Transducer Menu Structure Segmentation for Sensor Adaptability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity and time-consuming nature of generating, maintaining, and testing software for measuring transducers in process automation, especially when supporting new sensors, requires a method to simplify software creation and maintenance while allowing for expandability without replacing the operating software.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the transmission and combination of field-device-specific and transmitter-specific menu structures, using anchor points and placeholders to form a common menu structure, allowing for generic support of different field devices, with menu structures stored on the field device and transferred as needed, and integrated into the transmitter for plug-and-play functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the transmitter software is adapted to support a new sensor type, then the transmitter can support the new sensor, but the operating software must be updated and redistributed to all transmitters
Solution Approach 1:
The menu structure is divided into transmitter-specific parts (stored in transmitter) and field device-specific parts (stored in field device). This segmentation allows the transmitter to support new sensors without requiring software updates, as only the field device-specific menu structure needs to be transmitted from the field device.
Solution Approach 2:
The field device-specific menu structure is extracted from the transmitter software and stored in the field device itself. This extraction eliminates the need to update transmitter software when adding new sensor support, as the relevant menu structure is now self-contained in the field device.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the transmitter includes extensive software for each sensor type, then the transmitter can fully support each sensor, but the generation, maintenance and testing of the software becomes very complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The menu structure is segmented into transmitter-specific and field device-specific components. This reduces transmitter software complexity by removing sensor-specific menu structure code, while still maintaining full sensor support capability through the field device-specific portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmitter is designed with universal functionality to support multiple sensor types without requiring sensor-specific software configurations. The placeholder mechanism provides a universal interface that automatically adapts to different field devices.
3Ease of operation
If the menu structure is stored in the transmitter, then the transmitter can provide the menu structure, but updating the menu structure for new sensors requires software updates
Solution Approach 1:
The field device-specific menu structure is extracted from the transmitter and stored in the field device. This allows the transmitter to provision menu structures easily while maintaining adaptability to new sensors, as the field device can transmit its own menu structure on demand.
Solution Approach 2:
The menu structure becomes dynamic rather than static. The transmitter can adapt to new field devices by receiving and integrating their menu structures at runtime, rather than requiring pre-configured static menu structures for each sensor type.
4Adaptability or versatility
If placeholders are used in the transmitter-specific menu structure, then new field devices can be integrated seamlessly, but the transmitter must handle dynamic menu structure composition
Solution Approach 1:
The placeholder acts as an intermediary between the transmitter-specific and field device-specific menu structures. It enables seamless integration of new field devices while the first interpreter handles the composition logic, managing the complexity of dynamic menu structure assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The field device provides its own menu structure through the placeholder mechanism, making the integration process self-service. The transmitter simply needs to recognize the placeholder and integrate the field device's menu structure, without requiring complex composition logic in the transmitter.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention discloses a method for setting up a menu structure on a transmitter (20) for process automation technology, wherein the transmitter (20) is connectable to at least one field device (1), comprising at least the steps of: connecting the field device (1) to the transmitter (20); transferring a field device-specific menu structure (MS) from the field device (1) to the transmitter (20) if it is not already present on the transmitter (20); and combining the field device-specific menu structure (MS) with a transmitter-specific menu structure (MM) to form a common menu structure (M), wherein the transmitter-specific menu structure (MM) is located in the transmitter (20), by means of at least one anchor point (A) or a placeholder (P) in the transmitter-specific menu structure (MM), wherein the anchor point (A) or the placeholder (P) defineswhere the field-device-specific menu structure (MS) is integrated into the transmitter-specific menu structure (MM), wherein the anchor point (A) is a reference to a complete menu page of the field-device-specific menu structure (MS), wherein the anchor point (A) is only displayed in the common menu structure (M) if a corresponding menu page exists in the field-device-specific menu structure (MS), and wherein the placeholder (P) is at least one element of the field-device-specific menu structure (MS) within a menu page of the common menu structure (M). The invention further discloses a transmitter (20) for carrying out the method.