Two wire transmitter with isolated can output

• US 8,208,581 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2010
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Westfield, Brian Lee, Orth, Kelly Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, TED M
• Application Number:
  US12/850,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20100299542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 375/219, 375/372, 375/377, 340/870.16, 340/870.18, 455/69
• US Class Current: 375/295
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/24 Housings ; Casings for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/08 with provision for safeguarding the apparatus, e.g. against abnormal operation, against breakdown

Abstract

A process variable transmitter that preferably includes a transmitter output circuit that provides bidirectional HART and controller area network communication transceiver lines. The transmitter output circuit also includes sensor circuit interface contacts. An isolated circuit couples to the sensor circuit interface contacts. The isolated circuit includes sensor circuitry sensing a process variable. The isolated circuit further comprises a galvanic isolation barrier galvanically isolating the sensor circuitry from the HART and controller area network transceiver lines. A stacked power supply provides power management. Other aspects may include a controller area network current limiter diagnostic output, timed sequencing of microcontroller startup and shutdown, a local operator interface and power management.

Claims

1. A process variable transmitter, comprising:

a microcontroller energized by a first power supply rail;

an EEPROM circuit storing controller area network configuration data received from the microcontroller; and

a controller area network circuit energized by a second power supply rail, and receiving the controller area network configuration data from the microcontroller; and

the energization of the first power supply rail is sequenced to fall after the energization of the second power supply rail when the transmitter is de-energized.

2. The process variable transmitter of claim 1 wherein the first power supply rail is energized before the second power supply rail when the transmitter is energized.

3. The process variable transmitter of claim 2 wherein the first power supply rail comprises low pass RC filters for decoupling spikes.

4. The process variable transmitter of claim 1 wherein the controller area network circuit includes a KEYS circuit that interrupts CAN communication when keys of a local operator interface are pressed.

5. The process variable transmitter of claim 1 wherein the microcontroller is energized at startup before the controller area network circuit.

6. The process variable transmitter of claim 5 wherein the microcontroller remains energized at shutdown after the controller area network circuit is de-energized.