Apparatus, system, and method for integration of wireless devices with a distributed control system

• US 20070237137A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: McLaughlin, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,204,078 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

A wireless marshalling panel includes a field device protocol communication link. The wireless marshalling panel is capable of receiving a message from a wireless device and transmitting a corresponding message to a process controller via the communication link. The panel is also capable of receiving a message from the process controller via the communication link and transmitting a corresponding message to the wireless device. The messages transmitted and received via the communication link may be an analog current signal or a frequency shift keying signal. The wireless marshalling panel may include a second field device protocol communication link and also be capable of receiving a message via the second communication link and transmitting a corresponding message to a second wireless device. The wireless marshalling panel may also be capable of receiving a message from the second wireless device and transmitting a corresponding message via the second communication link.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a network interface capable of receiving a first message from a first wireless device;

a controller capable of generating a second message corresponding to the first message; and

a first field device protocol interface capable of transmitting the second message.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second message is transmitted as one of:

an analog current signal and a frequency shift keying signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first field device protocol interface is further capable of receiving a third message;

the controller is further capable of generating a fourth message corresponding to the third message; and

the network interface is further capable of transmitting the fourth message to the first wireless device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second field device protocol interface capable of receiving a third message, wherein:

the controller is further capable of generating a fourth message corresponding to the third message; and

the network interface is further capable of transmitting the fourth message to a second wireless device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

the network interface is further capable of receiving a fifth message from the second wireless device;

the controller is further capable of generating a sixth message corresponding to the fifth message; and

the second field device protocol interface is capable of transmitting the sixth message.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first field device protocol interface comprises one of:

a HART interface, a Foundation Fieldbus H1 interface, a Foundation Fieldbus High Speed Ethernet interface, a Modbus interface, a Profibus interface, and a WorldFIP interface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of field device protocol interfaces, wherein:

the network interface is further capable of receiving a plurality of first messages from a corresponding plurality of wireless devices;

the controller is further capable of generating a plurality of second messages corresponding to the plurality of first messages and providing each of the plurality of second messages to one of the plurality of field device protocol interfaces; and

each of the plurality of field device protocol interfaces is capable of transmitting the provided second message.

8. A system, comprising:

a first wireless device;

a process controller; and

a wireless marshalling panel comprising a first field device protocol communication link, wherein the wireless marshalling panel is capable of receiving a first message from the first wireless device and transmitting a corresponding second message to the process controller via the first field device protocol communication link.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a wireless gateway, wherein the first message is received by the wireless marshalling panel from the first wireless device via the wireless gateway.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the second message is transmitted as one of:

an analog current signal and a frequency shift keying signal.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the wireless marshalling panel is further capable of receiving a third message from the process controller via the first field device protocol communication link and transmitting a corresponding fourth message to the first wireless device.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising a second wireless device, wherein:

the wireless marshalling panel further comprises a second field device protocol communication link; and

the wireless marshalling panel is further capable of receiving a third message from the process controller via the second field device protocol communication link and transmitting a corresponding fourth message to the second wireless device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the wireless marshalling panel is further capable of receiving a fifth message from the second wireless device and transmitting a corresponding sixth message to the process controller via the second field device protocol communication link.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the first field device protocol communication link comprises one of:

a HART communication link, a Foundation Fieldbus H1 communication link, a Foundation Fieldbus High Speed Ethernet communication link, a Modbus communication link, a Profibus communication link, and a WorldFIP communication link.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the system further comprises a plurality of wireless devices; and

the wireless marshalling panel further comprises a plurality of field device protocol communication links, the wireless marshalling panel further capable of receiving a plurality of first messages from the plurality of wireless devices and transmitting a corresponding plurality of second messages via one or more of the plurality of field device protocol communication links.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving a first message from a first wireless device; and

transmitting a corresponding second message to a process controller via a first field device protocol communication link.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second message is transmitted as one of:

an analog current signal and a frequency shift keying signal.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a third message from the process controller via the first field device protocol communication link; and

transmitting a corresponding fourth message to the first wireless device.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a third message from the process controller via a second field device protocol communication link; and

transmitting a corresponding fourth message to a second wireless device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a fifth message from the second wireless device; and

transmitting a corresponding sixth message to the process controller via the second field device interface.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the first field device protocol communication link comprises one of:

a HART communication link, a Foundation Fieldbus Hi communication link, a Foundation Fieldbus High Speed Ethernet communication link, a Modbus communication link, a Profibus communication link, and a WorldFIP communication link.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein:

receiving a first message comprises receiving a plurality of first messages from a corresponding plurality of wireless devices; and

transmitting a second message comprises transmitting a plurality of second messages corresponding to the plurality of first messages to the process controller via one or more of a plurality of field device protocol communication links.