Patent ID: 7869805
Filing Date: 2011-01-11
Classification: G08C,H04Q

Abstract:
1. A method of transmitting data from a field device, the method including: obtaining process variable information; selectively determining data communication signal strength of a plurality of data communication providers available to the field device by only determining data communication signal strength of the plurality of providers if a signal strength of an initial data communication provider is below a certain threshold; transmitting the process variable information over a selected one of the plurality of data communication providers based at least in part upon the signal strength of the selected data communication provider; storing event information related to connecting to the selected data communication provider wherein event information is accumulated to provide a statistical history of communication using any of the data communication providers; analyzing the statistical history by performing at least one statistical operation on the history; and wherein selection of the selected data communication provider is based, in part, upon the statistical operation.