Diagnostic circuit for monitoring an analog-digital converter circuit

• US 8,373,585 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2010
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KG (Grieshaber Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH)
• Original Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KG (Grieshaber Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH)
• Inventors: Schaetzle, Ralf, Kopp, Manfred
• Primary Examiner(s): JEANGLAUDE, JEAN BRUNER
• Application Number:
  US12/750,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20100271000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 341117-120, 341/155, 341/156, 341/163
• US Class Current: 341/120
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/1071 Measuring or testing
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/12 Analogue/digital converters H03M1/001 – H03M1/10 take precedence

Abstract

Described is monitoring of an analog-digital conversion of a measured value of at least one of a pressure gauge, a level gauge and a flowmeter. Different measured values can be provided for the analog-digital converter by means of a first microcontroller, wherein these measured values are subsequently transmitted from this first area into a second area by means of a unidirectional coupler. These values are acquired by a second microcontroller in the second area and compared with reference values that are stored in the second area or at another location. This diagnostic circuit may make it possible to detect drifts of resistances and of reference voltages, as well as a faulty analog-digital converter or a program execution error of the first microcontroller.

Claims

1. A diagnostic circuit for monitoring an analog-digital converter circuit during an input of a measured value of at least one of a level gauge, a pressure gauge and a flowmeter, comprising:

a multiplexer selecting different signals;

a first microcontroller controlling at least the multiplexer;

wherein a supply voltage is provided for the microcontroller; and

wherein the diagnostic circuit is configured to detect a change in the supply voltage on the basis of a comparison of the supply voltage with a stored supply voltage reference value of the supply voltage by utilizing the multiplexer and the first microcontroller.

2. The diagnostic circuit of claim 1, furthermore comprising:

a first current sensing resistor unit; and

a second current sensing resistor unit;

wherein the diagnostic circuit is configured to detect a change of one of the first and second current sensor resistor units on the basis of a comparison between the resistance ratios of the first and second current sensing resistor units.

3. The diagnostic circuit of claim 2, wherein the diagnostic circuit is configured to carry out an adaptation of the stored resistance reference value of the current sensing resistor units if a change is detected, and wherein the adaption corresponds to the detected change.

4. The diagnostic circuit of claim 1, furthermore comprising:

an analog-digital converter converting an analog signal into a digital signal;

a potentiometer generating an analog potentiometer signal;

wherein the analog-digital converter converts the analog potentiometer signal into a digital potentiometer signal; and

wherein the diagnostic circuit is configured to detect a malfunction of the analog-digital converter on the basis of a comparison of the analog potentiometer signal with the digital potentiometer signal.

5. The diagnostic circuit of claim 1, furthermore comprising:

a second microcontroller configured to detect a program execution error of the first microcontroller.

6. The diagnostic circuit of claim 5, furthermore comprising:

a unidirectional coupler;

wherein the first current sensing resistor unit, the analog-digital converter, the multiplexer and the first microcontroller are arranged in a first area of the circuit;

wherein the second microcontroller is arranged in a second area of the circuit;

wherein the second area fulfills stricter safety requirements than the first area;

wherein the coupler allows an unidirectional signal transmission from the first area into the second area; and

wherein the reference value or the reference values is/are stored in the second area.

7. The diagnostic circuit of claim 1, furthermore comprising:

a bidirectional coupler;

wherein the first current sensing resistor unit, the analog-digital converter and the multiplexer are arranged in a first area of the circuit;

wherein the first microcontroller is arranged in a second area of the circuit;

wherein the second area fulfills stricter safety requirements than the first area;

wherein the coupler allows a bidirectional signal transmission from the first area into the second area; and

wherein the first microcontroller is designed for controlling and adjusting at least one of the multiplexer or the analog-digital converter.

8. The diagnostic circuit of claim 6, wherein the first area fulfills the requirements of an intrinsically safe circuit and the second area is not realized in the form of an intrinsically safe circuit.

9. The diagnostic circuit of claim 6, wherein the first and the second area are separated by an galvanic isolation.

10. The diagnostic circuit of claim 1, wherein at least one element that is selected from the group comprising of first microcontroller, multiplexer, analog-digital converter, potentiometer, first electric resistor and second electric resistor is realized in the form of a discrete, separate component.

11. The diagnostic circuit of claim 1, wherein the analog signal is an analog electric current signal;

and wherein the electric current signal is generated by at least one of a level gauge, a pressure gauge and a flowmeter and corresponds at least one of to a measured level, pressure and a flow value.

12. An arrangement, comprising:

a diagnostic circuit including a multiplexer selecting different signals and a first microcontroller controlling at least the multiplexer,

wherein a supply voltage is provided for the microcontroller and

wherein the diagnostic circuit is configured to detect a change in the supply voltage on the basis of a comparison of the supply voltage with a stored supply voltage reference value of the supply voltage by utilizing the multiplexer and the first microcontroller.

13. The arrangement of claim 12, wherein the arrangement is one of a level gauge, a pressure gauge and a flowmeter.

14. A method for monitoring an analog-digital converter circuit during an input of a measured value of at least one of a level gauge, a pressure gauge and a flowmeter, comprising:

supplying a microcontroller with a supply voltage, the microcontroller being configured control at least the multiplexer, the multiplexer being configured to select different signals;

measuring the supply voltage;

comparing the measured supply voltage with a stored supply voltage reference value of the supply voltage; and

detecting a change in the supply voltage on the basis of the comparison.