Electrical connector and process for decentralized storage of the parameters of a sensor

• US 20070126570A1
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: I F M Electronic GmbH
• Original Assignee: I F M Electronic GmbH
• Inventors: WAGNER, Alfred, KATHAN, Benno
• Granted Patent: US 7,668,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/533
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/955 including electronic identifier or coding means

Abstract

An electrical connector for connection to a sensor has an integrated microcontroller, with a plug-and-socket connection for connection to an interface of the sensor and with an electronic circuit. With the connector, the data of a sensor, especially the parameter data, can be mirrored outside the sensor in a simple and economical manner so that the data are available at any time and as much as possible on site. The electronic circuit has a memory for storage of data, especially parameter data and characteristic data of the sensor, and a microcontroller, the microcontroller operating the interface of the sensor, and depending on the characteristic data of the sensor, either reading data, especially parameter data, out of the sensor via the interface and storing it in the memory, or reading data stored in the memory, especially parameter data, out of the memory and transmitting them via the interface into the sensor.

Claims

1. Electrical connector for connection to a sensor which has an integrated microcontroller, comprising:

a plug-and-socket connection for connection to an interface of the sensor, and

an electronic circuit having a memory for storage of data, and

a microcontroller for operating an interface of the sensor, and depending on characteristic data of the sensor, either reading parameter data out of the sensor via the interface and storing the data in the memory, or reading parameter data stored in the memory out of the memory and transmitting the data via the interface into the sensor.

2. Electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a housing for holding the electronic circuit and a second plug-and-socket connection for connecting a cable which has a corresponding connector.

3. Electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a housing for holding the electronic circuit and a cable for connecting the sensor to a power supply, the cable being permanently connected to one of the housing and the electronic circuit.

4. Electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a housing for holding the electronic circuit and two display elements arranged in the housing for visualization of the operating state of the connector in the housing.

5. Electrical connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the display elements are in the shape of two arrows pointing in opposite directions for displaying which of the directions of data transfer to and from the memory is occurring.

6. Electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the memory is an interchangeable storage medium which is insertable into and removable from the housing.

7. Electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an electronic or electromechanical write protection for safeguarding data stored in the memory.

8. Electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein an inscription field or a holding device for an inscription plate is provided on the housing.

9. Electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plug-and-socket connection comprises M12 or M8 connector pairs.

10. Distributor box for connection of several sensors or actuators to a common bus line, comprising at least two connector pairs via which individual sensors or actuators are connectable to the distributor box by a cable, at least one electrical connector located within the housing of the distributor box and connected to at least one connector pair, said at least one electrical connector comprising an electronic circuit having a memory for storage of data, and a microcontroller for operating an interface of the sensor, and depending on characteristic data of the sensor, either reading parameter data out of the sensor via the interface and storing the data in the memory, or reading parameter data stored in the memory out of the memory and transmitting the data via the interface into the sensor.

11. Process for decentralized storage of the parameters of a sensor and for parameterization of a sensor with an electrical connector, the sensor having an integrated microcontroller and an interface and the connector having a connector pair and an electronic circuit with a memory and a microcontroller, comprising the steps of:

connecting the connector to the interface of the sensor using a plug-and-socket connection,

comparing characteristic data of the sensor to characteristic data stored in the memory with the microcontroller of the connector, and

exchanging data by reading either data out of the sensor via the interface and storing the data in the memory, or reading the data stored in the memory out of the memory and transmitting the data into the sensor via the interface depending on the result of said comparing step.

12. Process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sensor has characteristic data comprised of an article code which identifies the sensor type and a serial number which identifies the respective sensor, wherein:

when the article code read out of the sensor and the article code stored in the memory agree as a result of said comparing step, and when the serial number read out of the sensor and the serial number stored in the memory agree as a result of said comparing step, the data is read out of the sensor via the interface and stored in the memory during said step of exchanging data,

when the article code read out of the sensor and the article code stored in the memory agree as a result of said comparing step, and when the serial number read out of the sensor and the serial number stored in the memory do not agree as a result of said comparing step, the data stored in the memory are read out of the memory and are transmitted via the interface into the sensor during said step of exchanging data,

when the article code read out of the sensor and the article code stored in the memory do not agree as a result of said comparing step, and when the serial number read out of the sensor and the serial number stored in the memory do not agree as a result of said comparing step, the data is read out of the sensor via the interface and are stored in the memory during said step of exchanging data.

13. Process as claimed in claim 12, wherein when the article code read out of the sensor and the article code stored in the memory agree as a result of said comparing step and when the serial number read out of the sensor and the serial number stored in the memory agree as a result of said comparing step, only data which are different from already stored data are read out of the sensor via the interface and are stored in the memory during said step of exchanging data.

14. Process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step of exchanging data automatically takes place between the sensor and the connector each time the sensor is started up.

15. Process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step of exchanging data takes place between the sensor and the connector by actuating a button on the sensor or on the plug.

16. Process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the reading out of data stored in the memory of the connector is performed using an interface into a computer.

17. Process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the data stored in the memory of the connector are write-protected for safeguarding.

18. Process as claimed in claim 11, wherein data are written by a computer into the memory of the connector via an interface.

19. Process as claimed in claim 18, wherein data compared and exchanged are sensor parameter data.

20. Process as claimed in claim 19, wherein said sensor parameter data comprise at least one of measurement range, operating thresholds, country-specific measurement units.