Apparatus and method for on-process migration of industrial control and automation system across disparate network types

A method implemented with controllers having processor capabilities and circuitry to process instructions and network inter-communicated data, the method comprising:

• receiving first data messages from a higher-level industrial process control network at a first network controller of an interface device;
• providing, by the first network controller, the first data messages to second and third network controllers of the interface device for transmission over legacy and enhanced lower-level industrial process control networks, respectively, wherein the second network controller comprises a token bus controller configured to communicate over a token bus of the legacy lower-level industrial process control network, wherein the third network controller comprises a token bus controller emulator;
• receiving second data messages from the lower-level industrial process control networks at the second and third network controllers;
• providing, by the second and third network controllers, the second data messages to the first network controller for transmission over the higher-level industrial process control network;
• receiving, at each of the second and third network controllers, third data messages from one of the lower-level industrial process control networks;
• translating, by the second and third network controllers, the third data messages between a legacy protocol associated with the legacy lower-level industrial process control network and an enhanced protocol associated with the enhanced lower-level industrial process control network:
• and
• providing, from each of the second and third network controllers to another of the second and third network controllers, the translated third data messages for transmission over another of the lower-level industrial process control networks;
• wherein the first, second, and third network controllers are disposed in a same housing of the interface device.

A system comprising:

• first, second, and third network controllers configured to communicate over higher-level, legacy lower-level, and enhanced lower-level industrial process control networks, respectively;
• wherein the second network controller comprises a token bus controller configured to communicate over a token bus of the legacy lower-level industrial process control network, wherein the third network controller comprises a token bus controller emulator;
• at least one processing device configured to provide a gateway function to allow data messages to be transported between (i) the higher-level industrial process control network and (ii) the lower-level industrial process control networks, wherein the second and third network controllers are configured to provide a bridge function to allow data messages to be transported between (i) the legacy lower-level industrial process control network and (ii) the enhanced lower-level industrial process control network;
• a bus configured to transport the data messages between the network controllers;
• and a housing configured to encase the network controllers, the at least one processing device, and the bus,
• wherein the first network controller is configured to provide data messages from the high-level industrial process control network to the second and third network controllers for transmission over the lower-level industrial process control networks, and to receive from lower-level industrial process control networks data messages provided by the second and third network controllers;
• wherein at least one of the second and third network controllers is configured to receive data messages from lower-level control networks to another of the second and third network controllers for transmission over other lower-level industrial control networks;
• and
• translate at least some of the data messages between a legacy protocol associated with the legacy lower-level industrial process control network and an enhanced protocol associated with the enhanced lower-level industrial process control network.