Apparatus and methods for communicatively coupling field devices to controllers in a process control system using a distributed marshaling architecture
First Claim
1. A process control system operating to control a process in a process plant, comprising:
- a plurality of process control field devices;
an input/output (I/O) card communicatively coupled to the plurality of process control field devices;
a controller, communicatively coupled to the I/O card and receiving, via the I/O card, data from the plurality of process control field devices, and operating to send, also via the I/O card, control signals to one or more of the process control field devices to control the operation of the process;
a plurality of distributed marshaling modules, each distributed marshaling module comprising;
a pair of communication ports;
a plurality of electronic marshaling component slots;
an electronic marshaling component disposed in an electronic marshaling component slot; and
a respective terminal block corresponding to each of the plurality of electronic marshaling component slots, the terminal block for the electronic marshaling component slot in which the electronic marshaling component is disposed being communicatively coupled to one of the plurality of field devices; and
a microprocessor, coupled to the pair of communication ports; and
a head-end module comprising;
a first communication port coupling the head-end module to the I/O card;
a second communication port communicatively coupled to a first one of the plurality of distributed marshaling modules;
a third communication port communicatively coupled to a second one of the plurality of distributed marshaling modules;
a memory device having stored thereon a database storing information received by the microprocessor via the second and third communication ports; and
a microprocessor, coupled to the memory device, configured to;
receive and transmit data via the second and third communication ports;
store received data to the memory device;
retrieve data from the memory device; and
transmit retrieved data to the controller via the I/O card.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus, systems, and methods for communicating data between a controller and a multiplicity of field devices operating in a process plant are provided. The system includes distributed marshaling modules coupled by a head-end unit to I/O cards in communication with the controller. The distributed marshaling modules communicate with the field devices via respective electronic marshaling components converting signals between the field devices and the I/O cards. The distributed marshaling modules are coupled to the head-end unit by a ring communication architecture, such that the distributed marshaling modules may each be located relatively proximate to the field devices to which they are coupled.
11 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A process control system operating to control a process in a process plant, comprising:
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a plurality of process control field devices; an input/output (I/O) card communicatively coupled to the plurality of process control field devices; a controller, communicatively coupled to the I/O card and receiving, via the I/O card, data from the plurality of process control field devices, and operating to send, also via the I/O card, control signals to one or more of the process control field devices to control the operation of the process; a plurality of distributed marshaling modules, each distributed marshaling module comprising; a pair of communication ports; a plurality of electronic marshaling component slots; an electronic marshaling component disposed in an electronic marshaling component slot; and a respective terminal block corresponding to each of the plurality of electronic marshaling component slots, the terminal block for the electronic marshaling component slot in which the electronic marshaling component is disposed being communicatively coupled to one of the plurality of field devices; and a microprocessor, coupled to the pair of communication ports; and a head-end module comprising; a first communication port coupling the head-end module to the I/O card; a second communication port communicatively coupled to a first one of the plurality of distributed marshaling modules; a third communication port communicatively coupled to a second one of the plurality of distributed marshaling modules; a memory device having stored thereon a database storing information received by the microprocessor via the second and third communication ports; and a microprocessor, coupled to the memory device, configured to; receive and transmit data via the second and third communication ports; store received data to the memory device; retrieve data from the memory device; and transmit retrieved data to the controller via the I/O card.
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2. A process control system operating to control a process in a process plant, comprising:
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a plurality of process control field devices; an input/output (I/O) card communicatively coupled to the plurality of process control field devices; a controller, communicatively coupled to the I/O card and receiving, via the I/O card, data from the plurality of process control field devices, and operating to send, also via the I/O card, control signals to one or more of the process control field devices to control the operation of the process; a distributed marshaling module comprising; a pair of communication ports; one or more electronic marshaling component slots, at least one electronic marshaling component slot having disposed therein an electronic marshaling component; and a respective terminal block corresponding to each of the one or more electronic marshaling component slots, the terminal block for the at least one electronic marshaling component slot being communicatively coupled to one of the plurality of field devices; a microprocessor, coupled to the pair of communication ports; and a head-end module comprising; a first communication port coupling the head-end module to the I/O card; a pair of second communication ports communicatively coupled to the distributed marshaling module; a memory device having stored thereon a database storing information received by the microprocessor via the pair of second communication ports; and a microprocessor, coupled to the memory device, configured to; receive and transmit data via the pair of second communication ports; store received data to the memory device; retrieve data from the memory device; and transmit retrieved data to the controller via the I/O card. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A head-end module for coupling field devices in a process plant to a controller in the process plant, comprising:
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a first communication port communicatively connecting the head-end module to a first distributed marshaling module, the first distributed marshaling module part of a first ring architecture; a second communication port communicatively connecting the head-end module to a second distributed marshaling module, the second distributed marshaling module part of the first ring architecture; a third communication port communicatively connecting the head-end module to an I/O card, the I/O card communicatively connected, in turn, to the controller; a memory device; a microprocessor, coupled to the memory device, and configured to; receive, via one or both of the first and second communication ports, first data from field devices coupled to the first and second distributed marshaling modules; store the received first data to a database disposed in the memory device; retrieve the received first data from the database; transmit the retrieved first data to the controller via the I/O card; receive second data from the controller via the I/O card; and transmit, via one or both of the first and second communication ports, the second data to specified ones of the field devices. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification