Energy saving control for a field device

• US 8,160,725 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2009
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KG (Grieshaber Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH)
• Original Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KG (Grieshaber Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH)
• Inventors: Allgaier, Volker, Isenmann, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ramesh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lopez Alvarez, Olvin
• Application Number:
  US12/469,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20100298999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 700/12, 700295-296, 738/61, 455/343.1, 455/343.2, 713/320, 713/310, 713/340, 713/323, 713/324
• US Class Current: 700/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

A control for a field device comprises a monitoring unit that is separate from a control unit for controlling the field device which monitoring unit, when the control unit is in a sleep mode, waits for an activation signal in order to switch the control unit to the operating mode.

Claims

1. A control device for a field device, comprising:

a control unit controlling the field device, and

a separate monitoring unit, wherein the control unit selectively switches to one of an operating mode and a sleep mode, wherein the control unit, before the sleep mode is assumed, transmits a deactivation signal to the separate monitoring unit, wherein the separate monitoring unit, after an activation signal has been received, switches the control unit to the operating mode, wherein the separate monitoring unit switches the control unit to sleep mode after the deactivation signal has been received by disconnecting the control unit from a power supply, wherein the control unit, prior to transmitting the deactivation signal, switches further components of the field device off, and wherein the control unit, after activation of the control unit, switches the further components on.

2. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply supplying the control unit and the separate monitoring unit with power, wherein the separate monitoring unit switches the control unit to operating mode in that it connects the control unit to the power supply.

3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises an energy storage device.

4. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an energy monitor configured to one of (1) transmit the activation signal to the separate monitoring unit when a charge state of the energy storage device exceeds a predefined value and (2) transmit the activation signal to the separate monitoring unit when a discharge state of the energy storage device falls below a predefined value.

5. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a timer transmitting the activation signal to the separate monitoring unit one of (a) at a predetermined time and (b) after a predetermined period of time has elapsed,

wherein the control unit provides the timer with the predefined time.

6. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a switch, wherein the activation signal is transmitted to the separate monitoring unit by manual triggering of the switch.

7. A field device, comprising:

a control device including a control unit controlling the field device and a separate monitoring unit,

wherein the control unit selectively switches to one of an operating mode and a sleep mode, wherein the control unit, before the sleep mode is assumed, transmits a deactivation signal to the separate monitoring unit, wherein the separate monitoring unit, after an activation signal has been received, switches the control unit to the operating mode, wherein the separate monitoring unit switches the control unit to sleep mode after the deactivation signal has been received by disconnecting the control unit from a power supply, wherein the control unit, prior to transmitting the deactivation signal, switches further components of the field device off, and wherein the control unit, after activation of the control unit, switches the further components on.

8. A method for controlling a field device, comprising:

switching to a sleep mode by a control unit;

transmitting of a deactivation signal from the control unit to a separate monitoring unit prior to switching to the sleep mode;

switching off further components of the field device with the control unit prior to transmitting the deactivation signal,

switching the control unit to the sleep mode by the separate monitoring unit after receipt of the deactivation signal by disconnecting the control unit from a power supply in the sleep mode;

receiving of an activation signal by the separate monitoring unit; and

switching of the control unit to an operating mode by the separate monitoring unit after receipt of the activation signal;

switching on the further components with the control unit after activation of the control unit.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which a program element for a control for a field device is stored, the program element when executed by the control, carries out a method which comprises of the following steps:

switching to a sleep mode by a control unit;

transmitting of a deactivation signal from the control unit to a separate monitoring unit prior to switching to the sleep mode;

switching off further components of the field device with the control unit prior to transmitting the deactivation signal;

switching the control unit to the sleep mode by the separate monitoring unit after receipt of the deactivation signal by disconnecting the control unit from a power supply in the sleep mode;

receiving of an activation signal by the separate monitoring unit; and

switching of the control unit to an operating mode by the separate monitoring unit after receipt of the activation signal;

switching on the further components with the control unit after activation of the control unit.