Universal I/O signal interposer system

A universal input/output (I/O) interposer system for processing an I/O signal transmitted between an I/O field device and a controller, the system comprising:

• a base, an interposer circuit carrier, and an electrical connector;
• the electrical connector comprising a first connector half attached to the base and a second connector half attached to the interposer circuit carrier, the first and second connector halves being selectively engageable with one another to attach the interposer circuit carrier to the base;
• the interposer circuit carrier comprising a signal processing circuit in electrical circuit communication with the second connector half, the signal processing circuit comprising an input section, a processing section, and an output section, the input section being configured to receive an I/O signal from the second connector half, the signal processing section being configured to process the I/O signal received by the input section, and the output section being configured to receive the processed I/O signal from the processing section and output the processed I/O signal to the second connector half;
• the base comprising a field-side terminal for electrical connection with an I/O signal line extending from the I/O field device, a controller-side terminal for electrical connection with an I/O signal line extending to the controller, the field-side terminal being in electrical circuit communication with the first connector half, and the connector-side terminal being in electrical connection with the first connector half to define a base interposer circuit segment extending from the field-side terminal to the second connector half and from the second connector half to the controller-side terminal;
• the electrical connector forming first and second electrical signal connections between the first and second connector halves when the first and second connector halves are engaged with one another, the first electrical signal connection electrically connecting the field side terminal with one of the intake section and the output section of the signal processing circuit and the second electrical connection electrically connecting the controller-side terminal with the other of the intake section and the output section of the signal processing circuit wherein the I/O signal is received by one of the field-side terminal and the controller-side terminal and the processed I/O signal is received by and is accessible from the other of the field-side terminal and the controller-side terminal for further transmission of the processed I/O signal away from the universal I/O interposer system and to the field device or to the controller;
• and
• the interposer circuit carrier being selectively attachable and detachable from the base without requiring removal of the signal lines from the terminals.