Sensor and sensor network and method for the operation thereof

• US 9,538,263 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2010
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co.KG (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co.KG (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Bister, Oliver, Gitzen, Matthias, Hamers, Luc, Langer, Goetz, Niewoehner, Andreas, Schueller, Diethelm, Von Sydow, Thorsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhat, Aditya
• Application Number:
  US13/394,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20120179424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,323 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/84 Measuring functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A sensor for measuring at least one measurement variable, a sensor network which has several sensors and a method for operating the sensor network. The sensor initially has a measurement variable sensor which is used to convert the measurement variable into an electric signal. A transducer is used to convert the electric signal into measurement data. The sensor has a first communication interface for transferring the measurement data and other data in accordance with a first protocol and a second communication interface for transferring the measurement data and other data in accordance with a second protocol. The sensor also has a data exchange unit for exchanging data between the transducer, the first communication interface and the second communication interface.

Claims

1. A sensor for measuring at least one measurement variable, comprising:

a measurement variable pick-up operatively arranged to measure the at least one measurement variable and convert the measurement variable into an electrical signal;

a converter operatively arranged to convert the electrical signal into measurement data;

a first communication interface operatively arranged to transmit the measurement data and further data according to a first protocol to and from a further sensor;

a second communication interface operatively arranged to;

collect the measurement data from the further sensor; and

,

transmit the collected measurement data and further data from the further sensor according to a second protocol to an external device directly without a gateway function device; and

,

a data interchange unit operatively arranged to;

interchange and adapt the measurement data between the converter, the first communication interface and the second communication interface according to changing requirements.

2. The sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first communication interface and the second communication interface are based on different media.

3. The sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data interchange unit comprises a programmable processor.

4. The sensor as claimed in claim 3, wherein the processor is programmable via the first communication interface and/or via the second communication interface.

5. The sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the converter is controllable via the first communication interface and/or via the second communication interface.

6. The sensor recited in claim 1, wherein the data to be interchanged is control data for controlling the converter or process parameters.

7. The sensor recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one measurement variable is mechanical vibrations.

8. The sensor recited in claim 1, wherein the data to be interchanged is control data for controlling the sensors.

9. A sensor network, comprising:

a plurality of sensors each having;

a measurement variable pickup operatively arranged to measure at least one measurement variable and convert the at least one measurement variable into an electrical signal;

a converter operatively arranged to convert the electrical signal into measurement data;

a first communication interface operatively arranged to transmit the measurement data and further data according to a first protocol to and from the plurality of sensors;

a second communication interface operatively arranged to;

collect the measurement data from the plurality of sensors; and

,

transmit the collected measurement data and further data according to a second protocol to an external device directly without a gateway function device; and

,

a data interchange unit operatively arranged to;

interchange and adapt the measurement data between the converter, the first communication interface and the second communication interface according to changing requirements, wherein;

the sensors are connected to one another via the first communication interface; and

,

a control room interface, formed by the second communication interface of one of the sensors.

10. The sensor network as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sensors measure different measurement variables.

11. The sensor network recited in claim 9, wherein the data to be interchanged is control data for controlling the converter or process parameters.

12. The sensor network recited in claim 9, wherein the at least one measurement variable is mechanical vibrations.

13. The sensor network recited in claim 9, wherein the data to be interchanged is control data for controlling the sensors.

14. A method for operating a sensor network comprising sensors, which each have a measurement variable pick-up operatively arranged to convert the measurement variable into an electrical signal, a converter operatively arranged to convert the electrical signal into measurement data, a first communication interface, which connects the sensors to one another and transmits the measurement data and further data according to a first protocol among the sensors, a second communication interface operatively arranged to collect the measurement data from the sensors and transmit the measurement data and further data according to a second protocol to an external device directly without a gateway function device, and a data interchange unit operatively arranged to interchange and adapt the measurement data between the converter, the first communication interface and the second communication interface according to changing requirements, and a control room interface, which is formed by the second communication interface of one of the sensors, the method comprising the following steps:

transmitting the measurement data from a first of the sensors via the first communication interface of the first sensor to another of the sensors which has the control room interface; and

,

transmitting the measurement data from the first sensor and measurement data from the another sensor having the control interface via the control room interface.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the following steps:

transmitting the measurement data from a second of the sensors, via the first communication interface of the second sensor, to the first sensor;

transmitting the measurement data from the second sensor to the another sensor having the control room interface via the first communication interface of the first sensor; and

,

transmitting the measurement data from the second sensor via the control room interface.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the following steps:

transmitting control data via the control room interface;

transmitting the control data by the another sensor having the control room interface, via the first communication interface of the another sensor, to the first sensor; and

,

using the control data in the first sensor to control the converter.

17. The method as claimed in one of claim 14, including preprocessing and/or evaluating the measurement data from the first sensor and the measurement data from the another sensor having the control room interface before the measurement data from the first sensor and the measurement data from the another sensor having the control room interface are transmitted via the control room interface.

18. The method recited in claim 14, wherein the data to be interchanged is control data for controlling the converter or process parameters.

19. The method recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one measurement variable is mechanical vibrations.

20. The method recited in claim 14, wherein the data to be interchanged is control data for controlling the sensors.