Patent ID: 8868732

Claim:
A method, comprising: identifying, by a gateway device comprising one or more computer processors, a first Foundation Fieldbus linking device associated with a first Ethernet network and a second Foundation Fieldbus linking device associated with a second Ethernet network, wherein the first linking device is communicatively coupled to a first set of Foundation Fieldbus devices and the second linking device is communicatively coupled to a second set of Foundation Fieldbus devices; associating, by the gateway device, one or more virtual addresses with the first linking device and the second linking device; receiving, by the gateway device from a system external to the gateway device, a first message to be communicated to an intended recipient, wherein the first message comprises an indication of a virtual address, and wherein the intended recipient is one of the first linking device, the second linking device, a Foundation Fieldbus device in the first set, or a Foundation Fieldbus device in the second set; determining, by the gateway device, whether the first message can be communicated to the intended recipient based at least in part on the received virtual address; responsive to determining that the first message can be communicated to the intended recipient based at least in part on the received virtual address: evaluating, by the gateway device, the received virtual address to identify an intermediary device or network associated with the intended recipient, and directing, by the gateway device, communication of the first message to the intermediary device or network, or responsive to determining that the first message cannot be communicated to the intended recipient based at least in part on the received virtual address: determining, by the gateway device and based at least in part on the received virtual address, a physical address associated with the intended recipient, and directing, by the gateway device and based at least in part upon the determined physical address, communication of the first message to the intended recipient, the method further comprising: receiving, by the gateway device, a second message output by one of the first linking device or the second linking device; modifying, by the gateway device, the second message in order to associate a particular virtual address of the one or more virtual addresses with the second message; and providing, by the gateway device, the modified second message to the system.