DEDICATED NETWORK DIAGNOSTICS MODULE FOR A PROCESS NETWORK

摘要

A network diagnostic module coupleable to a distributed process control network that controls an industrial process via field devices coupled to the network includes a power block coupleable to the network and configured to power the network diagnostic module with energy received from the network, a communications block coupleable to the network and configured to bi-directionally communicate over the network, and a diagnostics block coupleable to the network and configured to make diagnostic measurements of network and protocol parameters of the network. The network diagnostic module is not itself a field device that detects or controls any process variable of the industrial process, enabling the network diagnostic module to be placed essentially anywhere along the network to permanently monitor the network.