Ethernet interface
First Claim
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1. A system for interfacing with an industrial process, comprising:
- (A) at least one field device, the field device being configured to measure an industrial parameter and generate an analog signal, the analog signal containing data related to the industrial parameter;
(B) at least one network adapter in communication with the field device, the network adapter comprising;
(a) an Ethernet port; and
(b) power circuitry configured to derive power from the Ethernet port and to provide power derived from the Ethernet port to the field device; and
(C) wherein the network adapter couples directly to the at least one field device using an analogue current loop, wherein the network adapter provides power to the field device via the analog current loop, and wherein the network adapter is configured to read the analog signal from the field device on the analogue current loop, generate digital data from the analog signal, and transmit the digital data to a communication network through the Ethernet port.
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Abstract
A network adaptor is disclosed that uses Power over Ethernet (PoE) protocols to derive power from an Ethernet port and provide the derived power to a field device. The network adapter communicates analog data with the field device and converts the analog data to digital data using an analog to digital converter before transmitting the digital data through the Ethernet port to a central office. The network adapter is uniquely assigned to the field device allowing an IP address to be assigned to the network adapter/field device system which may be accessed using IP protocols from any suitable browser.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A system for interfacing with an industrial process, comprising:
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(A) at least one field device, the field device being configured to measure an industrial parameter and generate an analog signal, the analog signal containing data related to the industrial parameter; (B) at least one network adapter in communication with the field device, the network adapter comprising; (a) an Ethernet port; and (b) power circuitry configured to derive power from the Ethernet port and to provide power derived from the Ethernet port to the field device; and (C) wherein the network adapter couples directly to the at least one field device using an analogue current loop, wherein the network adapter provides power to the field device via the analog current loop, and wherein the network adapter is configured to read the analog signal from the field device on the analogue current loop, generate digital data from the analog signal, and transmit the digital data to a communication network through the Ethernet port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 28)
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18. A network adapter for providing communication with an industrial field device, the network adapter comprising:
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(A) an analog communication circuit configured to receive analog signals from a field device; (B) a conversion circuit configured to convert the analog signals to digital data; (C) a transmission circuit for transmitting the digital data to a communication network, the transmission circuit comprising an Ethernet port; (D) power circuitry configured to derive power from the Ethernet port to power the network adapter; and (E) wherein the analogue communication circuit couples directly to the field device using an analogue current loop, wherein the network adapter provides power to the field device via the analog current loop, and wherein the network adapter is configured to read the analog signal from the field device on the analogue current loop. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for providing an industrial parameter from a field device to a central office, the method comprising:
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(A) deriving power from an Ethernet port of an Ethernet network adapter; (B) powering a field device from the Ethernet network adapter using an analogue current loop, wherein the network adapter provides power to the field device via the analog current loop, and wherein the network adapter is configured to read the analog signal from the field device on the analogue current loop; (C) measuring industrial parameter data from the field device in the Ethernet network adapter; (D) converting the industrial parameter data to Ethernet data; and (E) transmitting the Ethernet data from the Ethernet network adapter to the central office.
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24. An IP addressable field device system comprising:
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(A) a field device comprising an analog current loop; and (B) a network adapter uniquely associated with the field device, the network adapter comprising; (a) an analog current loop interface that interfaces with the analog current loop; (b) an Ethernet module that receives an IP address from a network; and (c) a data processing system that converts data from the analog current loop interface to Ethernet packet data for transmission by the Ethernet module to the network. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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29. A field device system comprising:
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(A) an instrument that measures an analogue signal; and (B) an Ethernet interface uniquely associated with the instrument on an analogue current loop that converts the analogue signal to Ethernet packet data and transmits the Ethernet packet data from an Ethernet port, wherein the Ethernet interface derives power for the field device system from the Ethernet port. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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Specification