Patent ID: 7889747
Filing Date: 2011-02-15
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A system, comprising: a plurality of field units, each field unit operable to communicate with an associated plurality of wired field devices in a process control system using one of a plurality of first wired field device protocols; a gateway operable to wirelessly communicate with the field units, the gateway also operable to communicate using a plurality of second wired field device protocols, the gateway further operable to convert messages from the first wired field device protocol to at least one of the second wired field device protocols, the messages comprising information from two or more of the wired field devices and multiplexed by the field units; and a marshalling panel that is separate from the gateway, the marshalling panel operable to communicate with the gateway and with a first component of the process control system, the marshalling panel operable to convert the messages from at least one of the second wired field device protocols to a third wired field device protocol used by the first component of the process control system; wherein: