Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Calibration or correction system – Sensor or transducer
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-10
2001-11-20
Hoff, Marc S. (Department: 2877)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Calibration or correction system
Sensor or transducer
C702S085000, C702S104000, C073S001010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06321172
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method for configuring sensors.
Sensors are used for picking up measurands (e.g. of electromagnetic radiation) and for converting them into electrical signals. They are applied everywhere including complex systems and plants, in which frequently a multiplicity of sensors is used. The data and signals supplied by the sensors are further processed electronically. Since the peripherals connected to each sensor and the tasks set for it can vary, it is necessary to configure the sensor in relation to its respective peripherals. The sensors can be, for example, scanners.
In this connection, it may be appropriate to transfer a pre-existing configuration of a sensor to another sensor. Such a transfer of the configuration of an original sensor to a sensor to be configured will be performed, for example, if the original sensor is defective and must therefore be replaced or if its configuration is to be duplicated in order to be transferred to other sensors.
DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
It is known to transfer the configuration of an original sensor to a sensor to be configured by using a personal computer. In this arrangement, configuration data which contains the configuration of the original sensor to be transferred is first stored on a data medium. The personal computer then reads these configuration data in and sends them to the sensor to be configured. However, personal computers are regarded as “unsafe” in such applications. If it is therefore intended to use the sensor to be configured in safety-critical applications, each parameter must be individually confirmed by the user in order to detect any possible falsification of the configuration data. This makes the method very time-consuming.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a method for configuring sensors in which no personal computer is needed and no user confirmation of the configuration data is required.
This is achieved by a method for configuring sensors by transferring configuration data containing an existing configuration of a sensor from an original sensor to a sensor to be configured, comprising the steps of:
connecting the original sensor in its configured state to a module which stores the current configuration data of the original sensor and a checksum corresponding to the configuration data in the module;
connecting the module to the sensor to be configured;
reading the configuration data stored in the module into the sensor to be configured;
calculating a new checksum corresponding to the data read in;
then comparing the calculated checksum with the checksum stored in the module; and
generating an error message in the event of a non-match of the two checksums.
In this arrangement, configuration data is transferred from an original sensor to a sensor to be configured by means of a storage module, a falsification of data being detectable via a comparison of checksums which are added to the data.
Further objects, advantages and embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the claims.
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patent: 5089979 (1992-02-01), McEachern et al.
patent: 5335186 (1994-08-01), Tarrant
patent: 5408217 (1995-04-01), Sanderford, Jr.
patent: 6032109 (2000-02-01), Ritmiller, III
patent: 41 24 191 A 1 (1993-01-01), None
Jakob Hermann
Wanner Theodor
Alix Yale & Ristas, LLP
Hoff Marc S.
Schmersal-EOT GmbH & Co. KG
Vo Hien
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