<s>
A	O
universal	B-Application
gateway	I-Application
is	O
a	O
device	O
that	O
transacts	O
data	O
between	O
two	O
or	O
more	O
data	O
sources	O
using	O
communication	O
protocols	O
specific	O
to	O
each	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
real-time	O
interfaces	O
are	O
involved	O
,	O
a	O
universal	B-Application
gateway	I-Application
,	O
with	O
its	O
ability	O
to	O
support	O
many	O
protocols	O
simultaneously	O
becomes	O
the	O
best	O
choice	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Universal	B-Application
Gateways	I-Application
have	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
communicate	O
between	O
protocols	O
and	O
over	O
different	O
transports	O
simultaneously	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
hundreds	O
of	O
automation	O
device	O
protocols	O
and	O
Universal	B-Application
Gateway	I-Application
solutions	O
are	O
typically	O
targeting	O
certain	O
market	O
segments	O
and	O
will	O
be	O
based	O
on	O
automation	O
vendor	O
relationships	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
universal	B-Application
gateway	I-Application
will	O
typically	O
offer	O
all	O
protocols	O
on	O
a	O
computer	O
appliance	O
,	O
for	O
the	O
benefit	O
of	O
the	O
process	O
engineer	O
,	O
giving	O
them	O
the	O
opportunity	O
to	O
pick	O
and	O
choose	O
one	O
or	O
more	O
protocols	O
,	O
and	O
change	O
them	O
over	O
time	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
application	O
needs	O
demand	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Protocol	O
converters	O
are	O
typically	O
designed	O
with	O
a	O
single	O
purpose	O
,	O
to	O
convert	O
protocol	O
X	O
to	O
Y	O
,	O
and	O
are	O
not	O
offering	O
the	O
level	O
of	O
configurability	O
and	O
flexibility	O
of	O
a	O
universal	B-Application
gateway	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Special	O
classes	O
of	O
universal	B-Application
gateway	I-Application
are	O
addressing	O
special	O
needs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Smart	B-Architecture
Grid	I-Architecture
is	O
now	O
prompting	O
a	O
new	O
class	O
of	O
application	O
where	O
plant	O
floor	O
equipment	O
is	O
tied	O
to	O
electric	O
utilities	O
for	O
the	O
purpose	O
of	O
Demand	O
and	O
Response	O
Control	O
over	O
power	O
use	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
a	O
wide	O
variety	O
of	O
"	O
Smart	B-Architecture
Grid	I-Architecture
"	O
protocols	O
that	O
need	O
to	O
be	O
connected	O
to	O
Automation	O
Protocols	O
via	O
bridging	O
software	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
universal	B-Application
gateways	I-Application
typically	O
support	O
both	O
wired	O
and	O
wireless	O
connectivity	O
.	O
</s>
