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Apparatus and method for on-process migration of industrial control and automation system across disparate network types

  • US 10,148,485 B2
  • Filed: 09/03/2014
  • Issued: 12/04/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:

  • a first network controller configured to communicate over a higher-level industrial process control network;

    a second network controller configured to communicate over a legacy lower-level industrial process control network using a legacy protocol, the second network controller comprising a token bus controller configured to communicate over a token bus of the legacy lower-level industrial process control network;

    a third network controller configured to communicate over an enhanced lower-level industrial process control network using an enhanced protocol, the third network controller comprising a token bus controller emulator; and

    a housing configured to encase the first, second, and third network controllers;

    wherein the first network controller is configured to provide first data messages from the higher-level industrial process control network to the second and third network controllers for transmission over the lower-level industrial process control networks;

    wherein the second and third network controllers are configured to provide second data messages from the lower-level industrial process control networks to the first network controller for transmission over the higher-level industrial process control network;

    wherein each of the second and third network controllers is configured to provide third data messages from one of the lower-level industrial process control networks to another of the second and third network controllers for transmission over another of the lower-level industrial process control networks; and

    wherein at least one of the second and third network controllers is configured to translate the third data messages between the legacy protocol and the enhanced protocol.

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