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Modular Microsensor Technology
More Information Interfaces
The PrimSens Interface (primary sensor interface) bundles the very different signal levels of the sensor elements into a single standard level. A circuit design was created using resistive sensor elements as an example.
The Bus-Coupler Interface defines the internal, digital measuring-signal transfer to a bus system, which can be wired or wireless.
Neither of these two interfaces is meant to limit the diversity of measuring and communications systems, which is certainly one of the strengths of Central European manufacturers. Standard interfaces should rather put these enterprises in a position to react flexibly to customer demands using commonly available components, without divulging their know-how. The AMA working groups wanted to make as few requirements as possible, thus allowing manufacturers to retain diverse implementation options.
Organized and moderated by the AMA Association, three industrial working groups were created to define the details of the interfaces. This included of-course the signal level and geometry of the transfer points, but also the internal communication of the measuring system with the Bus-Coupler module.
To connect the Bus-Coupler modules, designed as OEM components, microcontrollers (µCs) as often used in measuring systems were to be utilized, as these MCU chips have an analog output as well as a serial peripheral interface (SPI), which in most cases is sufficient for signal processing. This SPI was to be implemented as the internal point of transfer. The internal communication, however, still had to be resolved.
The working group oriented itself on the Transducer Electronic Data Sheet (TEDS) used in describing the IEEE 1451 smart transducer interface standard, developed and prevalent in the USA, which was too complicated for the usual measuring systems found in Germany. Therefore, the proposal was reduced to the absolutely necessary data and is upwards compatible to IEEE 1451 as described in the Generic Interface Guideline.
