Systems and methods for identifying foundation fieldbus linking devices

• US 8,769,072 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Smith, Steven William, Pettigrew, William Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Pollack, Melvin H
• Application Number:
  US13/159,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20120310384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40195 by using a plurality of nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40221 Profibus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/4026 Bus for use in automation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/103 across network layers, e.g. resolution of network layer into physical layer addresses or address resolution protocol [ARP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2528 Translation at a proxy

Abstract

Systems and methods for identifying Foundation Fieldbus linking devices are described. A pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices may be identified by a gateway device that includes one or more computers. A single virtual address representative of the pair of redundant linking devices may then be determined by the gateway device, and information associated with operation of at least one of the pair of redundant linking devices may be provided by the gateway device to an external system. During the provision of information to the external system, the virtual address may be utilized to represent the at least one linking device.

Claims

1. A method for identifying Foundation Fieldbus linking devices, the method comprising:

receiving, by a gateway device comprising one or more computers, status information associated with a plurality of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices;

determining, by the gateway device based at least in part on the status information, a pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices of the plurality of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices having an “

online”

status;

determining, by the gateway device, a single virtual address representative of the pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices;

determining, by the gateway device based at least in part on the status information, at least one other Foundation Fieldbus linking device having an “

offline”

status;

providing, by the gateway device to an external system, the status information associated with at least one of the pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices and the at least one other Foundation Fieldbus linking device, wherein the virtual address is utilized to represent the at least one of the pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices; and

after providing the status information, sending, by the gateway device, a communication to at least one of the pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices instead of the at least one other Foundation Fieldbus linking device having the “

offline”

status.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices comprises receiving the status information for the linking devices from a controller that manages the linking devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the status information comprises providing information to an asset management system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the status information comprises providing an annunciation message associated with the at least one of the pair of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the gateway device from the external system, a message to be communicated to the at least one of the pair of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices;

determining, by the gateway device, a physical address associated with the at least one of the pair of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices; and

directing, by the gateway device, communication of the message to the at least one of the pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining, by the gateway device based at least in part upon an analysis of the received message, an identity of the at least one of the pair of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices,

wherein determining the physical address comprises determining the physical address based at least in part upon the determined identity.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining, by the gateway device based at least in part upon status information for the pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices, an identity of the at least one Foundation Fieldbus linking device,

wherein determining the physical address comprises determining the physical address based at least in part upon the determined identity.

8. A system comprising:

at least one memory operable to store computer-executable instructions;

at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to;

receive status information associated with a plurality of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices;

determine, based at least in part on the status information, a pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices of the plurality of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices having an “

online”

status;

determine a single virtual address representative of the pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices;

determine, based at least in part on the status information, at least one other Foundation Fieldbus linking device having an “

offline”

status;

provide, to an external system, the status information associated with at least one of the pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices and the at least one other Foundation Fieldbus linking device, wherein the virtual address is utilized to represent the at least one of the pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices; and

after providing the status information, send a communication to at least one of the pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices instead of the at least one other Foundation Fieldbus linking device having the “

offline”

status.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is configured to identify the pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices by executing the computer-executable instructions to receive the status information for the linking devices from a controller that manages the linking devices.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the status information is provided to an asset management system.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the provided status information comprises providing an annunciation message associated with the at least one of the pair of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

receive, from the external system, a message to be communicated to the at least one of the pair of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices;

determine a physical address associated with the at least one of the pair of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices; and

direct communication of the message to the at least one of the pair of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

determine, based at least in part upon an analysis of the received message, an identity of the at least one of the pair of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices; and

determine the physical address based at least in part upon the determined identity.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

determine, based at least in part upon status information for the pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices, an identity of the at least one Foundation Fieldbus linking device,

determine the physical address based at least in part upon the determined identity.

15. A method for identifying Foundation Fieldbus linking devices, the method comprising:

receiving, by a gateway device comprising one or more computers and in communication with a controller, status information associated with a plurality of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices;

identifying, by the gateway device, a pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices configured to facilitate communications between the controller and one or more Foundation Fieldbus linking devices of the plurality of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices having an “

online”

status;

determining, by the gateway device, a single virtual address representative of the pair of redundant linking devices;

determining, by the gateway device based at least in part on the status information, at least one other Foundation Fieldbus linking device having an “

offline”

status;

providing, by the gateway device to an external system, the status information associated with at least one of the pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices and the at least one other Foundation Fieldbus linking device, wherein the virtual address is utilized to represent the at least one of the pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices; and

after providing the status information, sending, by the gateway device, a communication to at least one of the pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices instead of to the at least one other Foundation Fieldbus linking device having the “

offline”

status.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the status information comprises providing information to an asset management system.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the status information comprises providing an annunciation message associated with the at least one of the pair of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, by the gateway device from the external system, a message to be communicated to the at least one of the pair of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices;

determining, by the gateway device, a physical address associated with the at least one of the pair of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices; and

directing, by the gateway device, communication of the message to the at least one of the pair of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining, by the gateway device based at least in part upon an analysis of the received message, an identity of the at least one of the pair of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices,

wherein determining the physical address comprises determining the physical address based at least in part upon the determined identity.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining, by the gateway device based at least in part upon status information for the pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices, an identity of the at least one Foundation Fieldbus linking device,

wherein determining the physical address comprises determining the physical address based at least in part upon the determined identity.