Field device with display

• US 7,010,366 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2002
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ndress+Hauser Wetzer GmbH+Co., KG
• Original Assignee: Endress + Hauser Wetzer GmbH + Company KG
• Inventors: Schmidt, Dieter, Konrad, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, THOMAS K
• Application Number:
  US10/189,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20030006989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 700/115, 700/96, 700/108, 700/112, 700/110, 700/83, 700/9, 700/204, 709/106, 707/10
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/02 Measuring two or more variables by means not covered by a single other subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/06 Luminous indications projected on a common screen
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23147 LCD liquid crystal display
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23171 Display dynamic change of process, animation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25014 Fieldbus general name of bus connected to machines, detectors, actuators
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A display (AV) for on-site visualization of conditions of an automated process (PZ) is disclosed. It comprises a display controller (AS) which at least temporarily provides a state indication signal (ZA) representing a constellation of states of at least two process data signals (PD₁, PD₂). At least one of the two process data signals (PD₁, PD₂) is derived from a signal (RX) generated externally to the field device (F₁). The field device (F₁) has a display element (AE) which responds to a change in the state indication signal (ZA) with a significant change in its appearance, thus signaling the constellation of the states of the two process data signals (PD₁, PD₂) in a visually perceptible manner. Therefore, the field device (F₁) is particularly suited for on-site monitoring of entire plants or sections thereof by operating personnel.

Claims

1. A field device with a display for on-site visualization of conditions of an automated process, the display comprising:

a display controller which receives at least a first process data signal and a second process data signal, and which at least temporarily provides a state indication signal representing a constellation of states of at least the two process data signals;

at least one of the two process data signals being derived from an external signal generated externally to the field device; and

a display element of variable appearance which visually signals via its appearance a constellation of the states of the two process data signals, and which responds to a change in the state indication signal with a significant change in its appearance.

2. The field device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said display controller at least temporarily provides a value indication signal representing an instantaneous value of one of the two process data signals; and

said display element responds to said value indication signal by at least temporarily presenting this signal value in a visually perceptible manner.

3. The field device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

one of said two process data signals is derived from a transducer signal generated inside the field device.

4. The field device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said display element comprises a light-emitting means of adjustable hue for illuminating a display background; and

said display element responds to said state indication signal by causing said light-emitting means to illuminate the display background in a hue which signals the condition currently being represented by said state indication signal.

5. The field device as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

said light-emitting means illuminates the display background in a hue which was selected from a store of discrete hue values.

6. The field device as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

said light-emitting means comprises an array of differently colored light-emitting diodes.

7. The field device as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

said light-emitting means comprises differently colored light-emitting films.

8. The field device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said external signal is fed to the field device through a communications interface.

9. The field device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said first process data signal represents a first physical or chemical process variable sensed from the automated process.

10. The field device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said second process data signal represents a second physical or chemical process variable.

11. The field device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the field device is installed in a plant implementing the automated process.

12. The field device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a transducer, wherein;

said first process data signal is a signal generated by means of said transducer.

13. The field device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the field device is selected from a group consisting of level meter, a mass flowmeter, a pH meter, a pressure gage, a limit detector.

14. The field device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a control element, wherein;

said first process data signal is a control signal generated by said control element.

15. The field device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the field device is selected from a group consisting of valves and pumps.

16. The field device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the field device is selected from a group consisting of a level meter, a mass flowmeter, a pH meter, a pressure gage, a limit detector, a data recording device, a valve and a pump.

17. The field device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said external signal representing a second physical or chemical process variable.

18. The field device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the field device is connected to a field bus; and

said external signal is transmitted to the field device via said field bus.

19. The field device as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

the field bus connected to the field device is connected to a serial field bus.

20. The field device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said external signal is generated by another field device.

21. The field device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said display element is implemented in Super Twisted Nematic technology.

22. The field device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said display element is implemented in Double Super Twisted Nematic technology.

23. The field device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said display element is implemented in Color Coded Super Twisted Nematic technology.

24. A field device with a display for on-site visualization of conditions of an automated process, said display comprising:

a display controller which receives at least a first process data signal and a second process data signal and which at least temporarily provides a state indication signal representing a constellation of states of at least one of the two process data signals; and

at least one of the two process data signals being derived from an external signal generated externally to the field device; and

a display element of variable appearance which visually signals via its appearance a constellation of the states of the two process data signals, and which responds to a change in the state indication signal with a significant change in its appearance, wherein;

the field device is installed in a plant implementing said process.

25. The field device as claimed in claim 24 wherein:

said first process data signal representing a first physical or chemical process variable sensed from the automated process.

26. The field device as claimed in claim 25, wherein:

said external signal represents a second physical or chemical process variable.

27. The field device as claimed in claim 24, further comprising:

a transducer, wherein;

said first process data signal is a signal generated by means of said transducer.

28. The field device as claimed in claim 24, wherein:

the field device is selected from a group consisting of a level meter, a mass flowmeter, a pH meter, a pressure gage, a limit detector.

29. The field device as claimed in claim 24, further comprising:

a control element, wherein;

said first process data signal is a control signal generated by said control element.

30. The field device as claimed in claim 24, wherein:

the field device is selected from a group consisting of valves and pumps.

31. The field device as claimed in claim 24, wherein:

the field device is selected from a group consisting of a level meter, a mass flowmeter, a pH meter, a pressure gage, a limit detector, a data recording device, a valve and a pump.

32. The field device as claimed in claim 24, wherein:

said external signal represents a second physical or chemical process variable.

33. The field device as claimed in claim 24, wherein:

the field device is connected to a field bus; and

said external signal is transmitted to the field device via said field bus.

34. The field device as claimed in claim 33, wherein:

said field bus connected to field device is connected to a serial field bus.

35. The field device as claimed in claim 24, wherein:

the external signal is generated by another field device.

36. The field device as claimed in claim 24, wherein:

said display element comprises a light-emitting means of adjustable hue for illuminating a display background; and

said display element responds to the state indication signal by causing said light-emitting means to illuminate the display background in a hue which signals the condition currently being represented by said state indication signal.

37. The field device as claimed in claim 24, wherein:

said light-emitting means illuminates the display background in a hue which was selected from a store of discrete hue values.

38. A field device with a display for on-site visualization of conditions of an automated process, said display comprising:

a display controller which receives at least a first process data signal and a second process data signal and which at least temporarily provides a state indication signal representing a constellation of states of at least one of the two process data signals; and

at least one of the two process data signals being derived from an external signal generated externally to the field device; and

a display element of variable appearance which visually signals via its appearance a constellation of the states of the two process data signals, and which responds to a change in the state indication signal with a significant change in its appearance, wherein;

the field device is connected to a field bus; and

said external signal is transmitted to the field device via said field bus.

39. The field device as claimed in claim 38, further comprising:

a transducer, wherein;

said first process data signal is a signal generated by means of said transducer; and

said first process data signal represents a first physical or chemical process variable.

40. The field device as claimed in claim 39, wherein:

said external signal represents a second physical or chemical process variable.

41. The field device as claimed in claim 38, wherein:

said external signal is generated by another field device.

42. The field device as claimed in claim 38, wherein:

said display controller at least temporarily provides a value indication signal representing an instantaneous value of one of the two process data signals; and

said display element responds to said value indication signal by at least temporarily presenting this signal value in a visually perceptible manner.

43. The field device as claimed in claim 38, wherein:

said first process data signal is derived from a transducer signal generated inside the field device.

44. The field device as claimed in claim 38, wherein:

the field device is selected from a group consisting of a level meter, a mass flowmeter, a pH meter, a pressure gage, a limit detector.

45. The field device as claimed in claim 38, wherein:

said display element comprises a light-emitting means of adjustable hue for illuminating a display background; and

said display element responds to said state indication signal by causing said light-emitting means to illuminate the display background in a hue which signals the condition currently being represented by said state indication signal.

46. The field device as claimed in claim 38, wherein:

said light-emitting means illuminates the display background in a hue which was selected from a store of discrete hue values.