Patent ID: 7231283

Claim:
A method for regulating the power supply of a plurality of field devices (S 1 , S 2 , S 3 , A 1 , A 2 ) connected to a data bus (DBL), wherein the electrical current consumptions of the field devices (S 1 , S 2 , S 3 , A 1 , A 2 ) are adjustable, comprising the steps of: a) determining the electrical current requirements of the field devices (S 1 , S 2 , S 3 , A 1 , A 2 ) connected to the data bus (DBL); b) determining, or calculating, as the case may be, the electrical current loading of the data bus (DBL); c) issuing a control signal from a process control system (PLS); d) transmitting control signals over the data bus (DBL) for regulating the electrical current consumption in the form of one of: increasing or decreasing said consumption, of the individual field devices (S 1 , S 2 , S 3 , A 1 , A 2 ) as a function of the electrical current loading of the data bus (DBL); and e) supplying electrical current to the field devices (S 1 ,S 2 ,S 3 ,A 1 ,A 2 ) over the data bus (DBL) as a function of step c).