Patent ID: 8347007
Filing Date: 2013-01-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A field device that transmits and receives data via a fieldbus in accordance with any of a plurality of communication protocols, the field device comprising: a control section to give an instruction on a communication protocol to be used for transmitting and/or receiving data via the fieldbus, the communication protocol being among the plurality of communication protocols; and a fieldbus controller to perform protocol processing, the fieldbus controller including: receiving section that receives data in accordance with any of the plurality of communication protocols; a transmitting section that transmits data in accordance with any of the plurality of communication protocols; a reception protocol switching section that switches between communication protocols in accordance with which the receiving section receives data, based on the instruction from the control section; and a transmission protocol switching section that switches between communication protocols, separately from the switching of the communication protocols to be used by the receiving section, in accordance with which the transmitting section transmits data, based on the instruction from the control section, wherein the fieldbus controller further includes a frame checking section to check contents of a reception frame of the data received by the transmitting and receiving section, and the reception protocol switching section and the transmission protocol switching section each switch between the communication protocols, in accordance with which the transmitting and receiving section transmits and receives data, respectively, based on the contents of the reception frame checked by the frame checking section, wherein the contents of the reception frame checked by the frame checking section comprises at least one of a write command and a read command, and when the contents of the reception frame comprises the write command, the communication protocol at the reception protocol switching section comprises a safety instrumentation communication protocol, and when the contents of the reception frame comprises the read command the communication protocol at the reception protocol switching section comprises a normal protocol.