Method for servicing a field device of process automation technology having at least two measurement channels and field device of process automation technology having at least two measurement channels and being suitable for performing the method
AssigneeEndress + Hauser Conducta Gesellschaft für Mess- und Regeltechnik mbH + Co. KG
InventorsDetlev Wittmer, Stefan Robl, Wolfgang Babel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a method for servicing a field device of process automation technology having at least two measurement channels, with the assistance of an external service unit, separate device descriptions are provided in the service unit for the measurement channels. The individual measurement channels can be invoked on the service unit via the corresponding device descriptions as logical units, so that, in servicing, the field device appears to the user as at least two logically independent field devices.
Claims8
A method for servicing a multi-channel field device of process automation technology, wherein:
- the field device comprises a measurement transmitter and has at least two measurement channels, an external service unit;
- each measurement channel has a sensor for registering a process variable and a program module running in a microcontroller for measured value processing, and, for connection to a fieldbus, a single fieldbus interface, which is connected with said microcontroller;
- a communication between said sensors and said microcontroller occurs digitally via an RS485-connection;
- and said fieldbus interface has at least two communication controllers which have different fieldbus addresses, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing in the service unit, separate device descriptions for the measurement channels;
- and
- invoking the individual measurement channels in the service unit via the corresponding device descriptions as logical units, so that, in the servicing, the field device appears to the user as at least two logically independent field devices.
A multi-channel field device of process automation technology, comprising:
- a measurement transmitter and at least two measurement channels, each measurement channel having a sensor for registering a process variable and a program module running in a microcontroller μC1 for measured value processing,
- wherein a communication between said sensors and said microcontroller occurs digitally via an RS485-connection;
- and,
- a single fieldbus interface for connection to a fieldbus, which is connected with the microcontroller μC1, wherein:
- said single fieldbus interface has at least two communication controllers μC2;
- μC2′, which have different fieldbus addresses;
- and
- each communication controller μC2;
- μC2′ exchanges data with one measurement channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.