Rockwell Automation, Inc.

Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

Philip John Agar

Thomas Bruce Meagher

Gerald Robert Creech

Shelby Adam Murrell

Kenneth John Murphy

Linda Murphy, Legal Representative

Ian Jones

Alison Cooper

Ian David D W Jones

Mitchell Couper

Ian D W Jones

Ian David Wynne Jones

Thomas Bruce Maegher

Gerry Creech

A method for processing an electrical signal comprises receiving an electrical signal comprising a frequency modulated signal encoding digital data; sampling a first portion of the electrical signal to obtain a plurality of samples to obtain a first sample set; determining an index value from the first sample set by assigning a value to each sample in the first sample set based upon an amplitude of the sample; comparing the determined index value with a plurality of predetermined index values to identify a first output value from a plurality of predetermined output values, each of the predetermined index values corresponding to one of the plurality of predetermined output values; and outputting an indication of the output value. Each of the predetermined output values indicates a respective frequency modulation encoded value and the first output value indicates a frequency modulation encoded value within the first portion of the electrical signal.

HART sampling

An output module comprises two management units each of which calculates the current demand for the module independently from one another. One management unit controls an output current, controller whilst the other unit monitors the current produced by the output current controller against an independently calculated demand. The output module has multiple output modules. In normal operation, each module provides a portion of the required output current, the total output current being equal to the sum of the currents output by each module. in the event of failure on one of the, modules, the other module or modules switch to providing the total current required and the failed module is switched to a fail safe mode by using an isolation circuit to switch off the output current from that module.

Method and apparatus for analogue output current control

A method of monitoring an analog signal output from a sensor comprising comparing the amplitude of the analog signal to a first high and low threshold, setting a primary monitoring signal to a first value when the amplitude of the analog signal exceeds the first high threshold, setting the primary monitoring signal to a second value when the amplitude of the analog signal decreases below the first low threshold, comparing the amplitude of the analog signal to a second high and low threshold, setting a secondary monitoring signal to a first value when the amplitude of the analog signal exceeds the second high threshold, setting the secondary monitoring signal to a second value when the amplitude of the analog signal decreases below the second low threshold, comparing the primary and secondary monitoring signals and determining from the comparison whether an error exists with the monitoring of the analog signal.

Method and apparatus for monitoring a signal

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for output current control in an Industrial Process Control System, The output module comprises two management units each of which calculates the current demand for the module independently from one another. One management unit controls an output current controller whilst the other unit monitors the current produced by the output current controller against an independently calculated demand. The output module has multiple output modules. However rather than one module providing a backup for the other modules, or alternating between use of each module, in normal operation, each module provides a portion of the required output current, the total output current being equal to the sum of the currents output by each module. In the event of failure on one of the modules, the other module or modules switch to providing the total current required.

An industrial process control apparatus and method that includes a number of processors and a number of input/output modules. Each processor is connected to a plurality of the input/output modules by a unidirectional command line. Each input/output module is connected to a plurality of the processors by a unidirectional response line. The processors are arranged to issue an identifier request to all of the connected input/output modules and each input/output module is arranged to respond to the identifier request via the respective response line with a response that includes a unique identifier. Such a configuration allows each processor to identify the physical location of each respective input/output module.

Method and apparatus for interconnecting modules

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Danbury, United Kingdom

Philip John Agar