Page back system and method for remote paging in a control system

An industrial control system for controlling a process, comprising:

• a communications device having a first communications interface operative to communicate using a first communications protocol, and a second communications interface operative to communicate using a second communications protocol;
• a control device having a third communications interface adapted for removable connection with the first communications interface and operative to communicate with the communications device using the first communications protocol, and an output operative to interface with a controlled process;
• a communications medium operatively connected to the second communications interface and adapted to communicate with the communications device using the second communications protocol;
• wherein the control device is adapted to send trigger information to the communications device, and wherein the communications device is adapted to selectively construct and transmit a message via the second communications interface according to the trigger information.

In an industrial control communications device, a method for sending a message from a control device to a remote device via a communications medium, comprising:

• obtaining trigger information via a first communications interface from the control device;
• determining if a trigger condition exists according to the trigger information;
• if a trigger condition exists, correlating the trigger condition with a data variable;
• obtaining a data variable from the control device via the first communications interface;
• creating a pager message including a text string and the data variable;
• and
• transmitting the pager message to a remote device via a second communications interface and the communications medium using a second communications protocol.

A communications device for sending a pager message according to a control device condition, comprising:

• means for obtaining trigger information via a first communications interface from the control device;
• means for determining if a trigger condition exists according to the trigger information;
• means for correlating the trigger condition with a data variable if a trigger condition exists;
• means for obtaining a data variable from the control device via the first communications interface;
• means for creating a pager message including a text string and the data variable;
• and
• means for transmitting the pager message to a remote device via a second communications interface and the communications medium using a second communications protocol.