Apparatus and methods to communicatively couple field devices to controllers in a process control system

摘要

A disclosed example apparatus includes a first interface to be communicatively coupled to one of a first field device or a second field device. The first interface communicates using a first fieldbus communication protocol when coupled to the first field device and communicates using a second fieldbus communication protocol when coupled to the second field device. The example apparatus includes a communication processor to encode first information received from the one of the first field device or the second field device for communication via a bus using a third communication protocol. The example apparatus includes a second interface communicatively coupled to the communication processor and the bus to communicate the first information to a controller in the process control system. The bus is to use the third communication protocol to communicate second information received from the other one of the first field device or the second field device.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a base comprising:
a first physical interface to be communicatively coupled to one of a first field device in a process control system or a second field device in the process control system; anda second physical interface to be communicatively coupled to a controller in the process control system via a bus; and a module to be removably attached to the base, the module to communicate with the first field device using a first communication protocol when the first physical interface is communicatively coupled to the first field device, the module to communicate with the second field device using a second communication protocol different than the first communication protocol when the first physical interface is communicatively coupled to the second field device, the module to communicate with the controller via the bus using a third communication protocol, the third communication protocol different from the first and second communication protocols.