Fisher-rosemount Systems, Inc

Emerson Process Management Limited

Anthony Dean Ferguson

Todd Mitchell Toepke

Brian Alan Franchuk

Roger Benson

Thomas Marvin Bell

Alan Roger Dewey

Alden Chester Russell, Iii

Mehul Rajeshbhai Dalal

Christopher P Kantzes

Donald Robert Lattimer

Stephen Anthony Zielinski

Brad N Mathiowetz

Jon Dale Westbrock

Kun Yang

Adam E Lund

Christian R Butikofer

Thinh D Le

Sameer Parshuram Gorivale

A portable field maintenance tool may perform one or more tasks, such as communicating with a field device, powering a field device, diagnosing a field device, or diagnosing a communication link in a plant environment to which a field device is connected. The portable field maintenance tool may interact with field devices configured according to a number of different communication protocols, such as the HART protocol and the Fieldbus protocol. The portable field maintenance tool may be energy limited and fault tolerant, and may operate in compliance with Intrinsic Safety standards, enabling use of the portable field maintenance tool in hazardous areas.

Portable field maintenance tool with resistor network for intrinsically safe operation

Enhanced communication protocols can improve reliability and efficiency of data transfers between a host device and one or more field devices on an industrial process network. A field device can store a device description that includes a plurality of parameters descriptive of functional attributes of the field device. A host device can upload the device description for use in communications with the field device. The field device can further store a plurality of storable configurations, each storable configuration representing an entire configuration of the field device. The host device can upload the plurality of storable configurations from the field device, such as to transfer the storable configurations to a second field device on the same or different network. The host device can transmit a configuration activation request to cause a field device to operate in accordance with configuration data included in a selected one of the plurality of storable configurations.

Data transfer on an industrial process network

Portable field maintenance tool configured for multiple process control communication protocols

Portable field maintenance tool with a bus for powering and communicating with a field device

Multi-functional field maintenance (FM) tools that connect to process control devices, such as FOUNDATION Fieldbus and Highway Addressable Remote Transducer devices, can automatically detect and simultaneously identify communications, troubleshoot connections, and supply power in a process control plant. Simplifying the troubleshooting process, by guiding a user of a multi-functional FM tool through recommended troubleshooting steps, while simultaneously detecting and correcting issues reduces the number of tools required to maintain process control devices, reduces the risk of damage, and improves efficiency by minimizing production downtime.

Connection check in field maintenance tool

A method of transferring data between a host device and a field device on an industrial process network includes transmitting, by the host device to the field device, a fast data transfer initiate request to request a subsequent data transfer between the host device and the field device via a fast data transfer communication protocol. The method further includes receiving, by the host device from the field device, a fast data transfer confirmation indicating, and transmitting, by the host device to the field device, a generic data transfer initiate request to request the subsequent data transfer with the field device. The method further includes receiving, by the host device from the field device, a generic data transfer initiate confirmation, and executing, responsive to the generic data transfer initiate confirmation, the subsequent data transfer between the host device and the field device via the fast data transfer protocol.

Fast data transfer communication protocol for an industrial process network

A connector assembly for a portable field device testing includes a two-wire communication line to provide communication between a handheld maintenance tool and a field device, a first two-prong plug to provide power and communication signals to the field device and a shunt plug to provide power to the field device using the two-wire communication line.

Two-prong plug of a single lead set for supplying fieldbus communication and power from a handheld maintenance tool in a hazardous area

A field device can transmit, over an industrial process network, data (e.g., including process data) to a host device configured to send and receive messages with one or more field devices. The field device can transmit the data in response to receiving a communications token that delegates time to the field device to transmit data over the industrial process network. A data monitoring device can monitor the data transmitted over the industrial process network, and can output at least a portion of the data for display at a display device operatively coupled to the data monitoring device.

Automatic process data transmission and monitoring for an industrial process network

Method for supplying fieldbus communication and power from a handheld maintenance tool in a hazardous area using a single lead set

A handheld field maintenance bus monitor is provided. The handheld field maintenance bus monitor is coupleable to at least one process communication loop, and is configured to capture and store a selected quantity of digital communication observed on the process communication loop during a capture period. Optionally, the handheld field maintenance bus monitor may be configured to couple to and interact with process communication loops of at least two different process communication protocols, such as HART&#xae; and FOUNDATION&#x2122;. A method of analyzing captured and stored communication data is also provided.

Handheld field maintenance bus monitor

A handheld field maintenance tool is provided. The tool includes, among other things, a wireless process communication protocol module configured to communicate in accordance with a wireless process communication protocol. The tool also includes a display and an input device. A controller is coupled to the wireless process communication protocol module, the display, and the input device. The controller is configured to generate a map on the display indicating a position of the handheld field maintenance device relative to at least one asset, such as a field device. The controller is further configured to determine a position of the handheld field maintenance device by triangulating using wireless process communication with a number of known, fixed-position wireless field devices.

Handheld field maintenance tool with improved locational awareness functionality

Field devices on a communication network can be configured using a configuration device that stores a configuration data for each of the field devices in a network configuration domain in nonvolatile memory. Each field device includes a configuration domain associated with configuration data stored in nonvolatile memory of the field device. In response to commands from the configuration device, the field devices upload configuration data to or download configuration data from the configuration device. Field devices receive configuration data from the configuration device and store the received configuration data in the nonvolatile memory to define the configuration of the field device.

Configuration of field devices on a network

A signal measured on a network is associated with one of a plurality of communication devices connected to the network. The designation address of an active communication device that is scheduled to communicate next is determined. The next received signal on the network is associated with the designation address of the active communication device if the signal is received within a maximum response time.

Associating a signal measurement with a communication device on a network

Noise is detected within an operating frequency of a communication medium. Messages are monitored on the communication medium for corrupted messages. A noise detected signal is generated when a number of corrupted messages detected reaches a corrupted message threshold.

Growing community of inventors

Minnetrista, MN, United States of America

Anthony Dean Ferguson