A Smart Transducer Interface Module(STIM) is a module that contains TEDS, logic to implement the transducer interface, the transducer(s) and any signal conversion or signal conditioning. It consists of 1 to 255 sensors or actuators or any combination of them, DAC, ADC and Digital I/O to interface the sensors or actuators. It also consists of conversion circuitry, address logic, and digital electronics or microprocessors to convert the sensor readings into digital form, or to convert digital output to manipulate actuators to and from the network. The address logic facilitates communication between the STIM and an NCAP. Through the NCAP sensor data is passed to a network. When a STIM contains more than one transducer, it may be referred to as a multichannel STIM or a multi variable STIM.
When power is applied to the STIM, the information that it carries in the TEDS is made available to the NCAP for local usage, and for distribution to the rest of the network as necessary. Once the TEDS is read, the NCAP knows how fast it can communicate with the STIM, how many channels the STIM has, and the data format of each channel. It can then send information to the STIM, or ask the sensor to perform a reading or get information about readings from the sensor.
A STIM that contains one or more actuators would be called an actuator
STIM. If the actuator is a solenoid or valve actuator, it would be called
a solenoid STIM, or a valve STIM respectively.
To set an actuator, a 5-step process can be used:
An actuator STIM can be used to control analog actuators and digital output actuators such as valves and motors, relays and solenoids, respectively.