Patent ID: 11899433
Assignee: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Field: Digital communication (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  H | IPC G  H

Claim 8:
9. An apparatus for providing a trunk network and one or more branch sub-networks within a motor control center (MCC) of an industrial automation system comprising:
a memory;
processing circuitry, wherein the processing circuitry is communicatively coupled to the memory;
first physical layer circuitry configured to form the trunk network over a trunkline, wherein the trunkline comprises a trunkline cable extending from a first end to a second end, wherein the first physical layer circuitry is communicatively coupled to the memory and processing circuitry;
second physical layer circuitry configured to:
couple an MCC withdrawable unit and form a branch subnet over a branchline that connects and enables communication with one or more nodes within the MCC withdrawable unit;
decouple the MCC withdrawable unit from the branch sub-network without disrupting the trunk network wherein the second physical layer circuitry is communicatively coupled to the memory, processing circuitry, and first physical layer circuitry;

a sensor configured to detect a voltage, a current, or both, within the industrial automation system, wherein the sensor is coupled to the second physical layer circuitry;
a first terminal configured to communicatively couple to the first end of the trunkline;
a second terminal configured to communicatively couple to the second end of the trunkline; and
a third terminal configured to connect to the MCC withdrawable unit.