Interface controller for matching a process address field from a plurality of fields and generating a corresponding device address field

An apparatus, comprising:

• means for receiving a query from a process controller, the query having a process variable address representing a storage location for process variable data in a field device in a network of field devices, each field device sensing conditions associated with process variables and storing process variable data representative of the conditions, each field device having a communication standard type and a unique field device address, the means for receiving including means for storing the process variable address;
• means for storing a plurality of records, each record including a field device address, a communication standard type, and a process variable address;
• means coupled to the means for storing the process variable address and to the means for storing a plurality of records for matching the process variable address stored in the means for storing the process variable address to a process variable address in a record stored in the means for storing a plurality of records and for extracting the field device address and the communication standard type from the record in the means for storing a plurality of records containing the matched process variable address;
• and
• means coupled to the means for matching for generating a field device request as a function of the extracted communication standard type, the field device request including the extracted field device address and being conveyable over a line communicating to the network of field devices to address the storage location represented by the process variable address stored in the means for storing the process variable address.