US 2018/0120796 A1Published application

Multi-protocol gateway with control in a process control system

AssigneeSchneider Electric Systems USA, Inc.

InventorsJohan I. Tegnell, Alan A. Gale, Thomas A. Nery, Krishna R. Mendu, Christopher Hu

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Controlling and communicating with separate sets of industrial process control devices via separate data protocols simultaneously with a single processing device that utilizes redundancy and task-splitting to increase availability. An exemplary system includes a device integrator processor configured to receive and transmit electronic data via a plurality of protocols simultaneously. In one form, the device integrator processor includes a primary module that primarily controls communications and synchronizes itself with a shadow module of the processor. In another form, the processor includes multiple cores that each control a set of devices. Moreover, the cores implement a redundancy scheme.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A system for enabling control of devices in a process control system, comprising:

at least one first interface configured to support communication of first electronic data among the devices via at least one electronic data communications network according to a first electronic data communication protocol;
at least one second interface configured to support communication of second electronic data among the devices via the at least one electronic data communications network according to a second electronic data communication protocol;
and
a device integrator processor, said processor comprising a primary module and a shadow module, the primary module and the shadow module each configured to couple to the electronic data communications network via the first and second interfaces, and the primary module configured to receive and transmit the first and second electronic data on the electronic data communications network according to the first and second electronic data communication protocols simultaneously to control communications on the electronic data communication network during operation of the system.

1 more element

A method for enabling control of devices in a process control system, said method comprising:

coupling a primary module of a device integrator processor to an electronic data communications network via at least one first interface and at least one second interface, the first and second interfaces configured to simultaneously support communication of first electronic data among the devices via the electronic data communications network according to a first electronic data communication protocol and second electronic data among the devices via the electronic data communications network according to a second electronic data communication protocol;
coupling a shadow module of the processor to the electronic data communications network via the first and second interfaces;
and
controlling communications on the electronic data communications network by the primary module receiving and transmitting the first and second electronic data on the electronic data communications network.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/794,746Filed 26 Oct 2017
Priority: 31 Oct 2016
Published: 3 May 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

G05B 15/02
Systems controlled by a computer: electric
G05B 19/0421
Using digital processors: multiprocessor system
G06F 13/4282
Bus transfer protocol, e.g. handshake; Synchronisation: on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus
G05B 19/4185
Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible…:…