Field device with display

• US 7,174,228 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2005
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Endress + Hauser Wetzer GmbH + Company KG
• Original Assignee: ndress+Hauser Wetzer GmbH+Co., KG
• Inventors: Konrad, Michael, Schmidt, Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, THOMAS K
• Application Number:
  US11/258,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20060036339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 700/115, 700/96, 700/108, 700/112, 700/110, 700/83, 700/9, 700/204, 709/106, 707/10, 718/106
• US Class Current: 700/83
• 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 for on-site visualization of conditions of an automated process is disclosed. It comprises a display controller which at least temporarily provides a state indication signal representing a constellation of states of at least two process data signals. At least one of the two process data signals is derived from a signal generated externally to the field device. The field device has a display element which responds to a change in the state indication signal with a significant change in its appearance, thus signaling the constellation of the states of the two process data signals in a visually perceptible manner. Therefore, the field device is particularly suited for on-site monitoring of entire plants or sections thereof by operating personnel.

Claims

1. A field device installed in a plant implementing an automated process, said field device comprising:

a display controller which receives at least a first process data signal representing a first process variable from said automated process and a second process data signal representing a second process variable from said automated process, at least said second process data signal being derived from an external signal generated externally to the field device; and

a display element for on-site visualization of process data, said display element being controlled by said display controller based on said first and second process data signals, wherein;

said display controller at least temporarily provides a value indication signal representing an instantaneous value of said second process data signal; and

said display element at least temporarily presents said signal value in a visually perceptible manner.

2. The field device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said display controller further provides a state indication signal at least temporarily, which represents a constellation of states of at least one of the two process data signals; and

said display element visually signals via its appearance a constellation of the states of the two process data signals.

3. The field device as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said display element responds to a change in the state indication signal with a significant change in its appearance.

4. The field device as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

said display element comprises a light-emitting means of adjustable hue for illuminating a display background; and

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

5. The field device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a transducer, wherein;

said first process data signal is a signal generated by means of said transducer.

6. The field device as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

the field device is selected from a group consisting of level meter, mass flowmeter, pH meter, pressure gages, limit detector, valves and pumps.

7. The field device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said external signal is generated by another field device.

8. The field device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the field device being connected to a field bus, and

said external signal is transmitted to the field device via said field bus.

9. The field device as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said external signal is generated by another field device connected to said field bus.

10. A system for monitoring an automated process, said system comprising:

at least two field devices installed in a plant implementing said automated process, a first one of said field devices generating a first process data signal representing a first process variable and a second one of said field devices generating a second process data signal representing a second process variable, wherein;

the first one of said field devices derives from said first and said second process data signals a state indication signal representing a predefined process condition of said automated process.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said first one of said field devices at least temporarily provides a value indication signal representing an instantaneous value of one of the two process data signals.

12. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

for generating the first process data signal, said first field device comprises a transducer.

13. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

the first one of said field devices is selected from a group consisting of level meter, mass flowmeter, pH meter, pressure gages, limit detectors, data recording devices, valves and pumps.

14. The system as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a field bus, wherein;

said at least two field devices are connected to said field bus.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

said second process data signal is transmitted to said first one of said field devices via said field bus.

16. The plant section as claimed in claim 14, wherein the display element visually signals via its appearance a constellation of the two process data signals.

17. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

at least said first one of said field devices comprises a display element for on-site visualization.

18. The system as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said display element is implemented in a technology selected from a group consisting of;

Super Twisted Nematic technology (STN), Double Super Twisted Nematic technology (DSTN), Color Coded Super Twisted Nematic technology (CCSTN).

19. The system as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said display element comprises a light-emitting means of adjustable hue for illuminating a display background; and

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

20. The system as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said first one of said field devices at least temporarily provides a value indication signal representing an instantaneous value of said second one of said two process data signals; and

said display element responds to the value indication signal by at least temporarily presenting this signal value in a visually perceptible manner.

21. A plant section, comprising:

a tank having a discharge pipe; and

at least two field devices communicating with each other, a first one of said field devices being installed on said discharge pipe of said tank and generating a first process data signal, which represents an outflow from said tank, and a second one of said field device being mounted above a maximum tank level and generating a second process data signal, which represents a fill level in said tank wherein;

at least one of said two field devices includes a display element of variable appearance; and

said display element is controlled based on said first and second process data signals.

22. The plant section as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

said at least one field device including said display element provides a value indication signal representing an instantaneous value of said one process data signal generated external said one field device including said display element.

23. The plant section as claimed in claim 22, wherein:

said display element responds to the value indication signal by at least temporarily presenting said signal value in a visually perceptible manner.

24. The plant section as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

for generating said first process data signal, said first field device comprises a transducer.

25. The plant section as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

said first one of said field devices is a mass flowmeter; and

said second one of said field devices is a level meter.

26. The plant section as claimed in claim 21, further comprising:

a field bus, wherein;

said at least two field devices are connected to said field bus.

27. The plant section as claimed in claim 26, wherein:

said second process data signal is transmitted to said first one of said field devices via said field bus.

28. The plant section as claimed in claim 27, wherein:

said field bus is a serial field bus.

29. The plant section as claimed in claim 21, further comprising:

at least one further field device for sensing an inflow into said tank.

30. The plant section as claimed in claim 21, further comprising:

at least one further field device for sensing an inflow into said tank, and,

a field bus wherein;

each of said field devices are connected to a field bus.

31. A method for monitoring a tank, the method comprising steps of:

using a first field device installed on a discharge pipe of said tank for generating a first process data signal representing an outflow from said tank;

using a second field device mounted above a maximum tank level for generating a second process data signal representing a fill level in said tank;

generating from said first and said second process data signals a state indication signal representing a predefined condition of said tank to be monitored; and

using said state indication signal for controlling a display element of at least one of said first and second field devices visually signalling said predefined condition of said tank.

32. A field device installed in a plant implementing an automated process, said field device comprising:

a transducer;

a display controller which receives a process data signal representing a process variable from said automated process, said process data signal being generated by means of said transducer; and

a display element for on-site visualization of process data, wherein;

said display element is controlled by said display controller based on said process data signal, and

said display element comprises a light-emitting means of adjustable hue for illuminating a display background.