Integration of multiple communication physical layers and protocols in a process control input/output device

摘要

An input/output device 140 for use in a process control system to couple a plurality of field devices to a process controller, comprising: a head-end unit 142 including a first base unit; a first bus disposed in the first base unit and coupled to one or more processor modules 145; the first bus connected to an external connector adapted to be coupled to the process controller; a plurality of marshalling units 152; and a different terminal block 150 associated with each of the marshalling units 152, wherein each terminal block 150 accepts wiring to be used to couple the terminal block 150 to one or more of the field devices; a second bus disposed on the first base unit to couple the one or more processor modules to the plurality of marshalling units 152; wherein a first one of the marshalling units performs communications with a set of field devices using a first type of physical layer and a second one of the marshalling units performs communications with a different set of field devices using a second type of physical layer different than the first type; wherein the terminal block associated with the first marshalling unit accepts the first type of physical layer and the terminal block associated with the second marshalling unit accepts the second type. Further aspects disclose the marshalling units being inserted into a number of slots 149 and that the communication layers correspond to communication protocols.