Method for continuous analysis of the transmission quality in fieldbus networks

• US 7,953,570 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2007
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ABB AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB AG (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Merlin, Tilo, Ude, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): TSAI, CAROL S W
• Application Number:
  US11/898,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20080065797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: 702/85, 702/104, 702/108, 702/127, 702/183, 702/186, 702/188, 370/241, 370/242, 370/252, 370/254, 370/351, 439/218, 439/222, 439/924.1, 439/874, 709/218, 709/220, 709/223, 709/245, 707/999.07, 700/90, 700/100, 375/259, 375/282
• US Class Current: 702/108
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40 Bus networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40208 characterized by the use of a particular bus standard
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error

Abstract

A method is disclosed for continuous analysis of the transmission quality in fieldbus networks in automation systems with a plurality of fieldbus participants, which communicate with one another over the fieldbus network. Directly measurable logical and physical bus parameters are recorded from the line signal transmitted over the fieldbus network, and are stored with a predefinable retrospectivity. Operational parameters are derived from the measured bus parameters, these being weighted and the weighted bus parameters being linked together to form the operational parameter. The quantitative weighting of a bus parameter is functionally determined by at least one other bus parameter.

Claims

1. A method for continuous analysis of transmission quality in a fieldbus network having a bus examiner and a plurality of participants communicate with one another over the fieldbus network, the bus examiner executing the method comprising:

measuring at least one of logical and physical bus parameters from signals transmitted between at least two of the plurality of participants over the fieldbus network;

storing the measured bus parameters; and

deriving first operational parameters from the measured bus parameters,

wherein each first operational parameter is formed by linking at least two of the weighted bus parameters, and

wherein the weighting of a first bus parameter of the measured bus parameters is determined by at least one other measured bus parameter.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

forming second operational parameters are formed from the first operational parameters by at least one of a weighted linking with at least one first operational parameter and a weighted linking with at least one further bus parameter.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein at least one of the first operational parameters is determined from the measured bus parameters by a fuzzy method.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the weighting associated with a bus parameter is determined by means of a statistical method from a time series of the bus parameter.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the bus parameter to be weighted is determined by means of a statistical method from a time series of the bus parameter.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the first operational parameters are recorded.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6,

wherein the first operational parameters are recorded as a time series.

8. The method as claimed in claim 2,

wherein at least one first operational parameter is determined from the bus parameters by a fuzzy method.

9. The method as claimed in claim 3, comprising:

determining a measured bus parameter to be weighted through a statistical method from a time series of the measured bus parameter.

10. The method as claimed in claims 3,

wherein a bus parameter to be weighted is determined by means of a statistical method from a time series of the bus parameter.

11. The method as claimed in claim 5,

wherein first and second the operational parameters which are determined are recorded.

12. A method for continuous analysis of a transmission quality over a fieldbus network having a bus examiner and plural fieldbus participants, the bus examiner executing the method comprising:

measuring logical and physical bus parameters from a line signal transmitted between at least two fieldbus participants over the fieldbus network, and storing the measured parameters,

weighting a plurality of the measured bus parameters;

deriving operational parameters from the measured bus parameters based on at least one of the weighted bus parameters, the weighted bus parameters being linked together to form each operational parameter, and

determining a weighting of a first bus parameter of the measured bus parameters by at least one other measured bus parameter.