Field Control System and Wireless Communication Apparatus

• US 20080122611A1
• Filed: 07/21/2005
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Minaki, Teruyoshi, Kurosu, Satoru, Nagashima, Akira
• Application Number:
  US11/658,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20080122611A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31162 Wireless lan
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31251 Redundant access, wireless and hardware access to fielddevices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33203 Wireless transmission of power and data, inductively, rotary transformer
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways

Abstract

A field control system includes: a field device installed in a process site; a control computer system connected to the field device via a signal line; and a wireless communication apparatus which is provided at a middle of the signal line, and includes a signal converting section for converting a signal being transmitted through the signal line based on a wireless protocol, and a wireless communication section for wirelessly transmitting the signal converted by the signal converting section, which are provided at a middle of the signal line.

Claims

1. A field control system, comprising:

a field device installed in a process site;

a control computer system connected to the field device via a signal line; and

a wireless communication apparatus which is provided at a middle of the signal line, and includes a signal converting section for converting a signal being transmitted through the signal line based on a wireless protocol, and a wireless communication section for wirelessly transmitting the signal converted by the signal converting section.

2. The field control system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication apparatus includes a power generating section for generating power from the signal being transmitted through the signal line.

3. The field control system according to claim 2, wherein the power generating section is a variable impedance.

4. The field control system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication section receives a radio signal.

5. The field control system according to claim 4, wherein the signal converting section converts the radio signal that is received by the wireless communication section, and

the wireless communication apparatus includes a wired communication section for superimposing the signal converted by the signal converting section onto a signal being transmitted through the signal line, and transmitting the signal to the field device.

6. The field control system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication apparatus includes a path setting section for determining a destination of the signal to be wirelessly transmitted from the wireless communication section.

7. The field control system according to claim 4, wherein the wireless communication apparatus includes a path setting section for determining a transmission destination of a signal to which the radio signal received by the wireless communication section is converted.

8. The field control system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication apparatus includes a battery as a power source.

9. The field control system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication apparatus is connected to the signal line in series.

10. The field control system according to claim 1, wherein the signal line is a two-wire transmission line.

11. A wireless communication apparatus that is provided at a middle of a signal line between a field device and a control computer system, the field device being installed in a process site and connected to the control computer system via the signal line, the wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a signal converting section for converting a signal being transmitted through the signal line based on a wireless protocol; and

a wireless communication section for wirelessly transmitting the signal converted by the signal converting section.

12. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 11, comprising:

a power generating section for generating power from the signal being transmitted through the signal line.

13. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the power generating section is a variable impedance.

14. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the wireless communication section receives a radio signal.

15. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the signal converting section converts the radio signal that is received by the wireless communication section, and

the wireless communication apparatus includes a wired communication section for superimposing the signal converted by the signal converting section onto a signal being transmitted through the signal line, and transmitting the signal to the field device.

16. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 11, comprising:

a path setting section for determining a destination of the signal to be wirelessly transmitted from the wireless communication section.

17. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 14, comprising:

a path setting section for determining a transmission destination of a signal to which the radio signal received by the wireless communication section is converted.

18. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 11, comprising:

a battery as a power source.

19. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the wireless communication apparatus is connected to the signal line in series.

20. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the signal line is a two-wire transmission line.