Energy Controlled Data Transmission of a Field Device

• US 20120005489A9
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KG (Grieshaber Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH)
• Original Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KG (Grieshaber Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH)
• Inventors: Allgaier, Volker, Isenmann, Andreas, Deck, Thomas, Fehrenbach, Josef
• Application Number:
  US12/472,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20100262843A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/284 Electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/296 Acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/886 using energy harvesting, e.g. solar, wind or mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A field device acquires measured values and transferring data in an energy-controlled manner. A control device monitors the quantity of energy collected in the field device and triggers data transfer only when the quantity of energy collected has exceeded a predetermined threshold value. In particular, data transfer can take place at irregular intervals.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A control device for a field device for energy-controlled data transfer to an external receiver, comprising:

a first arrangement monitoring a quantity of energy collected by the field device; and

a second arrangement triggering the data transfer after the collected quantity of energy has exceeded a predetermined threshold value.

17. The control device according to claim 16 wherein the data transfer is triggered as soon as adequate energy for data transfer has been collected in the field device.

18. The control device according to claim 16, wherein the data transfer is triggered as soon as both a first condition and a second condition are met.

19. The control device according to claim 18, wherein the first condition is met when the collected quantity of energy has exceeded a predetermined threshold value;

and wherein the second condition is met when an event selected from the group comprising;

(a) elapsing of a preset period of time since a previous data transfer, (b) occurrence of an error state in the field device, and (c) detection of a particular measured value using the field device has occurred.

20. The control device according to claim 16, further comprising:

a time control arrangement preventing the data transfer from being triggered anew before a programmable period of tine has elapsed.

21. A field device, comprising:

a control device including a first arrangement monitoring a quantity of energy collected by the field device and a second arrangement triggering the data transfer after the collected quantity of energy has exceeded a predetermined threshold value

22. The field device according to claim 21, further comprising:

an energy storage device storing the quantity of energy collected by the field device.

23. The field device according to claim 21, further comprising:

an energy converter collecting energy from surroundings of the field device.

24. The field device according to claim 23, wherein the energy converter includes one of a solar panel, a thermal element converting a temperature difference to electrical energy, and a wind power plant.

25. The field device according to claim 21, wherein the field device is one of a fill-level measuring device, a pressure measuring device, a limit measuring device and a flow measuring device.

26. The field device according to claim 23, wherein the filed device provides a self-sufficient energy supply using the energy converter.

27. The field device according to claim 21, further comprising:

a communication module wirelessly communicating with a central station.

28. A method for energy-controlled data transfer from a field device to an external receiver, comprising the steps of:

monitoring a quantity of energy collected by the field device; and

triggering a data transfer after the quantity of energy collected has exceeded a predetermined threshold value.

29. A program element which, when executed on a processor of a control device for a field device, instructs the processor to carry out the following steps:

monitoring a quantity of energy collected by the field device; and

triggering a data transfer from the field device to an external receiver after the quantity of energy collected has exceeded a predetermined threshold value.

30. A computer-readable medium on which a program element is stored, which, when executed on a processor of a control device for a field device, instructs the processor to carry out the following steps:

monitoring a quantity of energy collected by the field device; and

triggering a data transfer from the field device to an external receiver after the quantity of energy collected has exceeded a predetermined threshold value.