Efficient addressing in wireless hart protocol
First Claim
1. A method of providing a wireless extension to a wired protocol for transferring data to and from a field device operating in a process control environment via a wired connection to generate a wireless protocol, the method comprising:
- adding a network layer and a session layer to the wired protocol to generate the wireless protocol, the wireless protocol and the wireless protocol sharing a common application layer including command oriented, predefined data types and application procedures that correspond to a plurality of wireless devices operating in the process control environment, the wireless protocol and the wired protocol utilized in the process control environment for transferring process control data between field devices corresponding to the plurality of wireless devices, and the plurality of wireless devices forming a wireless network;
identifying each wireless device of the plurality of wireless devices by a respective unique address consistent with a first addressing scheme of the wired protocol, wherein a data packet is routed between two of the plurality of wireless devices within the wireless network based on the respective unique address of the each wireless device;
associating a network identifier of the wireless network with the each wireless device included in the plurality of wireless devices;
forming, for the each wireless device of the plurality of wireless devices, a global address uniquely identifying the each wireless device, the global address including the respective unique address and the network identifier of the wireless network in accordance with a second addressing scheme; and
providing access to an external host operating outside the wireless network to the each wireless device included in the plurality of wireless devices based on the global address associated with the each wireless device specified at the external host.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of providing a wireless extension to a wired protocol for transferring data to and from a field device operating in a process control environment via a wired connection, wherein the wired protocol and the wireless extension to the wired protocol have at least one protocol layer in common includes associating a unique address consistent with an addressing scheme of the wired protocol with each of a plurality of wireless devices operating in the process control environment and forming a wireless network, such that a data packet is routed between two of the plurality of wireless devices based on the unique address; associating a network identifier with the plurality of wireless devices; forming, for each of the plurality of wireless devices, a global address including the respective unique address and the network identifier in accordance with a second addressing scheme; and providing access to an external host operating outside the wireless network to each of the plurality of wireless devices based on the global address associated with the wireless device specified at the external host.
193 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of providing a wireless extension to a wired protocol for transferring data to and from a field device operating in a process control environment via a wired connection to generate a wireless protocol, the method comprising:
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adding a network layer and a session layer to the wired protocol to generate the wireless protocol, the wireless protocol and the wireless protocol sharing a common application layer including command oriented, predefined data types and application procedures that correspond to a plurality of wireless devices operating in the process control environment, the wireless protocol and the wired protocol utilized in the process control environment for transferring process control data between field devices corresponding to the plurality of wireless devices, and the plurality of wireless devices forming a wireless network; identifying each wireless device of the plurality of wireless devices by a respective unique address consistent with a first addressing scheme of the wired protocol, wherein a data packet is routed between two of the plurality of wireless devices within the wireless network based on the respective unique address of the each wireless device; associating a network identifier of the wireless network with the each wireless device included in the plurality of wireless devices; forming, for the each wireless device of the plurality of wireless devices, a global address uniquely identifying the each wireless device, the global address including the respective unique address and the network identifier of the wireless network in accordance with a second addressing scheme; and providing access to an external host operating outside the wireless network to the each wireless device included in the plurality of wireless devices based on the global address associated with the each wireless device specified at the external host. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A communication network operating in a process control environment, comprising:
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a plurality of field devices each configured to perform a physical control function within the process control environment and to transmit process control data corresponding to the physical control function; a computing device communicatively coupled to a Distributed Control System (DCS) and configured to configure the plurality of field devices; a first field device of the plurality of field devices, the first field device being configured by the computing device, having only a wired connection to the Distributed Control System (DCS), and supporting a wired protocol for transferring process control data generated by a respective physical process control function performed by the first field device to a second field device and to the computing device;
the first device including a unique wired address of the wired protocol for transferring process control data;the second field device of the plurality of field devices, the second field device being configured by the computing device, having a wireless connection to the DCS, and supporting a wireless protocol for transferring process control data generated by a respective physical process control function performed by the second field device to the computing device and for transferring the process control data to the first field device or to another field device supporting the wired protocol;
the second device including a unique wireless address extended from the wired protocol for transferring process control data, wherein;the wireless protocol comprises a network layer and a session layer added to the wired protocol, the wireless protocol and the wireless protocol share a common application layer including command oriented, predefined data types and application procedures corresponding to the plurality of field devices, and a wired addressing scheme of the wired protocol is included in a wireless addressing scheme of the wireless protocol at the network layer of the wireless protocol; and a routing device transferring data between the first field device and the DCS and between the second field device and the DCS based on the unique wired address of the first device associated with the wired protocol and based on the unique wireless address of the second field device associated with the wired protocol. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of providing an efficient addressing in a wireless mesh network operating in a process control environment, the method comprising:
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extending a wired protocol to generate a wireless protocol by adding a network layer and a session layer to the wired protocol, the wireless protocol and the wireless protocol sharing an application layer including command oriented, predefined data types and application procedures corresponding to a plurality of wireless devices participating in the wireless mesh network; associating a unique first address including a device identifier and a device type code with each of the plurality of wireless devices participating in the wireless mesh network, the unique first address being consistent with the wired protocol; associating a unique second address with the each of the plurality of wireless devices participating in the wireless mesh network, the unique second address having a length shorter than a length of the unique first address, and the unique second address supported by the wireless protocol; routing a packet including data between each of the plurality of wireless devices and at least one other of the plurality of wireless devices by using the network layer of the wireless protocol and based on an indication, included in the packet, of whether the unique first address or on the unique second address is included in the packet; and routing data between each of the plurality of wireless devices and a host operating outside the wireless mesh network based on a global address including the unique first address and a constant value associated with the wireless mesh network. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification