BLOCK-ORIENTATED CONTROL SYSTEM HAVING WIRELESS GATEWAY FOR COMMUNICATION WITH WIRELESS FIELD DEVICES

• US 20090177289A1
• Filed: 07/03/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FieldComm Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fieldbus Foundation (FieldComm Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chernoguzov, Alexander, Mulder, Berry H. T., Glanzer, David A., Tatum, William F. III, Demachi, Koji, Peluso, Marcos
• Granted Patent: US 8,539,110 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/7
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

An apparatus in a distributed control system having a network interface and wireless gateway coupled to the network interface. The network interface is configured to communicate with a network. The wireless gateway includes a wireless gateway function block application process configured to map process information between a wireless network having at least one wireless field device and the network. The wireless gateway further includes a wireless network management component configured to manage access to the wireless network and at least one wireless field device function block application process configured to define a resource and input and output process information of the wireless field device.

Claims

1. An apparatus in a distributed control system, comprising:

a network interface configured to communicate with a network; and

a wireless gateway coupled to the network interface, the wireless gateway having;

a wireless gateway function block application process configured to map process information between a wireless network having at least one wireless field device and the network,

a wireless network management component configured to manage access to the wireless network, and

at least one wireless field device function block application process configured to define a resource and input and output process information of the wireless field device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wireless field device function block application process comprises:

a resource block configured to define a resource of the wireless field device function block application process;

a function block configured to define the input and output process information of the wireless field device; and

a transducer block configured to command and read hardware components of the wireless field device and provide respective process information to the function block.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the transducer block is configured to provide protocol transfer functionality between the network and wireless field devices.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wireless gateway function block application process is configured to provide application clock synchronization between the network and wireless field devices.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wireless gateway further includes a field device access agent configured to map predefined services according to a communication protocol to and from a network protocol.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the network interface comprises a network interface configured to communicate with a high-speed Ethernet network.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the network interface comprises a network interface configured to communicate with a wireless network.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wireless gateway function block application process comprises a gateway resource block, a transducer block, and function blocks configured to monitor and control the function block application process.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the wireless gateway function block application process further comprises a transducer block configured to provide security parameters for secure communication between components connected to the network and the wireless field devices.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wireless field device function block application process is configured to map at least one of wireless field device identification information, configuration commands, process variables, device status, diagnostic and alarm information between a wireless network having at least one wireless field device and the wired network.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wireless gateway function block application process is configured to manage the wireless gateway as a single node on the wired network.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wireless gateway and the network are redundant.

13. A distributed control system, comprising:

a network configured to provide a communication medium;

a host coupled to the network and configured to receive process information in accordance with a control system communication protocol;

at least one wired field device coupled to the network and configured to provide process information to the network;

at least one wireless field device coupled wirelessly to the network, the wireless field device configured to transmit process information; and

a wireless gateway architecture coupled to the network and in wireless communication with the at least one wireless field device, the wireless gateway configured to map the process information between the at least one wireless field device and the network in accordance with the control system communication protocol.

14. The distributed control system of claim 13 wherein the host comprises a host configured to receive process information in accordance with a fieldbus communication protocol.

15. The distributed control system of claim 13 wherein the wireless gateway architecture comprises:

a wireless gateway function block application process configured to map the process information between the a wireless network to which the at least one wireless field device is coupled and the network;

a wireless network management component configured to manage access to the wireless network; and

at least one wireless field device function block application process configured to define a resource and input and output process information of the at least one wireless field device.

16. The distributed control system of claim 15 wherein the at least one wireless field device function block application process is in the at least one wireless field device.

17. The distributed control system of claim 15 wherein the wireless field device function block application process comprises:

a resource block configured to define a resource of the wireless field device function block application process;

a function block configured to define the input and output process information of the wireless field device; and

a transducer block configured to command and read hardware components of the wireless field device and provide respective process information to the function block.

18. The distributed control system of claim 17 wherein the transducer block is configured to provide protocol transfer functionality between the network and wireless field devices.

19. The distributed control system of claim 17 wherein the wireless field device function block application process is configured to map at least one of wireless field device identification information, configuration commands, process variables, device status, diagnostic and alarm information between a wireless network having at least one wireless field device and the wired network.

20. The distributed control system of claim 15 wherein the wireless gateway function block application process is configured to provide application clock synchronization between the network and wireless field devices.

21. The distributed control system of claim 15 wherein the wireless gateway function block application process comprises a gateway resource block, a transducer block, and function blocks configured to monitor and control the function block application process.

22. The distributed control system of claim 21 wherein the wireless gateway function block application process further comprises a transducer block configured to provide security parameters for secure communication between components connected to the network and the wireless field devices.

23. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the wireless gateway function block application process is configured to manage the wireless gateway as a single node on the wired network.

24. The distributed control system of claim 13 wherein the wireless gateway architecture includes a field device access agent configured to map predefined services according to the control system communication protocol to and from a network protocol.

25. The distributed control system of claim 13 wherein the network comprises a high-speed Ethernet network.

26. The distributed control system of claim 13 wherein the network comprises at least one of a wired network and a wireless network.

27. The distributed control system of claim 13 wherein the wireless gateway architecture comprises a wireless gateway device, the wireless gateway device and the network are redundant.

28. A method for communicating process information from wireless field devices in a control system coupled to a network, comprising:

configuring a mapping of process information to a communication protocol;

acquiring process information using a wireless field device;

mapping the process information in accordance with the communication protocol;

processing the process information using a function block application process operating according to the communication protocol; and

providing the processed process information to components of the control system connected to the network.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising providing protocol transfer functionality between the network and wireless field devices.

30. The method of claim 28, providing application clock synchronization between the network and wireless field devices.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein providing the processed process information to components of the control system connected to the network comprises providing the processed process information to components of the control system connected to a high-speed Ethernet network.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein providing the processed process information to components of the control system connected to the network comprises providing the processed process information to components of the control system connected to a Ethernet network having at least one of wired network connections and wireless network connections.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising mapping predefined services according to the communication protocol to and from a protocol for the wired network.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising providing security parameters for secure communication between components connected to the network and the wireless field devices.

35. The method of claim 28 wherein mapping the process information in accordance with the communication protocol comprises mapping at least one of wireless field device identification information, configuration commands, process variables, device status, diagnostic and alarm information between a wireless network having at least one wireless field device and the wired network in accordance with the communication protocol.