Apparatus, system, and method for integrating a wireless network with wired field devices in a process control system

An apparatus, comprising:

• at least one memory operable to store:
• a plurality of wired protocol objects representing multiple first application models that define how communications occur according to a plurality of first wired field device protocols;
• and
• mapping information defining a plurality of mappings, wherein each mapping maps one of the first application models associated with one of the first wired field device protocols to one of a plurality of second application models associated with one of a plurality of second wired field device protocols;
• and
• at least one processor operable to:
• receive first information transmitted wirelessly from each of a plurality of field units, each field unit operable to communicate with an associated plurality of wired field devices in a process control system using one of the first wired field device protocols, wherein the first information comprises information from two or more of the wired field devices and multiplexed by the field units, the information from the two or more wired field devices comprising scan information received in response to scans of the field devices by the field units;
• convert the first information into second information associated with at least one of the second wired field device protocols using at least some of the mapping information;
• and
• communicate the second information using at least one of the second wired field device protocols to a marshalling panel for delivery to a first component of the process control system, the marshalling panel separate from the apparatus and operable to convert the second information associated with the at least one second wired field device protocol into third information associated with a third wired field device protocol used by the first component of the process control system;
• wherein the gateway and the field units are configured to operate as a distributed multiplexer under the first wired field device protocol, the gateway configured to further multiplex the multiplexed information from the field units.

A method, comprising:

• storing a plurality of wired protocol objects in a gateway, the wired protocol objects representing multiple first application models that define how communications occur according to a plurality of first wired field device protocols;
• storing a plurality of mappings in the gateway, wherein each mapping maps one of the first application models associated with one of the first wired field device protocols to one of a plurality of second application models associated with one of a plurality of second wired field device protocols;
• wirelessly receiving first information from each of a plurality of field units at the gateway, each field unit communicating with an associated plurality of wired field devices in a process control system using at least one of the first wired field device protocols , the first information comprising information from two or more of the wired field devices and multiplexed by the field units;
• converting in the gateway the first information into second information associated with at least one of the second wired field device protocols using at least one of the mappings;
• and
• communicating the second information from the gateway using the at least one of the second wired field device protocols to a marshalling panel for delivery to a first component of the process control system, the marshalling panel separate from the gateway and converting the second information associated with the at least one second wired field device protocol into third information associated with a third wired field device protocol used by the first component of the process control system;
• wherein the gateway and the field units are configured to operate as a distributed multiplexer under the first wired field device protocol, the gateway configured to further multiplex the multiplexed information from the field units.

A tangible computer readable storage medium embodying a computer program, the computer program comprising computer readable program code for:

• storing a plurality of wired protocol objects representing multiple first application models that define how communications occur according to a plurality of first wired field device protocols;
• storing a plurality of mappings, wherein each mapping maps one of the first application models associated with one of the first wired field device protocols to one of a plurality of second application models associated with one of a plurality of second wired field device protocols;
• receiving first information transmitted wirelessly from each of a plurality of field units to a gateway, each field unit configured to communicate with an associated plurality of wired field devices using one of the first wired field device protocols, the first information comprising information from two or more of the wired field devices and multiplexed by the field units;
• converting the first information into second information associated with at least one of the second wired field device protocols using at least one of the mappings;
• initiating communication of the second information using at least one of the second wired field device protocols to a marshalling panel for delivery to a first component of the process control system, the marshalling panel separate from the gateway and operable to convert the second information associated with the at least one second wired field device protocol into third information associated with a third wired field device protocol used by the first component of the process control system;
• and
• causing the gateway to operate as a distributed multiplexer along with the plurality of field units under the first wired field device protocol and to further multiplex the multiplexed information from the field units.