Field device with display

• US 20030006989A1
• Filed: 07/05/2002
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endress + Hauser Wetzer GmbH + Company KG (Endress+Hauser AG)
• Original Assignee: Endress + Hauser Wetzer GmbH + Company KG (Endress+Hauser AG)
• Inventors: Konrad, Michael, Schmidt, Dieter
• Granted Patent: US 7,010,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/02 Measuring two or more variables by means not covered by a single other subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/06 Luminous indications projected on a common screen
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23147 LCD liquid crystal display
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23171 Display dynamic change of process, animation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25014 Fieldbus general name of bus connected to machines, detectors, actuators
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A display (AV) for on-site visualization of conditions of an automated process (PZ) is disclosed. It comprises a display controller (AS) which at least temporarily provides a state indication signal (ZA) representing a constellation of states of at least two process data signals (PD₁, PD₂). At least one of the two process data signals (PD₁, PD₂) is derived from a signal (RX) generated externally to the field device (F₁). The field device (F₁) has a display element (AE) which responds to a change in the state indication signal (ZA) with a significant change in its appearance, thus signaling the constellation of the states of the two process data signals (PD₁, PD₂) in a visually perceptible manner. Therefore, the field device (F₁) is particularly suited for on-site monitoring of entire plants or sections thereof by operating personnel.

Claims

1. A field device (F₁) with a display (AV) for on-site visualization of conditions of an automated process (PZ), said display (AV) comprising:

a display controller (AS)

which receives at least a first process data signal (PD₁) a second process data signal (PD₂) and

which at least temporarily provides a state indication signal (ZA) representing a constellation of states of at least one of the two process data signals (PD₁, PD₂),

at least one of the two process data signals (PD₁, PD₂) being derived from an external signal (RX) generated externally to the field device (F₁); and

a display element (AE) of variable appearance

which visually signals via its appearance a constellation of the states of the two process data signals (PD₁, PD₂), and

which responds to a change in the state indication signal (ZA) with a significant change in its appearance.

2. A field device (F₁) as set forth in claim 1

wherein the display controller (AS) at least temporarily provides a value indication signal (WA) representing an instantaneous value of one of the two process data signals (PD₁, PD₂), and

wherein the display element (AE) responds to the value indication signal (WA) by at least temporarily presenting this signal value in a visually perceptible manner.

3. A field device (F₁) as set forth in either of the preceding claims wherein one of the two process data signals (PD₁, PD₂) is derived from a transducer signal generated inside the field device (F₁).

4. A field device (F₁) as set forth in any one of the preceding claims

wherein the display element (AE) comprises a light-emitting means (LED) of adjustable hue for illuminating a display background, and

wherein the display element responds to the state indication signal (ZA) by causing the light-emitting means (LED) to illuminate the display background in a hue which signals the condition currently being represented by the state indication signal (ZA).

5. A field device (F₁) as set forth in claim 4 wherein the light-emitting means (LED) illuminates the display background in a hue which was selected from a store of discrete hue values.

6. A field device (F₁) as set forth in any one of the preceding claims wherein the external signal (RX) is fed to the field device (F₁) through a communications interface (COM).