Method and system for monitoring fieldbus network with multiple packet filters

An apparatus for monitoring fieldbus packets on a fieldbus network, said fieldbus packets each comprising a plurality of information layers and originating from one of a plurality of network addresses, said apparatus comprising:

• a packet receptor having an input and an output, said input coupled to said fieldbus network;
• means for initializing two or more packet filters, wherein each of said two or more packet filters corresponds to a permutation of said plurality of information layers and network addresses;
• means for combining said two or more packet filters to generate a concatenated filter corresponding to a union of said permutations of each of said two or more packet filters;
• filter logic including an input connected to an output of said packet receptor, wherein said filter logic uses said concatenated filter to filter the fieldbus packets on the fieldbus network;
• separating means for separating said filtered data into filtered packet data for each of said two or more packet filters, wherein said separating means operates based on said two or more packet filters;
• and
• a memory coupled to said filter logic for storing said filtered packet data.