TECHNOLOGY FOR PROCESSING AND EXCHANGING SIGNALS BETWEEN A FIELD DEVICE AND A CONTROLLER

Abstract

A signal processing module for processing electrical signals exchanged between at least one field device and a programmable logic controller (PLC) includes: a first connection component for electrically connecting the signal processing module to the at least one field device and the PLC; a communication component for sending information signals to the PLC; and a signal processing component for processing the electrical signals exchanged between the at least one field device and the PLC of a functional scope of the signal processing module. The information signals are indicative of the functional scope.

Description

Claims

1. A signal processing module for processing electrical signals exchanged between at least one field device and a programmable logic controller (PLC), comprising: a first connection component configured to electrically connect the signal processing module to the at least one field device and the PLC;a communication component configured to send information signals to the PLC; anda signal processing component configured to process the electrical signals exchanged between the at least one field device and the PLC of a functional scope of the signal processing module,wherein the information signals are indicative of the functional scope.

2. The signal processing module of claim 1, wherein the communication component is configured to send the information signals indicative of the functional scope in response to; the electric connection by the first connection component, and/orthe electric connection of the signal processing module to the PLC, and/ora request for the functional scope received from the PLC via the first connection component.

3. The signal processing module of claim 1, wherein the communication component is configured to send the information signals to the PLC via the first connection component and/or a wireless interface.

4. The signal processing module of claim 1, wherein the first connection component is arranged at an edge of the signal processing module and for electrical connection is mated or configured to mate with a second connection component of a system comprising the PLC.

5. The signal processing module of claim 1, wherein the signal processing module is configured to process analogue and/or digital electrical signals of the functional scope.

6. The signal processing module of claim 1, wherein the functional scope of the signal processing module comprises at least one of the following signal processing operations: converting an electrical signal detected by the at least one field device to a digital input (DI) of the PLC electrically connected by the first connection component;converting an electrical signal detected by the first connection componentfrom a digital output (DO) of the PLC to the at least one field device;converting an electrical signal detected by the at least one field device to an analogue input (AI) of the PLC electrically connected by the first connection component;converting an electrical signal detected by the first connection component from an analogue output (AO) of the PLC to the at least one field device;providing a digital input (DI) towards the at least one field device, the DI being configured to acquire the electrical signals of the at least one field device;providing a digital output (DO) towards the at least one field device, the DO being configured to output the electrical signals to the at least one field device;providing an analogue input (AI) towards the at least one field device, the AI being configured to acquire the electrical signals of the at least one field device; andproviding an analogue output (AO) to the at least one field device, the AO being configured to output the electrical signals to the at least one field device.

7. The signal processing module of claim 1, wherein the functional scope comprises at least two alternative states of signal processing by the signal processing module.

8. The signal processing module of claim 1, wherein the functional scope of the signal processing module is unchangeable.

9. The signal processing module of claim 1, wherein the information signals comprise at least one of the following identifiers: a signal processing module identifier indicative of the signal processing module;a connection component identifier indicative of the first connection component of the signal processing module;a connection state identifier indicative of a state of the electrical connection between the signal processing module and the PLC;a functional scope identifier indicative of the functional scope;an operational state identifier indicative of an operational state of processing the electrical signals and/or an operational state of the signal processing module;an application identifier indicative of an application of the electrical signals and/or indicative of a device type of the at least one field device; anda waveform identifier indicative of a waveform of the electrical signals.

10. The signal processing module of claim 1, wherein, of the functional scope, the first connection component and/or the communication component and/or the signal processing component is configured for unidirectional or bidirectional communication of the electrical signals.

11. The signal processing module of claim 1, wherein the first connection component and/or the communication component and/or the signal processing component is configured for serial communication of the electrical signals and/or the information signals with the PLC.

12. A system for exchanging electrical signals between at least one field device and a programmable logic controller (PLC), comprising: the PLC providing at least one port for exchanging the electrical signals; andat least two second connection components which are electrically connected to the at least one port of the PLC and which are each configured to electrically connect the PLC to the signal processing module of claim 1 via its first connection component,wherein the PLC is configured to receive information signals from the signal processing module and to exchange the electrical signals with the respective signal processing module via the at least two second connection components of a functional scope of the respective signal processing module, andwherein the information signals from the respective signal processing module are indicative of the functional scope of the respective signal processing module.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising: at least two of the signal processing modules, each of whose first connection components are electrically connected to a different one of the second connection components and each of which is configured to send the information signal to the PLC and to process the electrical signals exchanged between the at least one field device and the PLC of the functional scope of the respective signal processing module.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the information signals are indicative of an identifier of the respective signal processing module, and the at least one port provided by the PLC comprises a serial port electrically connected to the at least two second connection components for exchanging the electrical signals, wherein the PLC is configured to exchange the electrical signals with the at least two signal processing module via the serial port, andwherein the at least two signal processing modules are differentiated and/or addressed by their respective identifiers.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein a respective port of the PLC is electrically connected to a respective other one of the at least two second connection components, and wherein the PLC is configured to configure the port electrically connected to the respective second connection component in response to the information signals from the at least two signal processing modules of the functional scope indicated via that port.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the PLC comprises a connection to a higher-level control center and is configured to: send the electrical signals, the information signals, and/or the signals derived therefrom to the higher-level control center, and/orreceive instructions from the higher-level control center for controlling the processing of the electrical signals and send control signals in accordance with the instructions to one of the signal processing modules, and/orreceive instructions from the higher-level control center for controlling the at least one field device and send electrical signals to the at least one field device in accordance with the instruction.

17. The signal processing module of claim 5, wherein the analogue and/or digital electrical signals of the functional scope comprise logic level electrical signals and/or modulated electrical signals.

18. The signal processing module of claim 7, wherein the communication component is configured to receive control signals from the PLC via the first connection component, with the control signals specifying a state of the alternative states, and the signal processing component is configured to assume the specified signal processing state.

19. The signal processing module of claim 9, wherein the information signals comprise the indication of the functional scope.

20. The signal processing module of claim 10, wherein, of the functional scope, the first connection component and/or the communication component and/or the signal processing component is configured for unidirectional or bidirectional communication of the electrical signals with the PLC and/or the at least one field device.