Phoenix Contact Development and Manufacturing, Inc.

Michael Colin Cherewka

Aaron Richard Kreider

Brenton Eugene Helfrick

Davis Mathews

David Nathan Katz

Brian Vogt

Todd Eugene Shadle

Brent Helfrick

A method for providing galvanic isolation between an input or trunk interface () and multiple outputs or spur interfaces () for connecting field devices () to a trunk () of a two-wire () process control network () includes connecting multiple sets of multiple spur interfaces to respective isolating elements (). Each isolating element () connects a respective set of outputs or spur interfaces () to the trunk interface () and galvanically isolates () the respective set of spur interfaces () from the trunk interface (). Field devices () attached to different sets of spur interfaces are also galvanically isolated from one another.

Spur isolation in a fieldbus network

A fieldbus coupler for coupling a local fieldbus network utilizing a first fieldbus protocol to a foreign field device or foreign fieldbus network through an interconnecting wired or wireless network transmission line that utilizes a second fieldbus protocol different from the first fieldbus protocol includes a first circuit configured to communicate over the local fieldbus network using the first fieldbus protocol, a second circuit configured to connect the fieldbus coupler with the interconnecting network transmission line and communicate over the interconnecting network transmission line using the second fieldbus protocol, and a third circuit configured to communicate with the first and second circuits and capable of transmitting data to and from the first and second circuits to enable communications between the local fieldbus network via the interconnecting network transmission line.

Fieldbus network with two-wire loop

A voltage limiting device for limiting the voltage being transferred from a trunk circuit to a spur circuit of a distributed control network includes an AC signal device that passes the AC data signals between the trunk circuit and the spur circuit.

Voltage limiting device for use in a distributed control system

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Mechanicsburg, PA, United States of America

Michael Colin Cherewka