Method and apparatus to identify a communication protocol being used in a process control system
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a process control device including a port to be in communication with a bus, the process control device to receive a first signal at the port, prior to the first signal being received, the process control device not being configured to process signals according to any of a plurality of process control message protocols, the process control device including a protocol detector to compare the first signal to reference communication protocols to identify the first signal as being associated with a first communication protocol of the plurality of process control message protocols, in response to the process control device processing the first signal based on the first communication protocol, the process control device to generate a first outgoing message based on the first communication protocol, the first outgoing message being different from the first signal, the process control device to receive a second signal at the port, in response to the second signal being received, the process control device not being configured to process signals according to any of the plurality of process control message protocols, the protocol detector to compare the second signal to the reference communication protocols to identify the second signal as being associated with a second communication protocol of the plurality of process control message protocols, the first communication protocol being different than the second communication protocol, the process control device to process the second signal based on the second communication protocol, in response to the process control device processing the second signal based on the second communication protocol, the process control device to generate a second outgoing message based on the second communication protocol, the second outgoing message being different from the second signal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus to identify a communication protocol being used in a process control system are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a process control device including a port to be in communication with a bus, the process control device to receive a first signal at the port and a second signal at the port, the process control device including a protocol detector to compare the first signal to reference communication protocols to identify the first signal as being associated with a first communication protocol, the protocol detector to compare the second signal to the reference communication protocols to identify the second signal as being associated with a second communication protocol, the first communication protocol being different than the second communication protocol, the processor to process the first signal based on the first communication protocol and the second signal based on the second communication protocol.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a process control device including a port to be in communication with a bus, the process control device to receive a first signal at the port, prior to the first signal being received, the process control device not being configured to process signals according to any of a plurality of process control message protocols, the process control device including a protocol detector to compare the first signal to reference communication protocols to identify the first signal as being associated with a first communication protocol of the plurality of process control message protocols, in response to the process control device processing the first signal based on the first communication protocol, the process control device to generate a first outgoing message based on the first communication protocol, the first outgoing message being different from the first signal, the process control device to receive a second signal at the port, in response to the second signal being received, the process control device not being configured to process signals according to any of the plurality of process control message protocols, the protocol detector to compare the second signal to the reference communication protocols to identify the second signal as being associated with a second communication protocol of the plurality of process control message protocols, the first communication protocol being different than the second communication protocol, the process control device to process the second signal based on the second communication protocol, in response to the process control device processing the second signal based on the second communication protocol, the process control device to generate a second outgoing message based on the second communication protocol, the second outgoing message being different from the second signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
8. A method, comprising:
-
receiving a first signal at a port of a process control device, prior to the first signal being received, the process control device not being configured to process signals according to any of a plurality of process control message protocols; comparing the first signal to reference communication protocols to identify the first signal as being associated with a first communication protocol; processing the first signal based on the first communication protocol; generating a first outgoing message based on the first communication protocol, the first outgoing message being different from the first signal; receiving a second signal at the port; in response to receiving the second signal, initializing the process control device wherein the process control device is not configured to process signals according to any of the plurality of process control message protocols; comparing the second signal to the reference communication protocols to identify the second signal as being associated with a second communication protocol, the first communication protocol being different than the second communication protocol; processing the second signal based on the second communication protocol; and generating a second outgoing message based on the second communication protocol, the second outgoing message being different from the second signal. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:
-
compare a first signal to reference communication protocols to identify the first signal as being associated with a first communication protocol, the first signal received at a port of a process control device, prior to receiving the first signal, the process control device not being configured to process signals according to any of a plurality of process control message protocols; process the first signal based on the first communication protocol; generate a first outgoing message based on the first communication protocol, the first outgoing message being different from the first signal; compare a second signal to the reference communication protocols to identify the second signal as being associated with a second communication protocol, immediately prior to receiving the second signal, the process control device not being configured to process signals according to any of the plurality of process control message protocols, the second signal received at the port, the first communication protocol being different than the second communication; process the second signal based on the second communication protocol; and generate a second outgoing message based on the second communication protocol, the second outgoing message being different from the second signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification