Modular measuring system

• US 6,655,223 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WTW Wissenschaftlich-Technische Werkstätten GmbH & Co. KG (Xylem, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WTW Wissenschaftlich-Technische Werkstätten GmbH (Xylem, Inc.)
• Inventors: March, Konrad, Hengel, Robert, Rettig, Ulrich, Essel, Raimund
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwok, Helen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rogers, David A.
• Application Number:
  US09/964,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20020139174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 738/661, 738/665, 734/31, 736/20, 73/310.5, 73/530.1, 324/115
• US Class Current: 73/866.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/24 Housings ; Casings for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/02 Measuring two or more variables by means not covered by a single other subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25098 Detect connected sensors, set parameters, gain automatically
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25322 Stackthrough modules, modules are stacked, no need for backplane

Abstract

The invention relates to a modular measuring system (10) comprising

at least one measuring location having sensors,

at least one connection module (18a, 18b, 18c), which is provided at the measuring location and which is preferably located in a housing (20) and is used to connect sensors,

at least one communications port to connect sensors and at least one input/output unit (12),

at least one element that is provided at the measuring location and that has an identification code for the input/output unit

one electronic module that is provided in the input/output unit, that is controlled on the basis of the identification code, and that is used for the functions of the I/O elements (14, 16) of the input/output unit. Defining the functions of the input/output unit by means of the identification code provided at the measuring location largely prevents improper operation of the input/output unit.

Claims

1. A modular measuring system comprising:

at least one sensor, the or each sensor including a transducer and a measurement circuit for providing a sensor signal that is representative of a measured value of a sensed variable,

at least one connection module, the or each connection module including a means by which identification data is stored and having at least one terminal for connecting the connection module to a sensor to receive the sensor signal provided by the sensor, and

an input/output unit that is engageable with the connection module and includes a display device and electronics for controlling operation of the display device,

the connection module and the input/output unit including an interconnection for transmitting the sensor signal to the input/output module and allowing the electronics of the input/output unit to read the identification data from the connection module, whereby the electronics of the input/output unit controls operation of the display device of the input/output unit on the basis of the identification data stored by the connection module.

2. The modular measuring system of claim 1, wherein the connection module has a housing provided with at least one adapter surface and the input/output unit is provided with at least one mating surface that is complementary to the adapter surface.

3. The measuring system of claim 2, including complementary electrical contacts in the area of each contact surface and each mating surface.

4. The measuring system of claim 3, wherein the connection module has a bus connection that is routed to the electrical contacts of the housing.

5. The measuring system of claim 2, wherein the housing is provided with a mating surface as well as an adapter surface.

6. The measuring system of claims 5, wherein the housing includes a rear piece, a front piece, and a hinge connecting the rear piece and the front piece to permit relative pivotal movement of the rear piece and the front piece, and wherein the adapter surface and the mating surface are provided on the front piece and the rear piece respectively.

7. The measuring system of claim 5, wherein the adapter surface and the mating surface (44, 46) are located on the front and rear sides of the housing (20).

8. The measuring system of claim 2, comprising at least first and second connection modules having first and second housings respectively.

9. The measuring system of claim 8, wherein the adapter surface and the mating surface of the first and second housings have locating means that are complementary to one another.

10. The measuring system of claim 8, wherein the adapter surface and the mating surface of the first and second housings are removably engaged to one another.

11. The measuring system of claim 10, wherein the adapter surface and the mating surface of the first and second housings are removably engaged to one another by means of screws.

12. The measuring system of claim 1, comprising a peripheral having a housing provided with at least one of an adapter surface and a mating surface having electrical contacts.

13. The measuring system of claim 12, wherein the peripheral is a power supply or a memory unit.

14. The measuring system of claim 1, wherein the connection module includes a storage element by which the identification data is recorded.

15. A modular measuring system comprising:

at least first and second sensors each including a transducer and a measurement circuit for providing a sensor signal that is representative of a measured value of a sensed variable,

at least first and second connection modules each including a means by which identification data is stored and each having at least one terminal for connecting the connection module to a sensor to receive the sensor signal provided by the sensor, and

an input/output unit including a display device and electronics for controlling operation of the display device,

and wherein the second connection module is engaged with the first connection module, the input/output unit is engaged with the second connection module, and the connection modules and the input/output unit include an interconnection for transmitting the sensor signals received by the first and second connection modules respectively to the input/output module and allowing the electronics of the input/output unit to read the identification data from the connection modules respectively, whereby the electronics of the input/output unit controls operation of the display device on the basis of the identification data.