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US 10,599,134 B2Granted
Portable field maintenance tool configured for multiple process control communication protocols
AssigneeFisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc.
InventorsRoger Benson, Anthony D. Ferguson, Todd M. Toepke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portable field maintenance tool may perform one or more tasks, such as communicating with a field device, powering a field device, diagnosing a field device, or diagnosing a communication link in a plant environment to which a field device is connected. The portable field maintenance tool may interact with field devices configured according to a number of different communication protocols, such as the HART protocol and the Fieldbus protocol. The portable field maintenance tool may be energy limited and fault tolerant, and may operate in compliance with Intrinsic Safety standards, enabling use of the portable field maintenance tool in hazardous areas.
Claims30
A portable field maintenance tool comprising:
- (A) a housing;
- (B) a communication interface disposed through the housing, the communication interface including an internal portion accessible within the housing;
- (C) one or more communication circuits disposed within the housing and electrically connected to the internal portion of the communication interface, the one or more communication circuits configured to communicate according to a first protocol and to communicate according to a second protocol;
- and
- (D) one or more power supplies disposed within the housing and electrically connected to the internal portion of the communication interface, the one or more power supplies configured to supply power according to the first protocol and to supply power according to the second protocol;
- and
- wherein the communication interface further includes one or more terminals that are:
- (i) connectable to a first field device so that the first field device receives a first composite signal including a first power signal and a first communication signal, wherein the first composite signal is configured, according to the first protocol, to supply power via the first power signal from the one or more power supplies to the first field device and to communicatively connect the first field device to the one or more communication circuits;
- and
- (ii) connectable to a second field device so that the second field device receives a second composite signal including a second power signal and a second communication signal, wherein the second composite signal is configured, according to the second protocol, to supply power via the second power signal from the one or more power supplies to the second field device and to communicatively connect the second field device to the one or more communication circuits;
- wherein the first power signal conforms to a first set of requirements associated with the first protocol and the second power signal conforms to a second set of requirements, different from the first set of requirements, associated with the second protocol;
- wherein the first field device is configured to be powered by power signals conforming to the first set of requirements associated with the first protocol;
- and
- wherein the second field device is configured to be powered by power signals conforming to the second set of requirements associated with the second protocol.
11 more elements
A method for communicating with a field device, the method including:
- communicatively connecting a portable field maintenance tool to a first field device configured according to a first protocol;
- transmitting by the portable field maintenance tool a first composite signal configured according to the first protocol, the first composite signal including:
- (i) a first power signal, conforming to a first set of requirements associated with the first protocol, to power the first field device, and (ii) a first communication signal to communicate with the first field device;
- communicatively connecting a portable field maintenance tool to a second field device configured according to a second protocol;
- and
- transmitting by the portable field maintenance tool a second composite signal configured according to the second protocol, the second composite signal including:
- (i) a second power signal, conforming to a second set of requirements, distinct from the first set of requirements, associated with the second protocol, to power the second field device, and (ii) a second communication signal to communicate with the second field device;
- wherein, to be powered, the first field device requires a power signal conforming to the first set of requirements of the first protocol;
- and
- wherein, to be powered, the second field device requires a power signal conforming to the second set of requirements of the second protocol.
7 more elements
A portable field maintenance tool comprising:
- (A) a housing;
- (B) a communication interface disposed through the housing, the communication interface including an internal portion accessible within the housing;
- (C) one or more communication circuits disposed within the housing and electrically connected to the internal portion of the communication interface, the one or more communication circuits configured to communicate according to a first protocol and to communicate according to a second protocol;
- and
- (D) one or more power supplies disposed within the housing and electrically connected to the internal portion of the communication interface, the one or more power supplies configured to supply power according to the first protocol and to supply power according to the second protocol;
- and
- wherein the communication interface further includes one or more terminals that are:
- (i) connectable to a first field device so that the first field device receives a first composite signal including an analog DC communication signal and a digital FM communication signal superimposed on the analog DC communication signal, wherein the first composite signal is configured, according to the first protocol, to supply power from the one or more power supplies to the first field device and to communicatively connect the first field device to the one or more communication circuits;
- and
- (ii) connectable to a second field device so that the second field device receives a second composite signal configured, according to the second protocol, to supply power from the one or more power supplies to the second field device and to communicatively connect the second field device to the one or more communication circuits.
7 more elements
A method for communicating with a field device, the method including:
- communicatively connecting a portable field maintenance tool to a first field device configured according to a first protocol;
- transmitting by the portable field maintenance tool a first composite signal configured according to the first protocol, the first composite signal including:
- (i) a first power signal to power the first field device, and (ii) a first communication signal to communicate with the first field device;
- wherein transmitting the first composite signal includes ramping the first power signal over a time period;
- communicatively connecting a portable field maintenance tool to a second field device configured according to a second protocol;
- and
- transmitting by the portable field maintenance tool a second composite signal configured according to the second protocol, the second composite signal including:
- (i) a second power signal to power the second field device, and (ii) a second communication signal to communicate with the second field device.
5 more elements
A portable field maintenance tool comprising:
- (A) a housing;
- (B) a communication interface disposed through the housing, the communication interface including an internal portion accessible within the housing;
- (C) one or more communication circuits disposed within the housing and electrically connected to the internal portion of the communication interface, the one or more communication circuits configured to communicate according to a first protocol and to communicate according to a second protocol;
- and
- (D) one or more power supplies disposed within the housing and electrically connected to the internal portion of the communication interface, the one or more power supplies configured to supply power according to the first protocol and to supply power according to the second protocol;
- and
- wherein the communication interface further includes one or more terminals that are:
- (i) connectable to a first field device so that the first field device receives a first composite signal including an analog DC communication signal and a digital FM communication signal superimposed on the analog DC communication signal, wherein the first composite signal is configured, according to the first protocol, to supply power from the one or more power supplies to the first field device and to communicatively connect the first field device to the one or more communication circuits;
- and
- (ii) connectable to a second field device so that the second field device receives a second composite signal configured, according to the second protocol, to supply power from the one or more power supplies to the second field device and to communicatively connect the second field device to the one or more communication circuits;
- wherein the portable field maintenance tool further comprises:
- (E) a control unit configured to disable one or more components of the one or more communication circuits or of the one or more power supplies when an electrical measurement of a one of the one or more components or a one of the first and second composite signal exceeds a threshold.
9 more elements
A system comprising:
- (A) a plurality of field devices in a process control environment, the plurality of field devices including:
- (i) a first field device configured to communicate via a first composite signal, configured according to a first protocol, including a first communication signal and a first power signal for powering the first field device, wherein the first power signal conforms to a first set of power requirements of the first protocol;
- and
- (ii) a second field device configured to communicate via a second compose signal, configured according to a second protocol, including a second communication signal and a second power signal for powering the second field device, wherein the second power signal conforms to a second set of power requirements of the second protocol;
- wherein first and second sets of power requirements differ such that a power signal conforming to the first set of requirements does not conform to the second set of requirements and a power signal conforming to the second set of requirements does not conform to the first set of requirements;
- wherein the first field device is configured to be powered by power conforming to the first set of requirements and wherein the second field device is configured to be powered by power conforming to the second set of requirements;
- (B) a portable field maintenance tool configured for both the first and second protocols such that the portable field maintenance tool is configured to:
- (i) communicate with both the first and second field devices via the first and second composite signals, and (ii) power both the first and second field devices by supplying the first and second power signals of the first and second composite signals from one or more power supplies internal to the portable field maintenance tool.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.