Background collection of diagnostic data from field instrumentation devices
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a process in a plant, the method comprising:
- communicatively coupling a field device to a process controller via an input/output device, wherein;
(i) the process controller is a device located in the plant and configured to;
(a) receive measurements of process parameters, and (b) generate control signals for controlling the process based on a process control routine and the measurements of process parameters;
(ii) the field device is a device located in the plant and configured to;
(a) measure the measured process parameters, or (b) actuate in response to receiving the control signals; and
(iii) the input/output device is a device located in the plant and configured to;
(a) route the measured process parameters received from the field device to the process controller via a backplane to which the process controller is connected, and (b) route the control signals received from the process controller via the backplane to the field device;
obtaining a device tag for the field device;
configuring the input/output device according to the device tag to;
(i) cause the input/output device to perform prioritized operations including a low priority retrieval of a value of a dynamic device diagnostic parameter for the field device, such that real-time process control communications performed by the input/output device receive priority over the low priority retrieval;
(ii) cache the value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter; and
(iii) provide one or more applications access to the cached value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter;
retrieving, by the input/output device, the value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter for the field device before the one or more applications have requested access to the value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter;
caching the value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter before the one or more applications have requested the value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter; and
providing the cached value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter to the one or more applications.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a method and system, a device tag allows automatic configuration of a process control system to download and cache device diagnostic data associated with one or more process control field devices. The device diagnostic data are downloaded and cached using bandwidth not otherwise required for real-time process control communications. The device diagnostic data may be polled asynchronously and/or according to a low priority, background task. The device diagnostic data include one or more non-static parameter values. The cached parameter values may be used in display routines, control routines, or any routine for which the update frequency is sufficient. Each cached parameter value may also have associated with it a status.
45 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a process in a plant, the method comprising:
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communicatively coupling a field device to a process controller via an input/output device, wherein; (i) the process controller is a device located in the plant and configured to;
(a) receive measurements of process parameters, and (b) generate control signals for controlling the process based on a process control routine and the measurements of process parameters;(ii) the field device is a device located in the plant and configured to;
(a) measure the measured process parameters, or (b) actuate in response to receiving the control signals; and(iii) the input/output device is a device located in the plant and configured to;
(a) route the measured process parameters received from the field device to the process controller via a backplane to which the process controller is connected, and (b) route the control signals received from the process controller via the backplane to the field device;obtaining a device tag for the field device; configuring the input/output device according to the device tag to; (i) cause the input/output device to perform prioritized operations including a low priority retrieval of a value of a dynamic device diagnostic parameter for the field device, such that real-time process control communications performed by the input/output device receive priority over the low priority retrieval; (ii) cache the value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter; and (iii) provide one or more applications access to the cached value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter; retrieving, by the input/output device, the value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter for the field device before the one or more applications have requested access to the value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter; caching the value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter before the one or more applications have requested the value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter; and providing the cached value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter to the one or more applications. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A process control system comprising:
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a process controller located in a plant and executing one or more process control routines to control a process, the process controller configured to;
(a) receive measurements of process parameters for the process, and (b) generate control signals for controlling the process based on the process control routines and the measurements of process parameters;an input/output device communicatively coupled to the process controller; a plurality of field devices communicatively coupled to the input/output device via a bus and, via the input/output device, to the process controller, at least one of the plurality of field devices generating a value of a dynamic device diagnostic parameter, the at least one of the plurality of field devices configured to;
(a) measure the measured process parameters, or (b) actuate in response to receiving the control signals;wherein the input/output device is configured to;
(a) route the measured process parameters received from the at least one of the plurality of field devices to the process controller via a backplane to which the process controller is connected, and (b) route the control signals received from the process controller via the backplane to the field device;a device tag associated with the at least one field device; and one or more memory devices storing; (a) data for configuring the input/output device to perform prioritized operations including a low priority retrieval of the value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter, such that real-time process control communications performed by the input/output device receive priority over the low priority retrieval; (b) a first routine operable to cause the input/output device to; (i) retrieve the value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter generated by the at least one field device, and (ii) cache the value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter retrieved from the at least one field device before the value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter is used to perform a process control function; and (c) a second routine operable to read the stored value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter from the cache and perform the process control function using the value of the dynamic device diagnostic parameter. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification