The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 28, 2006
Filed:
Jan. 13, 2004
Alexander Johnson, Houston, TX (US);
Paul C. Badavas, Southboro, MA (US);
T. Eric Christiansen, Fall River, MA (US);
Peter D. Hansen, Wellesley, MA (US);
Thomas B. Kinney, Franklin, MA (US);
Seyamak Keyghobad, Marion, MA (US);
BO Ling, Sharon, MA (US);
Richard L. Thibault, Plainville, MA (US);
Alexander Johnson, Houston, TX (US);
Paul C. Badavas, Southboro, MA (US);
T. Eric Christiansen, Fall River, MA (US);
Peter D. Hansen, Wellesley, MA (US);
Thomas B. Kinney, Franklin, MA (US);
Seyamak Keyghobad, Marion, MA (US);
Bo Ling, Sharon, MA (US);
Richard L. Thibault, Plainville, MA (US);
Invensys Systems, Inc., Foxboro, MA (US);
Abstract
The invention provides improved methods and apparatus for control using field and control devices that provide a virtual machine environment and that communicate via an IP network. By way of non-limiting example, such field device can be an 'intelligent' transmitter or actuator that includes a low power processor, along with a random access memory, a read-only memory, FlashRAM, and a sensor interface. The processor can execute a real-time operating system, as well as a Java virtual machine (JVM). Java byte code executes in the JVM to configure the field device to perform typical process control functions, e.g., for proportional integral derivative (PID) control and signal conditioning. Control networks can include a plurality of such field and control devices interconnected by an IP network, such as an Ethernet.