FOXBORO, MASS. – December 1, 1999 – The Foxboro Company has introduced a family of wireless portable workstations that provide full remote interaction capabilities with I/A Series process control systems. The new I/A Series Mobile Workstations allow process control operators, engineers and maintenance technicians to interact with their I/A Series system while roaming freely throughout an industrial complex. This "untethered" flexibility reduces maintenance and operating costs and increases productivity.

The I/A Series Mobile Workstation frees plant personnel from the need to be in the control room to interact with the system, the process, or digitally integrated intelligent field instrumentation. The compact portable units provide remote access to traditional functions such as process displays, real-time trends, alarm summaries, system monitor displays, and intelligent transmitter displays. This can reduce instrument check-out times by as much as 50 percent, speed unit and plantwide startups, and significantly increase operating and maintenance efficiency.

In conjunction with Foxboro’s patented Dynamic Performance Measures, the mobile workstations can also provide users with convenient access to real-time feedback on critical plant business performance parameters such as cost, production, and yield. This encourages continuous performance improvements.

The I/A Series Mobile Workstation is a color, pen-based PC computing tablet which is used like a clipboard. The workstation connects to wired Ethernet networks via a wireless LAN. Radio communications utilize spread-spectrum radio technology. This provides a clean reliable signal that won’t interfere with other communications systems and is highly immune to interference from traditional equipment "noise."

I/A Series Mobile Workstations are available in three models:

• Indoor Mobile Workstation is a basic, entry-level unit featuring a large, 10.4-inch display, numerous mounting options, and 2.25 hours of battery life

• Premium Indoor Workstation has a more compact 8.4" display, higher resolution, a faster processor, and a 4.25-hour battery life

• All-View Mobile Workstation is similar to the Premium Indoor Workstation, but features a screen designed to be read outdoors in bright light (or indoors in high ambient lighting conditions)

A complete mobile system includes one or more workstation, a wireless LAN network (antennas, receivers, etc.), and a host I/A Series Workstation.

Foxboro delivers the complete turnkey system, including site survey, hardware, software, installation and services.

The Foxboro Company, a leading global supplier of sensor-to-boardroom automation solutions, is part of the Massachusetts-based Intelligent Automation (IA) division of Invensys plc of London, England. The IA division employs approximately 26,000 people around the world.

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