Wireless power and communication unit for process field devices

• US 20050245291A1
• Filed: 05/21/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Nelson, Richard, Karschnia, Robert, Hausler, George, Brown, Gregory, Ostby, Philip, Fandrey, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,538,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/572
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23316 Standby, inactive, sleep or active, operation mode
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25289 Energy saving, brown out, standby, sleep, powerdown modus for microcomputer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33192 Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A wireless power and communication unit for field devices is configured to connect to a field device and provide operating power and wired digital communication between the unit and the field device. RF circuitry in the unit is configured for radio frequency communication. In one embodiment, power supply circuitry in the unit includes one or more solar power cells that convert solar energy into electricity to power both the unit and the field device. The unit interacts with the field device in accordance with a standard industry communication protocol. The unit communicates wirelessly with an external device, such as a control room, based upon the interaction with the field device.

Claims

1. A wireless power and communication unit for providing wireless operation to a field device, the unit comprising:

a housing;

an attachment region coupled to the housing and being coupleable to the field device;

a power storage device disposed within the housing;

a loop communicator disposed to connect to the field device via the attachment region;

a controller coupled to the power source and loop communicator, the controller being configured to interact with the field device using the loop communicator;

a wireless communication module coupled to the controller and being configured for wireless communication; and

wherein the unit is adapted to provide operating power to the field device.

2. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 1, wherein the power storage device is a battery.

3. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 1, and further comprising a energy converter coupled to the controller and being adapted to convert a source of environmental potential energy into electricity.

4. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 3, wherein the energy converter includes at least one photo-voltaic cell.

5. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 4, wherein the at least one photo-voltaic cell seals a portion of the housing.

6. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 3, wherein the controller is adapted to recharge the power storage device with electricity from the energy converter.

7. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 3, and further comprising a temperature sensor operably coupled to the controller and disposed to sense a temperature of the energy storage device, and wherein the controller selectively charges the energy storage device based at least in part upon a signal from the temperature sensor.

8. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 7, wherein the temperature sensor is operably coupled to the controller through an analog-to-digital converter.

9. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 1, wherein the attachment region includes a conduit connection.

10. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 9, wherein the conduit connection is selected from the group consisting of a ⅜

-18 NPT connection, a ½

-14 NPT connection, a M20x1.5 connection, and a G1/2 connection.

11. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 1, wherein the attachment region includes at least one degree of freedom.

12. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 1, wherein the attachment region allows the housing to be rotatable about a first axis.

13. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 12, wherein the attachment region allows the housing to the rotatable about a second axis that is substantially orthogonal to the first axis.

14. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 1, and further comprising a photo-voltaic cell disposed near a top surface of the housing at an angle of approximately 30 degrees with respect a bottom surface of the housing.

15. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 1, and further comprising a local user interface.

16. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 15, wherein the local user interface includes a button.

17. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 16, wherein the button is user configurable.

18. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 16, wherein the button is disposed proximate the attachment region.

19. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 15, wherein the user interface includes a display.

20. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 19, wherein the display is an LCD display.

21. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 19, wherein the display is located proximate a top surface of the housing.

22. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 21, wherein the display is located proximate a photo-voltaic cell.

23. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 19, wherein the display is mounted proximate the attachment region.

24. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 23, wherein the display is rotatable about the attachment region.

25. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 1, wherein the housing is field-hardened.

26. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 1, and further comprising an additional attachment region, the additional attachment region being configured to couple the wireless power and communication unit to an additional field device and power and communicate with both field devices.

27. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 26, wherein the loop communicator is adapted to communicate digitally with both field devices.

28. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a microprocessor.

29. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 1, wherein the loop communicator is configured to sense a current ranging between 4 and 20 milliamps.

30. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 1, wherein the loop communicator is adapted to communicate digitally with the field device.

31. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 1, wherein the loop communicator provides a two-wire connection to the field device, which two wire connection provides power and communication with the field device.

32. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 1, and further comprising a field device coupled to the wireless power and communication unit via the attachment region.

33. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 32, wherein the field device is a process variable generator.

34. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 32, and further comprising at least one additional field device coupled to the wireless power and communication unit via an additional attachment region.

35. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 32, wherein the field device is an actuator.

36. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 1, wherein the controller provides power management.

37. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 36, wherein the power management includes causing the field device to enter a sleep mode.

38. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 37, wherein the controller causes the field device to enter sleep mode based upon user input.

39. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 36, wherein the power management includes causing at least a portion of the wireless power and communication unit to enter a sleep mode.

40. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 39, wherein the controller causes the portion of the wireless power and communication unit to enter sleep mode based upon user input.

41. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 1, wherein the power storage device is selected based upon a scale of power required by the field device.

42. A wireless power and communication unit comprising:

a power storage device operably coupleable to at least one field device to provide power to the at least one field device;

a loop communicator coupled to the power storage device and operably coupleable to the at least one field device, the loop communicator being adapted for communication with the at least one field device in accordance with an industry standard process control protocol; and

a wireless communication module operably coupled to the loop communicator to provide wireless communication with an external device based upon communication with the at least one field device.

43. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 42, wherein the industry standard process protocol is 4-20 milliamps.

44. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 42, wherein the industry standard process protocol is HART.

45. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 42, wherein the industry standard process protocol is FOUNDATION Fieldbus.

46. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 42, wherein the industry standard process protocol is Profibus-PA.

47. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 42, wherein the industry standard process protocol is Modbus.

48. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 42, wherein the industry standard process protocol is CAN.

49. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 42, wherein the loop communicator is operably coupleable to the field device through a standard industry conduit.

50. The wireless power and communication unit of claim 42, and further comprising an energy converter operably coupled to the power storage device to charge the power storage device.

51. A method of operating a field device having at least two terminals through which the field device communicates, the method comprising:

coupling a power storage device to the field device, the power storage device being disposed externally to the field device;

interacting with the field device via the at least two terminals; and

generating wireless signals based upon the interaction with the field device.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein interacting includes providing power management to the field device.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein the wireless signals are indicative of a process variable.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the signals are indicative of an alarm based upon the process variable.

55. The method of claim 51, wherein the wireless signals are indicative of information relative to the field device.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the information is diagnostic information.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein the information is indicative of an alarm based upon the field device.

58. The method of claim 51, wherein the field device is a process variable generator.

59. The method of claim 51, wherein the field device is an actuator.

60. The method of claim 51, wherein the field device is a valve.

61. The method of claim 51, and further comprising:

coupling the power storage to an additional field device, the power storage device being disposed externally to the additional field device;

interacting with the additional field device via the at least two terminals disposed within the additional field device; and

generating wireless signals based upon the interaction with the additional field device.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the wireless signals are indicative of interaction with both field devices.

63. The method of claim 61, wherein one of the plurality of field devices is a process variable generator, another of the field devices is an actuator, and wherein interacting with actuator causes closed-loop process control.

64. The method of claim 61, wherein one of the plurality of field devices is a process variable generator, another of the field devices is an valve, and wherein interacting with actuator causes closed-loop process control.

65. The method of claim 51, wherein the wireless signals include HTML information.

66. A wireless power unit for providing power to a wireless field device, the unit comprising:

a housing;

an attachment region coupled to the housing and being coupleable to the wireless field device;

a power storage device disposed within the housing and being coupleable to the wireless field device through the attachment region; and

wherein the unit is adapted to provide operating power to the wireless field device.