Sensor-machine interface and method for operation thereof

• US 8,050,778 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sick AG (Sick)
• Original Assignee: Sick AG (Sick)
• Inventors: Manner, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ramesh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Norton; Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US10/508,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20050203641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,155 Days
• Field of Search: 700/9, 700/17, 700 19- 21, 700/169, 700/180, 700/11, 700/83, 702187-189, 709/220, 709/223, 709/224, 709/330, 340/3.71, 340/3.1, 340/555, 250/221
• US Class Current: 700/17
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/21119 Circuit for signal adaption, voltage level shift, filter noise
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/21122 Programmable signal discrimination, input can be used for several functions

Abstract

The invention relates to a sensor-machine interface for the coupling of at least one sensor to at least one machine with at least one sensor input for receiving sensor status signals, at least one machine output, for transmission of machine control signals, a programme memory and a controller for programme-controlled operation of the machine output dependent on the signals received by means of the sensor input and a method for operating such an interface.

Claims

1. A sensor/machine interface for coupling of at least one sensor to at least one machine having at least one sensor input for reception of sensor state signals, at least one machine output for transmission of machine control signals, a program memory and a control unit for outputting program control signals to the machine output in dependence on the signals received via the sensor input, the program memory stores different programs so that program control of the machine output can be carried out in different manners, a program selection switch is provided via which the different programs can be actuated and a sensor operating mode selection switch is provided via which different operating modes of the sensor can be set at the sensor, where the control unit outputs program control signals in accordance with a program selected by the switch and the program selection switch and the sensor operating mode selection switch are combined in one single switch.

2. A sensor/machine interface in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the sensor/machine interface is accommodated in a housing separate from the sensor and from the machine.

3. A sensor/machine interface in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that at least one machine input is provided for reception of machine state signals, with it being possible to control the machine output in dependence on signals received via the sensor input and/or via the machine input.

4. A sensor/machine interface in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the machine output is designed for transmission of machine switch-off signals and/or for transmission of machine actuation signals.

5. A sensor/machine interface in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that hardware and software of the sensor/machine interface satisfy safety standards IEC61508 and/or EN 61496.

6. A sensor/machine interface in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that at least the control unit is present in duplicate in a redundant manner.

7. A sensor/machine interface in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the different programs can be loaded into the program memory by an external programming device via a programming interface.

8. A sensor/machine interface in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of program modules forming a program library can be assembled into programs.

9. A sensor/machine interface in accordance with claim 8, characterized in that the plurality of program modules, and thus also the programs assembled from them, satisfy standards IEC61508 and/or EN 61496.

10. A sensor/machine interface in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a sensor output is provided via which a connected sensor can be configured and/or monitored.

11. A sensor/machine interface in accordance with claim 10, characterized in that a sensor configuration memory is provided in which configuration data for a sensor connected to the sensor output can be stored.

12. A sensor/machine interface in accordance with claim 11, characterized in that different sets of configuration data can be stored in the sensor configuration memory which relate to different sensor types and/or to different programs.

13. A sensor/machine interface in accordance with claim 11, characterized in that configuration data can be loaded from the sensor into the sensor configuration memory.

14. A sensor/machine interface in accordance with claim 11 characterized in that configuration data is sent via the sensor output to the connected sensor in response to a selection of an operating mode via the sensor operating mode selection switch.

15. A sensor/machine interface in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of sensor inputs, sensor outputs, machine outputs and/or machine inputs are provided.

16. A method for the operation of a sensor/machine interface for coupling of at least one sensor to at least one machine, the sensor/machine interface having at least one sensor input for reception of sensor state signals, at least one machine output for transmission of machine control signals, a program memory and a control unit for outputting program control signals to the machine output in dependence on the signals received via the sensor input, comprising:

storing different programs in the program memory so that program control of the machine output can be carried out in different manners;

selecting a different program in the program memory by actuating a program selection switch provided on the sensor/machine interface; and

selecting a different operating mode of the sensor via a sensor operating mode selection switch provided on the sensor/machine interface, where the program selection switch and the sensor operating mode selection switch are combined in one single switch.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16, characterized in that, on reception of sensor state signals which indicate a presence of an object in the monitored zone, a machine switch-off signal is transmitted via the machine output.

18. A method in accordance with claim 16, characterized in that, on reception of specific sensor state signals or machine state signals or of specific combinations of sensor state signals or machine state signals, no machine switch-off signal is transmitted and, on reception of other sensor state signals or other machine state signals or other combinations of sensor state signals or machine state signals, a machine switch-off signal is transmitted via the machine output.

19. A method in accordance with claim 16, characterized in that a machine clock signal generated in dependence on machine state signals and/or on sensor state signals is transmitted via the machine output to trigger specific machine functions.

20. A method in accordance with claim 16, characterized in that the programs stored in the program memory are assembled from pre-determined program modules via an operating interface in particular running on a computer or on a laptop.

21. A method in accordance with claim 16, characterized in that whether the sensor/machine interface is working correctly, and/or whether the sensor matching the selected program is connected to the sensor input and/or output, and/or whether the machine matching the selected program is connected to the machine input and/or output is automatically monitored by means of the programs stored in the program memory.

22. A method in accordance with claim 16, characterized in that a connected sensor is configured and/or monitored via a sensor output.

23. A method in accordance with claim 16, characterized in that configuration data are loaded from the sensor into the program memory or vice versa.

24. A method in accordance with claim 16, characterized in that configuration data are loaded from a configuration device into the program memory.

25. A method in accordance with claim 16, characterized in that, on connection of a new sensor, configuration data matching the new sensor are automatically loaded from the sensor configuration memory into the sensor and the sensor is thus configured.

26. A method in accordance with claim 16, characterized in that different operating modes of the sensor can be set via a sensor operating mode selection switch.

27. A method in accordance with claim 26, characterized in that the data to be communicated to the sensor for setting of sensor operating mode are matched to the new sensor.

28. A sensor/machine interface for coupling of at least one sensor to at least one machine, comprising:

a sensor input receptive of sensor state signals from the at least one sensor,

a sensor output for transmitting sensor control signals to the at least one sensor;

a machine output for transmitting machine control signals to the at least one machine;

a program memory that stores different sets of configuration data for different sensors and different programs so that program control of the machine output can be carried out in different manners;

a switch is provided via which different operating modes of the sensor can be set and one of the different programs is selected; and

a control unit that outputs sensor control signals to the sensor output in accordance with an operating mode of the sensor set by the switch and outputs program control signals to the machine output in accordance with the program selected by the switch.