Field device with power over Ethernet

• US 20070057783A1
• Filed: 07/20/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Reller, Troy
• Granted Patent: US 9,634,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/538
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25174 Ethernet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31135 Fieldbus
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31145 Ethernet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40045 Details regarding the feeding of energy to the node from the bus
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A field device that communicates in accordance with Ethernet signaling is provided. The field device is powered by virtue of its Ethernet connection. The field device preferably includes a feature board that includes an Ethernet network connection and a field device connection. The feature board is configured to power the field device with power received through the Ethernet network connection. The feature board interacts with the field device using a process industry standard communication protocol. A method of operating a field device is also provided.

Claims

1. A field device comprising:

a transducer for coupling to a process;

field device circuitry operably coupled to the transducer;

an Ethernet physical layer module coupled to an Ethernet connector, and operably coupled to the controller; and

an Ethernet power module coupled to the Ethernet connector and configured to power the field device with energy received through the Ethernet connector.

2. The field device of claim 1, wherein the transducer is a sensor for sensing a process variable.

3. The field device of claim 1, wherein the transducer is an actuator.

4. The field device of claim 1, wherein the Ethernet physical layer module and the Ethernet power module are embodied upon a feature board coupled to the field device.

5. The field device of claim 4, wherein the feature board includes the Ethernet connector.

6. The field device of claim 5, wherein the Ethernet connector is an RJ-45 connector adapted for industrial use.

7. The field device of claim 4, wherein the feature board includes a field device input/output (I/O) module operably coupled to the controller and coupled to a field device connector.

8. The field device of claim 7, wherein the field device connector is configured to engage a terminal board of the field device.

9. The field device of claim 7, wherein the field device input/output module includes at least one process industry communication protocol module.

10. The field device of claim 9, wherein the process industry communication protocol module includes a 4-20 mA module.

11. The field device of claim 9, wherein the process industry communication protocol module includes a Highway Addressable Remote Transducer HART®

module.

12. The field device of claim 9, wherein the process industry communication protocol module includes a FOUNDATION™

FIELDBUS module.

13. The field device of claim 9, wherein the process industry communication protocol modules includes Controller Area Network (CAN).

14. The field device of claim 9, wherein the field device input/output module includes a plurality of process industry communication protocol modules.

15. The field device of claim 4, wherein the feature board includes a wireless communication module.

16. A method of configuring a field device for Ethernet communication, the method comprising:

providing a feature board having an Ethernet network connection;

coupling the feature board to the field device; and

powering the field device with energy received through the feature board over the Ethernet network connection.

17. The method of claim 16, and further comprising interacting with the field device through a wireless communication module on the feature board.