Automation device operable to convert between data byte streams and frequency modulated line signals

• US 9,537,692 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2006
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Kresse, Heiko, Stelter, Andreas, Schaeffer, Ralf
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nimesh G
• Application Number:
  US11/508,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20070150625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,786 Days
• Field of Search: 710260-269
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/122 using digital generation of carrier signals digital function generators G06F1/02, H04L17/10; generating pulses having stepped portions using digital techniques H03K4/026

Abstract

The invention relates to an automation device, in which a plurality of spatially distributed functional units communicate with one another by means of a common transmission protocol. The device has a microcontroller (110) which has at least one associated clock generator (120) and a memory unit (150) and which is connected at least to a data source (140), which is designed to output a data byte stream to be transmitted. A first program for conversion of a data byte stream to be transmitted to a sequence of sample values of an adequate frequency-modulated line signal, and a second program for identification of a frequency-modulated line signal and for its sequential conversion to a received data byte stream are stored in the memory unit (150), with these programs being associated with the microcontroller (110). The first and the second program can be run alternately.

Claims

1. An automation device, for connection to a second automation device via a single communication line, the automation device comprising:

a data sink, a data source, a microcontroller with a least one associated clock generator and a memory unit, the microcontroller having a first associated program for conversion of a first data byte stream, which is received from the data source, to a sequence of sample values of a first frequency-modulated line signal, which is subsequently transmitted to the second automation device via the communication line, and the first program is stored in the memory unit, the microcontroller further having a second associated program for identification of a second frequency modulated line signal, which is received from the second automation device via the communication line, and for its sequential conversion to a second data byte stream, which is subsequently transmitted to the data sink, and the second program is stored in the memory unit, and the first and the second programs are run alternately.

2. The automation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the running of the first and second programs can be initiated in each case by an interrupt request.

3. The automation device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the interrupt request is time-controlled.

4. The automation device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the interrupt request is periodic.

5. The automation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data source is a configurable sensor for converting a physical variable to an electrical variable, and wherein data sink is a configuration of the sensor.

6. The automation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data sink is an actuator for converting an electrical variable to a physical variable, and wherein the data source is a device for diagnosing characteristics of the actuator.

7. An automation device for connection to a second automation device via a single communication line, the automation device comprising:

a data sink, a data source, a memory unit, and a microcontroller with at least one associated clock generator,

the memory unit having written thereupon;

a first associated program that upon execution by the microcontroller converts a first data byte stream received from the data source to a sequence of sample values of a first frequency-modulated line signal, and transmits the first frequency-modulated line signal to the second automation device via the communication line connecting the first and second automation device, and,

a second associated program run alternately relative to the first associated program, that upon execution by the microcontroller identifies a second frequency-modulated line signal received from the second automation device via the communication line, converts the second frequency-modulated line signal to a second data byte stream, and transmits the second data byte stream to the data sink.