ABSTRACT
Microprocessors can make smart sensors or devices a reality. Networking of transducers (sensors or actuators) in a system and communicating transducer information via digital means versus analog cabling facilitate easy distributed measurements and control. The transducers and signal conditioning and conversion modules can be grouped into a building block called a smart transducer interface module (STIM). Likewise, the application algorithm and network communication modules can be combined into a single entity called a network capable application processor (NCAP). With the emergence of computer networking technology, transducer manufacturers and users alike are finding ways to apply the networking technology to their transducers for monitoring, measurement, and control applications. The IEEE 1451 family of standards has provided the common interface and enabling technology for the connectivity of transducers to microprocessors, instrumentation systems, and field networks using wired and wireless means.
