Patent ID: 7370239

Claim:
An input/output (I/O) device for use in a process control system for providing communications between a process controller and a field device, the process control system including a plurality of I/O devices in communication with the process controller using a bus, the I/O device comprising: a first interface directly coupled to the bus for communicatively linking the I/O device with the process controller via the bus wherein the process controller produces a control message for receipt by the field device, the first interface adapted to receive the control message from the process controller for the field device via the bus, wherein the field device controls a physical process control parameter or measures a physical process control parameter; a second interface for communicatively linking the I/O device with the field device apart from the bus; and a device processor coupled with the first interface for controlling operation of the I/O device including performing fault detection for the I/O device; wherein the device processor, upon detection of a potential device fault, severs the communication link provided by the first interface with the bus.