Hand held diagnostic and communication device with automatic bus detection

• US 6,629,059 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2002
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company), Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: DelaCruz, Moises A., Borgeson, Dale W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nghiem, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sun, Xiuqin
• Application Number:
  US10/097,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20020167904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 702/183, 702/188, 700/79, 700/282, 700/37, 700/2, 700/50, 370/85, 370/228, 395/200.61, 364/148, 364/200, 364/154, 359/172, 345/835
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31129 Universal interface for different fieldbus protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36159 Detachable or portable programming unit, display, pc, pda
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0213 Modular or universal configuration of the monitoring system, e.g. monitoring system having modules that may be combined to build monitoring program; monitoring system that can be applied to legacy systems; adaptable monitoring system; using different communication protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40006 Architecture of a communication node current supply arrangements H04L12/10; intermediate storage or scheduling H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/4026 Bus for use in automation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/18 Protocol analysers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A hand-held communication and diagnostic tool is provided. The tool is able to automatically detect connection to a process control loop as well as detect the type of loop to which it is connected without substantially disturbing messaging on the loop. Once the tool determines the type of loop to which it is connected, it provides suitable communication and diagnostics appropriate to that specific type.

Claims

1. A hand-held diagnostic and communication device comprising:

a first media access unit adapted to communicate over a process control loop in accordance with a first physical layer specification, the first media access unit being coupled to a first set of terminals;

a second media access unit adapted to communicate over the process control loop in accordance with a second physical layer specification, the second media access unit being coupled to a second set of terminals;

measurement circuitry coupled to the first and second media access units; and

a processor coupled to the measurement circuitry and adapted to interact with the measurement circuitry to automatically detect a connection between one of the first and second sets of terminals.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is adapted to interact with the measurement circuitry to automatically detect a loop type once the device is connected to a process control loop.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein each media access unit is adapted to generate a short duration pulse on the loop without interrupting process loop communication, and wherein the measurement circuitry is adapted to calculate loop impedance based upon loop response to the pulse.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the processor selects loop type based upon the impedance measure by the measurement circuitry.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the processor provides diagnostic functions based upon the loop type.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the processor provides communication functions based upon the loop type.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is adapted to interact with the measurement circuitry to measure polarity and detect an improper connection.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the device designed to comply with intrinsic safety.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the first physical layer specification is in accordance with the Highway Addressable Remote Transducer (HART) protocol.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the second physical layer specification in accordance with the FOUNDATION Fieldbus protocol.

11. A hand-held diagnostic and communication device comprising:

a first media access unit adapted to communicate over a process control loop in accordance with a first physical layer specification, the first media access unit being coupled to a first set of terminals;

a second media access unit adapted to communicate over the process control loop in accordance with a second physical layer specification, the second media access unit being coupled to a second set of terminals;

measurement circuitry coupled to the first and second media access units; and

a processor coupled to the measurement circuitry and adapted to interact with the measurement circuitry to automatically detect a loop type once the device is connected to a process control loop.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the first and second sets of terminals share a common terminal.

13. A method of communicating with a process control device on a process control loop, the method comprising:

coupling an handheld communicator to the process control loop;

identifying loop type without substantially disturbing loop operation; and

adapting loop communication based upon the identified loop type.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein identifying the loop type includes sinking a short current pulse on the loop and measuring loop voltage response to the pulse to calculate loop impedance.

15. The method of claim 13, and further comprising determining if the hand held communicator is correctly coupled to the process control loop.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the communicator provides an alert if it is improperly connected to the process control loop.