Automation system

• US 7,617,011 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2006
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Lang, Gerhard, Kramer, Dieter, Neumann, Gotz
• Primary Examiner(s): DeCady; Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee; Douglas S
• Application Number:
  US11/795,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20080154388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: 700/9, 700/83, 700/291, 702/57, 702/64, 702/77, 709/201, 709/206, 709/227, 709/238, 717/168, 370/470
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24175 Redundant communication channel, if one fails use the other
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25014 Fieldbus general name of bus connected to machines, detectors, actuators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25217 Configure communication protocol, select between several
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31183 Token ring
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

An automation system includes at least one device that detects measured values and is connected to a automated process, at least one field device connected to the at least one device detecting measured values, and a master computer connected to the at least one field device. In order to simplify the design of such an automation system as much as possible, the device detecting measured values, the field device, and the master computer are connected to a common data transmission network which is equipped for transmitting digital measured data from the device detecting measured values to the field device according to a first communication protocol and for transmitting digital control data between the field device and the master computer according to a second communication protocol.

Claims

1. An automation system for a power supply system, comprising:

at least one measured-value detection device connected to an automated process for transmitting and distributing electrical power;

at least one electrical protective device connected to said at least one measured-value detection device;

a host computer connected to said at least one electrical protective device;

a common data transmission network connected between said at least one measured-value detection device, said at least one electrical protective device, and said host computer; and

said common data communication network being configured to transmit digital measured data from said at least one measured-value detection device to said at least one electrical protective device using a first communication protocol, and to transmit digital control data between said at least one electrical protective device and said host computer using a second communication protocol different from said first communication protocol.

2. The automation system according to claim 1, wherein said data transmission network is a Real-Time-Ethernet Network.

3. The automation system according to claim 1, which comprises actuator devices connected to said data transmission network and connected on an output side to the automated process.

4. The automation system according to claim 1, wherein said data transmission network has a ring structure.

5. The automation system according to claim 1, wherein said data transmission network comprises at least two mutually redundant network elements.

6. The automation system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one measured-value detection device has an analog/digital converter and a network connecting device for connection to said data transmission network.

7. The automation system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one measured-value detection device is connected to a conversion device for converting the measured data to the first communication protocol, and said conversion device has an output side connected to said data transmission network.

8. The automation system according to claim 1, which comprises a network connecting device disposed to connect at least one of said at least one electrical protective device and/or said at least one measured-value detection device to said data transmission network, said network connecting device having only a single internal port and only two external ports, and wherein said internal port is connected to said at least one electrical protective device or to said measured-value detection device and said two external ports are connected to said data transmission network.