US 8,015,573 B2Granted

Input/output device with configuration, fault isolation and redundant fault assist functionality

AssigneeFisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc.

InventorsMichael D. Apel, Steven L. Dienstbier

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An I/O device is provided for use in a process control system having a controller operating under a particular version of communication software. The I/O device has a storage device for storing a plurality of potential versions of I/O communication software. An I/O device processor determines the particular version of I/O communication software utilized by the controller and configures the I/O device to operate using a compatible version of I/O communication software stored in the storage device. Further, an I/O device is provided for use in a process control system including a plurality of I/O devices and a controller in communication using a bus. The I/O device has an interface for communicatively linking the I/O device with the bus, where a device processor, upon detection of a potential I/O device fault, severs the communication link provided by the interface with the bus. Additionally, a process control system is provided having a plurality of I/O devices in communication using a bus. A primary redundant device and a secondary redundant device are coupled to the bus, where the secondary redundant device is programmed to detect a primary redundant device fault. The secondary redundant device, upon detecting the primary redundant device fault, publishes a primary redundant device fault message on the bus. The controller may deactivate the primary redundant device and activate the secondary redundant device responsive to the primary redundant device fault message.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An input/output (I/O) device for use in a process control system having a controller operating under a particular version of a particular type of I/O communication software, the controller configured to transmit a message to the I/O device, the I/O device comprising:

a device processor for controlling operation of the I/O device;
an interface communicatively linked to the device processor for interfacing the I/O device with the controller via a communication link;
and
a storage device communicatively linked to the device processor, for storing a plurality of versions of the particular type of I/O communication software, the plurality of versions of the particular type of I/O communication software including a primitive version of the particular type of I/O communication software and at least one less primitive version of the particular type I/O communication software, each version of the particular type of I/O communication software usable by the device processor in controlling the I/O device and each version of the particular type of I/O communication software using the same physical communication format for communicating via the communication link;
wherein the device processor uses the interface to determine the particular version of the particular type of I/O communication software utilized by the controller, determines a version of the particular type of I/O communication software of the plurality of versions of the particular type of I/O communication software stored in the storage device that is compatible with the particular version of the particular type of I/O communication software used by the controller, configures the device to operate to thereafter communicate over the communication link using the compatible version of the particular type of I/O communication software, and generates a responsive message to the controller, the responsive message including two message portions, a first message portion utilized in the primitive version of the particular type of I/O communication software and the at least one less primitive version of the particular type of I/O communication software, and a second message portion utilized only in the at least one less primitive version of the particular type of I/O communication software, and wherein the device processor places information regarding the plurality of versions of the particular type of I/O communication software stored in the storage device in the second message portion of the responsive message.

2 more elements

A method of configuring an input/output (I/O) device for use in a process control system, the process control system having a controller operating under a particular version of a particular type of I/O communication software, the controller configured to transmit a message to the I/O device, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of versions of the particular type of I/O communication software in a storage device for the I/O device, including a primitive version of the particular type of I/O communication software and at least one less primitive version of the particular type of I/O communication software, each version of the particular type of I/O communication software usable by a device processor of the I/O device in controlling the I/O device to communicate via a communication link and each version of the particular type of I/O communication software using the same physical communication format for communicating via the communication link;
determining by the device processor the particular version of the particular type of I/O communication software utilized by the controller;
determining by the device processor a version of the particular type of I/O communication software of the plurality of versions of the particular type of I/O communication software stored in the storage device that is compatible with the particular version of the particular type of communication protocol used by the controller;
configuring the I/O device to operate using the compatible version of the particular type of I/O communication software to thereafter communicate over the communication link using the compatible version of the particular type of I/O communication software;
generating a responsive message to the controller at the device processor, the responsive message including information regarding the plurality of versions of the particular type of I/O communication software stored in the storage device of the I/O device, wherein the responsive message includes a first message portion utilized in the primitive version of the particular type of I/O communication software and the at least one less primitive version of the particular type of I/O communication software, and a second message portion utilized only in the at least one less primitive version of the particular type of I/O communication software;
and
placing the information regarding the plurality of versions of the particular type of I/O communication software stored in the storage device in the second message portion.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/051,563Filed 19 Mar 2008 · division
Priority: 31 May 2001
Published: US 2008/0162738 A13 Jul 2008
Granted: 6 Sep 2011
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G06F 11/2017
Using active fault-masking, e.g. by switching out faulty elements or by switching in spare elements: where memory access, memory control or I/O…
G06F 9/4411
Bootstrapping: configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
G06F 11/0745
The processing taking place on a specific hardware platform or in a specific software environment: in an input/output transactions management context
G06F 11/0793
Error or fault processing not based on redundancy, i.e. by taking additional measures to deal with the error or fault not making use of…

Family

Application09/871,115Parent of this division · filed 31 May 2001
US 2008/0162738 A1Pre-grant publication · published 3 Jul 2008
US 7,370,239 B2Parent of this division
US 2002/0184410 A1Published application
US 8,015,573 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.