Process field instrument with integrated sensor unit and related system and method
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a field instrument configured to perform one or more functions in a process control system, the field instrument having a housing and configured to communicate using at least one of a wired interface and a wireless interface; and
a sensor configured to detect one or more conditions, the sensor at least partially housed in the housing and configured to communicate using at least one of the wired interface and the wireless interface.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor is integrated with a field instrument in a process control system. For example, the sensor can be at least partially housed in a housing of the field instrument. The sensor could also receive operating power from a power source in the field instrument. The sensor could further communicate using a wired interface and/or a wireless interface of the field instrument. Multiplexing techniques could be used to allow normal communications for the field instrument and information associated with the sensor. For instance, field instrument data and sensor data could be transmitted over different interfaces or multiplexed in time for communication over a single interface. Sensor data could also be included as at least one diagnostic or configuration variable along with the field instrument data. The field instrument could represent a gas meter associated with a gas distribution network, and the sensor could represent a gas sensor.
50 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a field instrument configured to perform one or more functions in a process control system, the field instrument having a housing and configured to communicate using at least one of a wired interface and a wireless interface; and a sensor configured to detect one or more conditions, the sensor at least partially housed in the housing and configured to communicate using at least one of the wired interface and the wireless interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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performing one or more functions in a process control system using a field instrument, the field instrument having a housing; and detecting one or more conditions using a sensor at least partially housed in the housing of the field instrument. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system comprising:
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a plurality of field instrument each configured to perform one or more functions in a process control system; at least one sensor configured to detect one or more conditions and at least partially integrated into one of the field instruments; and a controller configured to identify the one or more conditions in the process control system using information from the at least one sensor. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. An apparatus comprising:
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at least one memory configured to store a model associated with a process control system; and at least one processor configured to model movement of a gas emission in the process control system using information from at least one gas sensor, the at least one gas sensor integrated with at least one field instrument in the process control system. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification