Apparatus and method for on-process migration of industrial control and automation system across disparate network types
First Claim
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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Abstract
An apparatus includes a first network controller configured to communicate over a higher-level industrial process control network, a second network controller configured to communicate over a first lower-level industrial process control network, and a third network controller configured to communicate over a second lower-level industrial process control network. The first network controller is configured to provide first data messages from the higher-level control network to the second and third network controllers for transmission over the lower-level control networks. The second and third network controllers are configured to provide second data messages from the lower-level control networks to the first network controller for transmission over the higher-level control network. Each of the second and third network controllers is configured to provide third data messages from one of the lower-level control networks to another of the second and third network controllers for transmission over another of the lower-level control networks.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method implemented with controllers having processor capabilities and circuitry to process instructions and network inter-communicated data, the method comprising:
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receiving first data messages from a higher-level industrial process control network at a first network controller of an interface device; providing, by the first network controller, the first data messages to second and third network controllers of the interface device for transmission over legacy and enhanced lower-level industrial process control networks, respectively, wherein the second network controller comprises a token bus controller configured to communicate over a token bus of the legacy lower-level industrial process control network, wherein the third network controller comprises a token bus controller emulator; receiving second data messages from the lower-level industrial process control networks at the second and third network controllers; providing, by the second and third network controllers, the second data messages to the first network controller for transmission over the higher-level industrial process control network; receiving, at each of the second and third network controllers, third data messages from one of the lower-level industrial process control networks; translating, by the second and third network controllers, the third data messages between a legacy protocol associated with the legacy lower-level industrial process control network and an enhanced protocol associated with the enhanced lower-level industrial process control network; and providing, from each of the second and third network controllers to another of the second and third network controllers, the translated third data messages for transmission over another of the lower-level industrial process control networks; wherein the first, second, and third network controllers are disposed in a same housing of the interface device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system comprising:
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first, second, and third network controllers configured to communicate over higher-level, legacy lower-level, and enhanced lower-level industrial process control networks, respectively;
wherein the second network controller comprises a token bus controller configured to communicate over a token bus of the legacy lower-level industrial process control network, wherein the third network controller comprises a token bus controller emulator;at least one processing device configured to provide a gateway function to allow data messages to be transported between (i) the higher-level industrial process control network and (ii) the lower-level industrial process control networks, wherein the second and third network controllers are configured to provide a bridge function to allow data messages to be transported between (i) the legacy lower-level industrial process control network and (ii) the enhanced lower-level industrial process control network; a bus configured to transport the data messages between the network controllers; and
a housing configured to encase the network controllers, the at least one processing device, and the bus,wherein the first network controller is configured to provide data messages from the high-level industrial process control network to the second and third network controllers for transmission over the lower-level industrial process control networks, and to receive from lower-level industrial process control networks data messages provided by the second and third network controllers; wherein at least one of the second and third network controllers is configured to receive data messages from lower-level control networks to another of the second and third network controllers for transmission over other lower-level industrial control networks; and translate at least some of the data messages between a legacy protocol associated with the legacy lower-level industrial process control network and an enhanced protocol associated with the enhanced lower-level industrial process control network. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification