Connection system, in particular a plug-in connection system for the transmission of data and power supply signals

• US 7,785,151 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2007
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knick Elektronische Messgeraete GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Knick Elektronische Messgeraete GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Giebson, Jorg, Feucht, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang; Weibin
• Application Number:
  US11/671,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20070183315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: 439/557, 439/625, 439/626, 439/660, 439/950, 439/527, 439/544, 439/552, 336/90
• US Class Current: 439/660
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2038/143 for signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/24 Testing correct operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/95 Electrical connector adapted to transmit electricity to mating connector without physical contact, e.g. by induction, magnetism, or electrostatic field

Abstract

A connection system for the preferably contactless transmission of data and power supply signals between a sensor means and a base unit in a measuring and transmission system comprises a sensor-side and a base-side connection element. There is provided in at least one of the connection elements an optical diagnosis display unit for displaying state parameters within the measuring and transmission system.

Claims

1. A plug-in connection system for a contactless transmission of data and power supply signals between a sensor means and a base unit in a measuring and transmission system, the plug-in connection system comprising:

a data and power supply line connected to the base unit;

a sensor-side connection element, the sensor means being mounted to said sensor-side connection element, said sensor-side connection element comprising a power signal receiver, a data modulator/demodulator unit which can be coupled at least indirectly, for the purposes of signaling, to at least one measuring sensor of the sensor means and said sensor-side connection element comprising a first coupling partner element for contactless transmission of data and power supply signals via a coupling path;

a base-side connection element coupled to said data and supply line, said base-side connection element comprising a second coupling partner element of the coupling path, a power signal transmitter, a data modulator/demodulator unit, a data interface which can be connected to the base unit with respect to data and a primary power supply;

a microprocessor-assisted control and memory unit in at least one of the connection elements; and

an optical diagnosis display unit in at least one of the connection elements for displaying state parameters within the measuring and transmission system, said optical diagnosis display unit comprising at least one light-emitting diode, wherein the at least one light-emitting diode of the optical diagnosis display unit is located on a printed circuit board arranged in an interior of the connection system and the display signal is discernible from outside via windows in the housing of the connection system.

2. A connection system according to claim 1, wherein the optical diagnosis display unit generates a signal representing the power supply state of the measuring and transmission system.

3. A connection system according to claim 1, wherein the optical diagnosis display unit generates a signal representing the data transmission behavior of the measuring and transmission system.

4. A connection system according to claim 1, wherein the optical diagnosis display unit generates a signal representing the state of the sensor of the measuring and transmission system.

5. A connection system according to claim 4, wherein the test routines for determining the state of the sensor can be initiated by the control and memory unit of one of the connection elements.

6. A connection system according to claim 1, wherein differing state parameters of the measuring and transmission system can be displayed by differing coloring and/or flash frequency of the display signal of the diagnosis display unit.

7. A connection system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of light-emitting diodes are provided in said optical diagnosis display unit, said plurality of light-emitting diodes corresponding to the basic colors and being activated in accordance with the principle of the additive mixture of colors for generating a display signal of any color.

8. A connection system according to claim 1, wherein the display signal of the optical diagnosis display unit can additionally be modulated for optical data transmission.

9. A connection system according to claim 1, further comprising another interface for the wireless communication of data to a separate entity.

10. A connection system according to claim 1, wherein a window is provided, said window being an annular window in the sensor-remote housing portion of the connection system.

11. A connection system according to claim 1, wherein for configuring the connection system as a plug-in connection system, the sensor-side connection element is a plug element and the sensor-remote connection element is a socket element or vice versa.

12. A connection system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor-side connection element and the sensor means are rigidly connected to each other.

13. A connection system according to claim 1, wherein there is provided in the sensor-side connection element, for digitizing the measurement signal, an A-D converter coupled to the at least one measuring sensor for the purposes of signaling.

14. A connection system, in particular a plug-in connection system for contactless transmission of data and power supply signals between a sensor means and a base unit in a measuring and transmission system, the connection system comprising:

a sensor-side connection element comprising a power signal receiver, a data modulator/demodulator unit which can be coupled at least indirectly, for the purposes of signaling, to at least one measuring sensor of the sensor means and said sensor-side connection element comprising a first coupling partner element for contactless transmission of data and power supply signals via a coupling path;

a base-side connection element comprising a second coupling partner element of the coupling path, a power signal transmitter, a data modulator/demodulator unit, a data interface which can be connected to the base unit with respect to data and a primary power supply;

a microprocessor-assisted control and memory unit in at least one of the connection elements; and

an optical diagnosis display unit in at least one of the connection elements for displaying state parameters within the measuring and transmission system, said optical diagnosis display unit comprising at least one light-emitting diode, wherein the at least one light-emitting diode of the optical diagnosis display unit is located on a printed circuit board arranged in an interior of the connection system and the display signal is discernible from outside via windows in the housing of the connection system.

15. A connection system according to claim 14, wherein the window provided is an annular window in the sensor-remote housing portion of the connection system.

16. A connection system, in particular a plug-in connection system for contactless transmission of data and power supply signals between a sensor means and a base unit in a measuring and transmission system, the connection system comprising:

a sensor-side connection element comprising a power signal receiver, a data modulator/demodulator unit which can be coupled at least indirectly, for the purposes of signaling, to at least one measuring sensor of the sensor means and said sensor-side connection element comprising a first coupling partner element for contactless transmission of data and power supply signals via a coupling path;

a base-side connection element comprising a second coupling partner element of the coupling path, a power signal transmitter, a data modulator/demodulator unit, a data interface which can be connected to the base unit with respect to data and a primary power supply;

a first microprocessor-supported control and memory unit provided in said sensor-side connection element;

a second microprocessor-supported control and memory unit provided in said base-side connection element; and

an optical diagnosis display unit in at least one of the connection elements for displaying state parameters within the measuring and transmission system.

17. A plug-in connection system for a contactless transmission of data and power supply signals between a sensor means and a base unit in a measuring and transmission system, the plug-in connection system comprising:

a data and power supply line connected to the base unit;

a sensor-side connection element, the sensor means being mounted to said sensor-side connection element, said sensor-side connection element comprising a power signal receiver, a data modulator/demodulator unit which can be coupled at least indirectly, for the purposes of signaling, to at least one measuring sensor of the sensor means and said sensor-side connection element comprising a first coupling partner element for contactless transmission of data and power supply signals via a coupling path;

a base-side connection element coupled to said data and supply line, said base-side connection element comprising a second coupling partner element of the coupling path, a power signal transmitter, a data modulator/demodulator unit, a data interface which can be connected to the base unit with respect to data and a primary power supply;

a microprocessor-assisted control and memory unit in at least one of the connection elements; and

an optical diagnosis display unit in at least one of the connection elements for displaying state parameters within the measuring and transmission system, said optical diagnosis display unit comprising at least one light-emitting diode, wherein the at least one light-emitting diode of the optical diagnosis display unit is located on a printed circuit board arranged in an interior of the connection system and the display signal is discernible from outside via windows in the housing of the connection system, wherein at least one of the windows provided is an annular window in the sensor-remote housing portion of the connection system.

18. A plug-in connection system for a contactless transmission of data and power supply signals between a sensor means and a base unit in a measuring and transmission system, the plug-in connection system comprising:

a data and power supply line connected to the base unit;

a sensor-side connection element, the sensor means being mounted to said sensor-side connection element, said sensor-side connection element comprising a power signal receiver, a data modulator/demodulator unit which can be coupled at least indirectly, for the purposes of signaling, to at least one measuring sensor of the sensor means and said sensor-side connection element comprising a first coupling partner element for contactless transmission of data and power supply signals via a coupling path;

a base-side connection element coupled to said data and supply line, said base-side connection element comprising a second coupling partner element of the coupling path, a power signal transmitter, a data modulator/demodulator unit, a data interface which can be connected to the base unit with respect to data and a primary power supply;

a microprocessor-assisted control and memory unit in at least one of the connection elements; and

an optical diagnosis display unit in at least one of the connection elements for displaying state parameters within the measuring and transmission system, wherein a microprocessor-supported control and memory unit is provided in both connection elements.