Fisher-rosemount Systems, Inc

Steve Allen Packwood

Brent Hans Larson

Larry Keith Brown

A multi-protocol smart field device uses a Fieldbus communication protocol to communicate process control information and uses a HART communication protocol to enable local configuration of the field device via a hand-held HART communicator. The multi-protocol smart field device includes a first communications interface communicatively coupled to a digital data bus that is adapted to process HART communications which are received from and which are sent to a HART hand-held communicator. The multi-protocol smart field device further includes a second communications interface communicatively coupled to the digital data bus that is adapted to process Fieldbus communications. Additionally, the multi-protocol smart field device includes a first filter coupled between the first communications interface and the digital data bus that substantially attenuates signals having frequencies associated with Fieldbus communications and a second filter coupled between the second communications interface and the digital data bus that substantially attenuates signals having frequencies associated with HART communications.

Multi-protocol field device and communication method

A method of reprogramming a field device in a process control network using the standard communications protocol for the network, and a reprogrammable field device in the process control network adapted for being reprogrammed using the standard communications protocol for the network. The method and device of the present invention use the standard communications protocol to transmit the downloaded code to the field device and store the downloaded code in the field device while the device is enabled to perform process control. Once the new code is downloaded and stored in the field device, the field device is disabled from performing process control, reprogrammed to execute the downloaded code, and reenabled to perform process control.

Growing community of inventors

Marshalltown, IA, United States of America

Steve Allen Packwood