Node management of nodal communication networks for highly versatile field devices in control and automation systems

A highly versatile (HV) field device of a process control or automation system, the HV field device comprising:

• one or more physical components that perform a physical function to control an industrial process within the process control or automation system;
• a communication interface to a nodal communication network;
• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more non-transitory memories storing a tag corresponding to the HV field device and storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the HV field device to:
• upon a powering up of the HV field device, detect that the HV field device is connected to the nodal communication network via the communication interface;
• transmit, via the nodal communication network to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server of the nodal communication network, a request for an endpoint identification of the HV field device, the request including an indication of the tag corresponding to the HV field device;
• obtain, from the DCHP server via the nodal communication network, an endpoint identification that has been assigned by the DCHP server to the HV field device;
• establish, over the nodal communication network and by using the endpoint identification assigned to the HV field device, a communication session with another device, the another device being a consumer of data generated by the HV field device, the generated data corresponding to the physical function performed by the HV field device during the run-time operations of the process control or automation system;
• and
• during run-time operations of the process control or automation system, transmit the data corresponding to the physical function performed by the one or more physical components of the HV field device to the another device via the established communication session to thereby control the industrial process.

A method at a highly versatile (HV) field device of a process control or automation system, the method comprising:

• detecting, by the HV field device upon a powering up of the HV field device, that the HV field device is connected, via a communication interface of the HV field device, to a nodal communication network having nodes identified by respective endpoint identifications;
• transmitting, by the HV field device via the nodal communication network to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server of the nodal communication network, a request for an endpoint identification by which the HV field device is to be identified within the nodal communication network, the request including an indication of a tag of the HV field device, the tag identifying the HV field device within the process control automation or automation system;
• obtaining, by the HV field device from the DCHP server via the nodal communication network, an endpoint identification that has been assigned to the HV field device;
• establishing, by the HV field device over the nodal communication network and by using the endpoint identification assigned to the HV field device, a communication session with another device, the another device being a consumer of data that is indicative of a physical function performed by one or more physical components of the HV field device during run-time operations of the process control or automation system to control an industrial process;
• and
• during the run-time operations of the process control or automation system, transmitting, by the HV field device via the communication session, the data indicative of the physical function performed by the one or more physical components of the HV field device to the another device to thereby control the industrial process.