Local device and process diagnostics in a process control network having distributed control functions
First Claim
1. A field device for use in a process control system including a plurality of field devices mutually coupled by a two-wire, digital, powered bus, the bus supplying a field device control signal to the field device, the field device comprising:
- a pneumatically operated fluid control valve having an actuator connected to a pneumatic pressure line, wherein said actuator is adapted to cause the fluid control valve to move to a position ranging from an open position to a closed position;
a position sensor coupled to the fluid control valve that senses the position of the fluid control valve;
a pressure sensor coupled to the pneumatic pressure line that senses a pneumatic pressure within the pneumatic pressure line;
an electrical to pneumatic transducer coupled to the actuator by the pneumatic pressure line adapted to control the pneumatic pressure in the pneumatic pressure line as a function of an electrical signal;
an electronic controller communicatively coupled directly to the electrical to pneumatic transducer, the pressure sensor, and the position sensor other than through the bus, the electronic controller including a control logic that determines the electrical signal based on feedback signals indicative of a pressure sensed by the pressure sensor and a position sensed by the position sensor and based on the field device control signal; and
a digital interface coupled to the two-wire, digital, powered bus and coupled to the electronic controller, the digital interface including;
a power circuit adapted to be coupled to the bus that supplies power derived from the powered bus to the electronic controller and the electrical to pneumatic transducer, anda two-way communication circuit adapted to receive a field device control signal from the bus and to transmit signals indicative of a status of the field device to the bus.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A field device for use in a process control network having a plurality of devices communicatively coupled by a two-wire, all-digital communication bus includes a connector that connects the field device to the two-wire, all-digital bus to enable all-digital communication over the bus, a memory that stores a diagnostic test routine having a series of device or process diagnostic test instructions, and a controller that performs the device or process diagnostic test instructions stored in the memory to implement a device or process diagnostic test using the field device. A data collection unit within the field device collects diagnostic data generated during the diagnostic test and a communication unit communicates the collected diagnostic data over the bus to a host device for processing. The controller may include a program language interpreter adapted to interpret the diagnostic test instructions which may be provided to the field device from another one of the devices via the bus.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A field device for use in a process control system including a plurality of field devices mutually coupled by a two-wire, digital, powered bus, the bus supplying a field device control signal to the field device, the field device comprising:
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a pneumatically operated fluid control valve having an actuator connected to a pneumatic pressure line, wherein said actuator is adapted to cause the fluid control valve to move to a position ranging from an open position to a closed position; a position sensor coupled to the fluid control valve that senses the position of the fluid control valve; a pressure sensor coupled to the pneumatic pressure line that senses a pneumatic pressure within the pneumatic pressure line; an electrical to pneumatic transducer coupled to the actuator by the pneumatic pressure line adapted to control the pneumatic pressure in the pneumatic pressure line as a function of an electrical signal; an electronic controller communicatively coupled directly to the electrical to pneumatic transducer, the pressure sensor, and the position sensor other than through the bus, the electronic controller including a control logic that determines the electrical signal based on feedback signals indicative of a pressure sensed by the pressure sensor and a position sensed by the position sensor and based on the field device control signal; and a digital interface coupled to the two-wire, digital, powered bus and coupled to the electronic controller, the digital interface including; a power circuit adapted to be coupled to the bus that supplies power derived from the powered bus to the electronic controller and the electrical to pneumatic transducer, and a two-way communication circuit adapted to receive a field device control signal from the bus and to transmit signals indicative of a status of the field device to the bus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A process control system comprising:
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a control console for generating commands and receiving data; a two-wire, digital, powered bus coupled to the control console; and a plurality of field devices mutually coupled by the two-wire, digital, powered bus, the bus supplying commands including a field device control signal to the field devices, one of the field devices including; a pneumatically operated fluid control valve having an actuator coupled to a pneumatic pressure line to cause the fluid control valve to move to a position ranging from an open position to a closed position; a position sensor coupled to the fluid control valve for sensing the position of the fluid control valve; a pressure sensor coupled to the pneumatic pressure line for sensing the pneumatic pressure within the pressure line; an electrical to pneumatic transducer coupled to the valve by the pneumatic pressure line for controlling the pneumatic pressure in the pneumatic pressure line as a function of an electrical signal; an electronic controller communicatively coupled directly to the electrical to pneumatic transducer, the pressure sensor, and the position sensor other than through the bus, the electronic controller including a control logic that determines the electrical signal based on feedback signals indicative of a pressure sensed by the pressure sensor and a position sensed by the position sensor and based on the field device control signal; and a digital interface coupled to the two-wire, digital, powered bus and coupled to the electronic controller, the digital interface including; a circuit for supplying power derived from the powered bus to the field device including the electronic controller and the electrical to pneumatic transducer, and a two-way communication circuit for receiving signals including the field device control signal from the bus and transmitting signals indicative of a status of the field device to the bus. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification