory unit or when a defined time interval has been reached.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The field device according to claim 8, wherein the long-term memory unit is connected to the central data processing unit via a disconnectable and reconnectable interface.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The field device according to claim 8, wherein the long-term memory unit has a memory capacity of at least 16 kilobytes, in particular a memory capacity at least ten times greater than the buffer memory unit.

### Claim 13

A method for storing device-related data in a field device, comprising:
providing the field device, including:
a central data processing unit designed to receive device-related data, the central data processing unit having a buffer memory unit that can be rewritten for at least 106 write cycles, in which the device-related data can be at least buffer-stored up to a defined data volume; and
a long-term memory unit that can be rewritten for a maximum of 5*105 write cycles,
wherein the central data processing unit is configured to copy at least a portion of the device-related data as a common data packet from the buffer memory unit when the device-related data have reached the defined data volume in the buffer memory unit or when a defined time interval has been reached;
receiving device-related data;
buffer-storing the received data in the buffer memory unit; and
copying at least a portion of the device-related data as a common data packet from the buffer memory unit to the long-term memory unit as soon as the device-related data has reached the defined data volume in the buffer memory unit or as soon as a defined time interval has been reached.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, further comprising:
deleting the device-related data from the buffer memory unit after copying it to the long-term memory unit.