Abstract:
An adapter (300) for coupling to a process control transmitter of the type used to monitor a process variable in an industrial process is provided. The adapter includes I/O circuitry (342) configured to couple to a two wire process control loop (302) and to the process control transmitter and communicate on the process control loop (302). Wireless communication circuitry (344) couples to the two wire process control loop (302) and is configured to transmit an RF signal. Power supply circuitry (350) provides power to the wireless communication circuitry.
Abstract:
An industrial process transmitter 102 for transmitting a process variable on a two-wire process control loop 106 includes, a loop current control 162 to control a loop current level on the two-wire process control loop 106 that is related to the process variable. Power is provided to primary circuitry 164 of the process transmitter 102. A secondary current control circuit 166 limits current delivered to secondary circuitry 168.
Abstract:
A process variable transmitter (100) that preferably includes a transmitter output circuit (400, 300) that provides bidirectional HART and controller area network communication transceiver lines (LOOP+, LOOP-, CAN, GND). The transmitter output circuit also includes sensor circuit interface contacts (202) . An isolated circuit (201) couples to the sensor circuit interface contacts. The isolated circuit includes sensor circuitry sensing a process variable. The isolated circuit further comprises a galvanic isolation barrier (204) galvanically isolating the sensor circuitry from the HART and controller area network transceiver lines. A stacked power supply (Figs. 9A-9B) provides power management. Other aspects may include a controller area network current limiter diagnostic output (934), timed sequencing of microcontroller startup and shutdown, a local operator interface and power management.
Abstract:
A wireless mesh network is formed by nodes (GW1, GW2, A-F, X-Z) having a regular active schedule for transmitting and receiving messages, and a fast active schedule mode that is locally activated when a demand exists for transmission of a larger number of messages. As each node transmits a message to another node, the transmitting node includes a message buffer queue parameter that indicates the number of messages in the transmitting nodes, pending message queue. The receiving node determines, based upon the message buffer queue parameter received and its own capacity, whether to continue on the regular schedule, or to activate the fast active schedule. If the fast active schedule is activated, the receiving node sends a special acknowledge message back to the sending node, so that both nodes will transmit and receive messages over a fast active schedule link until the message buffer of the sending node has been reduced and the fast active schedule can be deactivated in favor of the regular active schedule.
Abstract:
A field device system (12) for use in an industrial process includes a field device (14) configured to couple to the industrial process and monitor or control the industrial process. The field device provides a temperature control signal output related to a temperature of the field device. A heater (24) coupled to the field device (14) heats the field device (14) in response to the temperature control signal.
Abstract:
A field hardened industrial device (200) is described with a housing (208) of the device having electrically conductive walls surrounding a cavity (206) with an open end. An electronics assembly (292) is adapted to fit within the cavity. The device includes a circuit card assembly (270), which is a multi-layered printed wiring board with pass-through electrical connections and an embedded ground plane (350) electrically coupled to the housing (202) to shield the electronics assembly (292) from electromagnetic interference and to provide environmental protection to the electronics assembly.
Abstract:
A field device (14) for use in an industrial process control or monitoring system (10) connects to a two-wire process control loop (16). The loop (16) carries data and provides power to the field device (14). RF circuitry (22) in the field device (14) is provided for radio frequency communication. A power supply (18) powers the RF circuitry (22) using power received from the two-wire process control loop (16).
Abstract:
A pressure measurement device (100) comprising an absolute pressure sensor (104) and a bus (114) coupling serial communication and energization to an electrical connector (110) in a field wiring compartment (108). An atmospheric pressure sensor module (116) is connected to the bus at the electrical connector. The bus provides the energization to the atmospheric pressure sensor module and the bus receives a serial communication signal from the atmospheric pressure sensor module. The serial communication signal includes numeric data (120) representing atmospheric pressure. The pressure measurement device provides a gage pressure output (124) as a calculated difference between the sensed absolute pressure and the received numeric data.
Abstract:
A process variable transmitter (200) connects a serial bus (232) to an accessory load. A supply limiter circuit (234) provides a first supply current limit and provides a stored energy output (236). A recessive driver circuit (238) draws a drive current from the stored energy output (236) and couples the drive current to the serial bus (232). The recessive driver circuit (238) provides a drive current limit. A dominant driver circuit (242) has a dominant state in which it conducts the drive current, and an inactive state in which the drive current is available to the accessory load.
Abstract:
An industrial process control transmitter (10) has a modular construction, with a detector module (16) and an output module (18) electrically connected together by a serial bus (20). The output module (18) includes a microcomputer (40), a modem (44) for digital communication over the two-wire loop, analog output circuitry (46) for controlling loop current, a digital-to-analog converter (48), and a memory (50) for storing calibration factors and D/A characterization factors. The detector module (16) includes several sensors (24, 28, 34) with associated circuitry (26, 32, 36) to convert the sensor signals to digital signals. The detector module (16) also includes a memory (38) which contains characterization factors unique to the sensors (24, 28, 34) which can be used by the microcomputer (40) to correct the digital values provided by the detector circuitry (26, 32, 36).