Method for safely operating at least one automation field device

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for securely operating a field device via a mobile terminal, in which the field device is securely operated if a first distance between the field device and the terminal is greater than or equal to or becomes greater than or equal to a first predeterminable distance. A connection between the field device and the terminal device is established by means of a Bluetooth connection and authentication is carried out on the field device via the Bluetooth connection by entering a user name and / or a password on the terminal device such that, in the event of successful authentication, at least some of the data and / or measured values or setpoints of the field device can be accessed, and the field device is connected to the terminal device via the Bluetooth connection. In the event that the first distance is less than or becomes less than a first predeterminable distance, a connection between the field device and the terminal device is established by means of a UWB connection and authentication is carried out on the field device via the UWB connection without entry of a user name and / or a password, such that, in the event of successful authentication, the user name and / or password of the field device are / is authenticated by means of the UWB connection. At least some of data and / or measurements or setpoints of the field device may be accessed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for securely operating or servicing at least one automation technology field device in an automation plant via a mobile terminal. Background Art

[0002] In process and manufacturing automation technology, field devices are often used, which are used to register and / or influence process variables. For recording process variables, sensors, such as, for example, filling level measuring devices, flow measuring devices, pressure and temperature measuring devices, pH-redox potential measuring devices, conductivity measuring devices, etc., are used to record corresponding process variables, filling levels, flow rates, pressures, temperatures, pH values ​​and conductivity. For influencing process variables, actuators, such as, for example, valves or pumps, can be used to change the flow rate of liquids in pipeline sections or the filling level in containers via actuators. In principle, what are called field devices are all devices that are applied near the process and deliver or process process-related information. In addition to the above-mentioned sensors and actuators, what are called field devices are usually also units that are directly connected to the field bus and are used to communicate with the superordinate unit, such as remote I / O, gateways, linking devices and wireless adapters. A large number of such field devices are manufactured and sold by the Endress+Hauser Group.

[0003] In order to realize wireless data transmission between such field devices and mobile terminal devices, current field devices have different radio interfaces, such as WLAN, Bluetooth and / or near field communication (NFC). With the help of these interfaces, a connection to the corresponding field device can be established in order to access its measured values ​​or actuation values ​​and / or data, such as parameters. Mobile terminal devices are usually used for data transmission, which are also equipped with different radio interfaces. Such mobile terminal devices can be, for example, smart phones, tablet computers or notebook computers.

[0004] For security reasons, it is currently often expected that operators who service (e.g. configure and / or parameterize) field devices by means of mobile terminal devices must first be authenticated via a password. In contrast, operators who are at the site of the field device, at least for accessing parts of the data and / or measured values ​​or actuation values, do not need to perform any authentication. This is because it is assumed that operators who access the plant are also authorized to access the data and / or measured values ​​or actuation values ​​of the field device.

[0005] Since not all field devices located in a plant are easily accessible, a reasonable option in this case is to service them with the aid of a mobile terminal device. However, in this case, the operator has to authenticate with a user name and / or password at each individual field device to be serviced before being able to access the data of the device and / or the measured or actuated values ​​of the device. Summary of the invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to improve this situation.

[0007] The object of the invention is achieved by the method defined in claim 1 .

[0008] The method of the present invention for safely operating or servicing at least one automation technology field device in an automation plant via a mobile terminal device provides: when a first distance between the field device ascertained by means of a UWB connection and the mobile terminal device is greater than or equal to or becomes greater than or equal to a first predeterminable distance, an operator uses the mobile terminal device to perform connection establishment between the field device and the mobile terminal device by means of a Bluetooth connection and authentication of the field device via the Bluetooth connection by inputting a user name and / or a password, so that in the case of successful authentication, the operator can access at least a part of the data and / or measured values ​​or actuation values ​​of the field device via the Bluetooth connection, and when the first distance between the field device ascertained by means of the UWB connection and the mobile terminal device is less than or becomes less than the first predeterminable distance, connection establishment between the field device and the mobile terminal device by means of a UWB connection and / or a Bluetooth connection is performed so that authentication of the field device is performed via the UWB connection without inputting a user name and / or a password, so that in the case of successful authentication, the operator can access at least a part of the data and / or measured values ​​or actuation values ​​of the field device via the UWB connection or the Bluetooth connection.

[0009] According to the invention, a method is provided in which, once the operator is within a predeterminable distance from the field device, the operator can service the field device by means of a mobile terminal device without having to authenticate via entering a username and / or password. In this case, according to the invention, the distance is ascertained by means of a UWB connection and thus via a time-of-flight (ToF) method. Once the distance is within a first predeterminable distance, authentication of the field device can be performed via the UWB connection without entering a username and / or password. As a result, the operator's service of the field device is as if the operator were directly at the field device and directly serviced the field device via an integrated display.

[0010] An advantageous form of embodiment of the method of the invention provides for controlling access rights to data and / or measured or actuated values ​​as a function of an additional predefinable distance between the field device and the mobile end device that is smaller than the first distance.

[0011] An advantageous form of embodiment of the method of the invention provides for disabling access by the mobile terminal device to data and / or measured values ​​or actuation values ​​of the field device when a first distance between the field device and the mobile terminal device after a successful authentication via the UWB connection is or becomes greater than a first predeterminable distance.

[0012] An alternative form of embodiment of the method of the invention provides that, when a first distance between the field device and the mobile terminal device is greater than or becomes greater than a first predeterminable distance after successful authentication via the UWB connection, access to the data and / or measured values ​​or actuation values ​​of the field device by the mobile terminal device is maintained until the Bluetooth connection and / or the UWB connection is interrupted.

[0013] An advantageous form of embodiment of the method of the invention provides that the first predeterminable distance and / or the additional predeterminable distance can be predetermined by an operator of the automated plant.

[0014] An advantageous form of embodiment of the method of the invention provides that the mobile terminal device shows the operator all field devices which are located within a first distance from the mobile terminal device.

[0015] An advantageous form of embodiment of the method of the invention provides that the mobile terminal device also displays the distance to each field device.

[0016] An advantageous form of embodiment of the method of the invention provides for enabling navigation to the field device in the mobile terminal device after successful authentication of the field device via the UWB connection. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The invention will now be explained in more detail based on the accompanying drawings. The sole figure of the accompanying drawings shows as follows:

[0018] Figure 1 : An automation plant with, for example, three automation technology field devices is schematically shown in order to illustrate the method according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Figure 1 The basic features of an automation plant 4 are schematically shown with, for example, three field devices 1 which can be connected to a superordinated unit 3 for data transmission.

[0020] In order to realize wireless data transmission between such field device 1 and mobile terminal device 2, field device 1 and mobile terminal device 2 each have a Bluetooth interface and a UWB interface for wireless data transmission. In this case, as described above, mobile terminal device 2 can be a smart phone, a tablet computer or a notebook computer. In addition, the mobile terminal device can also be a mobile service or operating device specially used for servicing field devices.

[0021] The method of the present invention provides that when the first distance D1 between the field device 1 and the mobile terminal device 2 is greater than or equal to or becomes greater than or equal to a first predeterminable distance, a connection establishment between the field device 1 and the mobile terminal device 2 is performed by means of a Bluetooth connection 7. In this case, the first distance is ascertained via the UWB connection 6 and thus via a time of flight (ToF) method. The first predeterminable distance can be determined or predetermined, for example, by an operator of the automated plant. An example of the first distance D1 can range up to about 7m, preferably up to about 6m, particularly preferably up to about 5m.

[0022] Using the mobile terminal device 2, the operator 5 can initiate the actual connection in the automation plant 4 when located within the radio range of the field device 1 but not directly on site of the field device 1. For this purpose, the operator 5 can be shown, for example, all field devices within the radio range. This can occur, for example, in the form of a list, so that the operator 5 can select which field device 1 a connection should be established with. In addition, the operator 5 can also be given information about the distance of the field device 1 from the mobile terminal device 2, which is shown, for example, on a display of the mobile terminal device. Of course, no connection can be made when the field device 1 is further away from the mobile terminal device 2 than the range for the Bluetooth connection.

[0023] After establishing the Bluetooth connection, the method provides for authentication of the field device, wherein the operator enters a user name and / or a password into the mobile terminal device so that in the event of a successful authentication the operator can access data and / or measured or actuated values ​​of the field device via the Bluetooth connection.

[0024] The method further provides that, when a first distance between the field device 1 and the mobile terminal device 2 is or becomes less than a first predeterminable distance D1, establishment of a connection between the field device 1 and the mobile terminal device 2 is performed by means of the UWB connection 6. Then, authentication of the field device 1 is performed via the UWB connection 6 without entering a user name and / or a password, so that in the case of successful authentication, the operator 5 can access data and / or measured values ​​or actuation values ​​of the field device 1 via the UWB connection 6 or the Bluetooth connection 7. In a preferred variant of the method, after successful authentication via the UWB connection, data and / or measured values ​​or actuation values ​​are sent only via the Bluetooth connection 7 and not via the UWB connection 6.

[0025] As a supplement, the method can provide that access to the data and / or measured values ​​or actuation values ​​of the field device 1 by the mobile terminal device 2 is disabled when the first distance between the field device 1 and the mobile terminal device 2 is greater than or becomes greater than the first predeterminable distance D1 after a successful authentication via the UWB connection 6. This means that the data and / or measured values ​​or actuation values ​​can no longer be exchanged. Alternatively, the method can provide that access to the data and / or measured values ​​or actuation values ​​of the field device by the mobile terminal device is maintained until the Bluetooth connection 7 and / or the UWB connection 6 is interrupted when the first distance between the field device 1 and the mobile terminal device 2 is greater than or becomes greater than the first predeterminable distance D1 after a successful authentication via the UWB connection 6. In this case, the interruption of the Bluetooth connection 7 and / or the UWB connection 6 can be done by the operator 5, who intentionally initiates this step by corresponding measures at the mobile terminal device, such as disconnection. Alternatively, however, the interruption of the connection can also occur automatically, for example when the mobile terminal device 2 moves outside the maximum radio range of the field device 1.

[0026] As a supplement, the method can provide for controlling the access rights to data and / or measured values ​​or actuation values ​​as a function of an additional predefinable distance D2 between the field device 1 and the mobile end device 2, which distance is in each case smaller than the first distance. Thus, for example, more access rights can be enabled depending on how close the mobile end device 2 is to the field device 1. The additional predefinable distance can likewise be established, for example predefined, by an operator of the automation plant.

[0027] The method can also provide that, in the case of successful authentication via the UWB connection 6 , the operator 5 is given navigation to the field device 1 in the display of the mobile terminal device 2 .

[0028] Reference numerals list

[0029] 1 Automation technology field equipment

[0030] 2 Mobile terminal devices

[0031] 3 Parent unit, such as SPS

[0032] 4 Automated Factory

[0033] 5 Operator

[0034] 6 UWB connection

[0035] 7 Bluetooth connection

[0036] D1 First predeterminable distance

[0037] D2 Additional pre-determinable distance

Claims

1. A method for securely operating or servicing at least one automation technology field device (1) in an automation plant (4) via a mobile terminal device (2), comprising: When a first distance (D1) between the field device (1) and the mobile terminal device (2) ascertained by means of the UWB connection is greater than or equal to or becomes greater than or equal to a first predeterminable distance (D1), an operator using the mobile terminal device (2) performs establishment of a connection between the field device (1) and the mobile terminal device (2) by means of a Bluetooth connection and authentication of the field device (1) via the Bluetooth connection (7) by means of input of a user name and / or a password, so that in the event of successful authentication, the operator (5) can access at least part of the data and / or measured values ​​or actuation values ​​of the field device (1) via the Bluetooth connection (7), and when the operator (5) uses the Bluetooth connection (7) When the first distance between the field device (1) and the mobile terminal device (2) ascertained by the UWB connection is less than or becomes less than a first predeterminable distance (D1), a connection is established between the field device (1) and the mobile terminal device (2) by means of the UWB connection and / or the Bluetooth connection so that the field device (1) is authenticated via the UWB connection (6) without inputting a user name and / or a password, so that in the event of a successful authentication, the operator (5) can access at least a part of the data and / or measured values ​​or actuation values ​​of the field device (1) via the UWB connection (6) or the Bluetooth connection (7).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Access to the data and / or measured or actuated values ​​is controlled as a function of an additional predeterminable distance (D2) between the field device (1) and the mobile terminal (2), which is smaller than the first distance (D1).

3. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein: When the first distance (D1) between the field device (1) and the mobile terminal device (2) is or becomes greater than the first predeterminable distance (D1) after successful authentication via the UWB connection (6), access by the mobile terminal device (2) to data and / or measured values ​​or actuation values ​​of the field device (1) is disabled.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: When the first distance (D1) between the field device (1) and the mobile terminal device (2) is or becomes greater than the first predeterminable distance after successful authentication via the UWB connection (6), access by the mobile terminal device (2) to data and / or measured values ​​or actuation values ​​of the field device is maintained until the Bluetooth connection (7) and / or the UWB connection (6) is interrupted.

5. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein: The first predeterminable distance and / or the additional predeterminable distance can be predetermined by an operator of the automated plant (4).

6. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein: The mobile terminal device (2) shows the operator all field devices (1) located within the first distance from the mobile terminal device (2).

7. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein: The mobile terminal (2) also displays the distance to each field device (1).

8. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein: After successful authentication of the field device via the UWB connection, navigation to the field device (1) is enabled in the mobile terminal (2).

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