ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR WIRELESSLY NETWORKING DEVICES OF AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY

• US 20110050402A1
• Filed: 05/25/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PILZ GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: PILZ GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: GODAU, Thorsten, INEICHEN, Alois
• Application Number:
  US12/786,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20110050402A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/12.5
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

An arrangement for wirelessly interconnecting devices of automation technology comprises a signal path for transmitting a high-frequency transmit signal which has a plurality of temporally successive signal packets. The arrangement has a first and a second antenna and an antenna switch which connects the signal path selectively to the first or to the second antenna. A control circuit is adapted to generate a low-frequency switching signal for the antenna switch from the successive signal packets.

Claims

1. An arrangement for wirelessly networking remote sensors, actuators and a central control unit of an automated installation, the arrangement comprising:

a signal path for transmitting a high-frequency signal having a plurality of temporally successive signal packets;

a first and a second antenna;

an antenna switch which selectively connects the signal path to the first or to the second antenna; and

a control circuit having a plurality of electronic components requiring an operating voltage, said control circuit being adapted to generate a low-frequency switching signal for the antenna switch from the successive signal packets,

wherein the control circuit comprises a DC voltage circuit configured to generate a controlled DC voltage from the high-frequency signal and to provide said DC voltage as the operating voltage for the components of the control circuit.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a signal coupler comprising at least three terminals for dividing the high-frequency signal into part-signals, a first terminal being connected to the signal path and a second terminal being connected to the control circuit.

3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the signal coupler is adapted to generate a first part-signal having a higher first signal power and a second part-signal having a lower second signal power, the second part-signal being supplied to the control circuit.

4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the control circuit has a pulse generator adapted to generate a plurality of pulses in dependence on the signal packets, the plurality of pulses representing the switching signal.

5. The arrangement of claim 4, further comprising a bistable flip-flop which receives the plurality of pulses in order to generate the switching signal.

6. The arrangement of claim 2, further comprising a transmitter for generating a high-frequency transmit signal and a receiver for receiving a high-frequency receive signal, the transmitter and the receiver being coupled to the signal path via the signal coupler.

7. A method for wirelessly interconnecting devices of an automation installation, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first and a second antenna;

providing an antenna switch which is connected to the first and to the second antenna, and providing components for actuating on the antenna switch;

generating a high-frequency transmit signal which has a plurality of temporally successive signal packets;

generating a low-frequency switching signal from the successive signal packets; and

switching between the first and the second antenna by driving the antenna switch periodically with the low-frequency switching signal,

wherein a controlled DC voltage is generated from the high-frequency transmit signal, and

wherein said controlled DC voltage is used as an operating voltage for the components.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of temporally successive signal packets comprise pairs of successive signal packets, with the antenna switch being switched after each pair.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the pairs of signal packets each comprise a transmit signal packet and a receive signal packet.

10. An arrangement for wirelessly networking devices of automation technology, comprising a signal path for transmitting a high-frequency signal which has a plurality of temporally successive signal packets, comprising a first and a second antenna, comprising an antenna switch which connects the signal path selectively to the first or to the second antenna, and comprising a control circuit which is adapted to generate a low-frequency switching signal for the antenna switch from the successive signal packets.

11. The arrangement of claim 10, further comprising a signal coupler comprising at least three terminals for dividing the high-frequency signal into part-signals, a first terminal being connected to the signal path and a second terminal being connected to the control circuit.

12. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein the signal coupler is adapted to generate a first part-signal having a higher first signal power and a second part-signal having a lower second signal power, the second part-signal being supplied to the control circuit.

13. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein the control circuit has a pulse generator adapted to generate a plurality of pulses in dependence on the signal packets, the plurality of pulses representing the switching signal.

14. The arrangement of claim 13, further comprising a bistable flip-flop which receives the plurality of pulses in order to generate the switching signal.

15. The arrangement of claim 11, further comprising a transmitter for generating a high-frequency transmit signal and a receiver for receiving a high-frequency receive signal, the transmitter and the receiver being coupled to the signal path via the signal coupler.

16. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein the control circuit has a DC voltage circuit adapted to generate a controlled DC voltage from the high-frequency signal.