Distributed process control system and method utilizing wireless communication of packet messages

• US 20060291438A1
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Sierra, Gabriel L., Rotvold, Eric D., Karschnia, Robert J., Peluso, Marcos A.V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,050,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24048 Remote test, monitoring, diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25198 Brouter: transfers data from wireless to wired networks, router: wired to wired
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4604 LAN interconnection over a backbone network, e.g. Internet, Frame Relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/4026 Bus for use in automation systems

Abstract

A distributed control and/or monitoring system and method includes a local application and a remote application separated from the local application. The local application includes a host computer. The remote application includes a plurality of field devices and a communication bus connected to the plurality of field devices. Packet messages are wirelessly communicated between the local application and the remote application such that the host computer and field devices can communicate with each other as if they were directly connected to the same communication bus.

Claims

1. A distributed control and/or monitoring system comprising:

a host computer;

a host interface connected to the host computer;

a communication bus;

a plurality of field devices connected to the communication bus and communicating over the communication bus with packet messages; and

a wireless bus interface connected to the communication bus for receiving the packet messages from the field devices, and wirelessly transmitting the packet messages to the host interface, and for wirelessly receiving the packet messages from the host interface and transmitting the packet messages over the communication bus to the field devices.

2. The distributed system of claim 1, the host interface further comprising:

interface electronics for communicating with the host computer; and

a wireless transceiver for wirelessly sending data from the interface electronics and for receiving wireless data from the wireless bus interface.

3. The distributed system of claim 1, the host interface further comprising:

a universal serial bus plug configured to connect with the host computer;

universal serial bus electronics for communicating with the host computer through the universal serial bus plug; and

a wireless transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the wireless bus interface.

4. The distributed system of claim 1, the wireless bus interface further comprising:

a wireless transceiver for wirelessly communicating between the wireless bus interface and the wireless host interface; and

bus interface electronics for sending and receiving packet messages between the communication bus and the wireless transceiver.

5. The distributed system of claim 4, the bus interface electronics operating the communication bus according to a communication protocol.

6. A distributed control and/or monitoring system comprising:

a local application including a host computer; and

a remote application, separated from the local application, including a plurality of field devices and a first communication bus connected to the plurality of field devices; and

means for wirelessly communicating a packet message between the local application and the remote application.

7. The distributed system of claim 6, wherein the means for wirelessly communicating comprises:

a host interface connected to the host computer to wirelessly transmit the packet messages from the host computer, and to wirelessly receive packet messages.

8. The distributed system of claim 6, wherein the means for wirelessly communicating comprises a wireless transceiver.

9. The distributed system of claim 6, wherein the means for wirelessly communicating comprises:

a wireless bus interface connected to the first communication bus to wirelessly transmit the packet messages from the first communication bus, and to wirelessly receive packet messages.

10. The distributed system of claim 6, the local application further comprising:

a host interface connected to the host computer;

a second communication bus connected to the host interface; and

a second plurality of field devices connected to the second communication bus.

11. The distributed system of claim 10, wherein the means for wirelessly communicating comprises a wireless transceiver connected to the second communication bus.

12. The distributed system of claim 11, wherein the means for wirelessly communicating further comprises a wireless transceiver connected to the first communication bus.

13. The distributed system of claim 6, wherein the host computer communicates with the remote application as if the remote application were wired to the local application.

14. The distributed system of claim 6, wherein one of the plurality of field devices communicates with the host computer as if the host computer were wired to the remote application.

15. A method of wirelessly communicating packet messages through a distributed control and/or monitoring system, the method comprising:

generating a first electrical packet message with a field device onto a communication bus;

transforming the first electrical packet message into a first electromagnetic packet message with a first interface;

receiving the first electromagnetic packet message from the first interface with a second interface;

transforming the first electromagnetic packet message into a second electrical packet message with the second interface; and

communicating the second electrical packet message to a host computer.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

generating a third electrical packet message with the host computer;

transforming the third electrical packet message from the host computer into a second electromagnetic packet message with the first interface;

receiving the second electromagnetic packet message from the first interface with the second interface;

transforming the electromagnetic packet message into a fourth electrical packet message with the second interface; and

communicating the fourth electrical packet message to the communication bus with the second interface; and

receiving the second electrical packet message from the communication bus with the field device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein a wireless transceiver transforms the electrical packet message from the host computer into the electromagnetic packet message.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein a wireless transceiver transforms the electromagnetic packet message into a second electrical packet message.

19. A distributed control and/or monitoring system comprising:

a local application including a host computer;

a remote application separated from the local application and including a plurality of field devices and a communication bus; and

means for communicating a packet message between the local application and the remote application as if they were connected to the same communication bus.