Patent ID: 7865251
Filing Date: 2011-01-04
Classification: G05B,Y02P

Abstract:
1. An input/output (I/O) bus connection system for use in a process control system comprising: a first I/O card including two interfaces, wherein a first interface of the first I/O card is communicatively coupled to a first process controller via a first bus; a second I/O card including two interfaces, wherein a first interface of the second I/O card is communicatively coupled to a second process controller via a second bus; and an inter-controller communication link between the first I/O card and the second I/O card separate from the first and the second bus, wherein the second interface of the first I/O card and the second interface are communicatively coupled to the inter-controller communication link; wherein the first process controller is configured to implement a control routine using one or more field devices by sending a control signal to one of the one or more field devices, via the first bus, and a further I/O card connected between the first bus and the one or more field devices, to provide coordinated process control functionality between the first process controller and the second process controller; wherein the first process controller is configured to send a signal to the second process controller via the first bus, the first I/O card, the inter-controller communication link and the second I/O card; wherein the first process controller is configured to determine whether one of a process parameter measurement signal, an alarm signal, or an event signal needs to be communicated to the second process controller; wherein the first process controller is configured to determine whether the field device under the control of the second process controller is to be adjusted based on the first controller signal.