Technology for assessing and presenting field device commissioning information associated with a process plant

• US 10,459,418 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2017
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Peluso, Marcos A. V., Hokeness, Scott N., Xiao, Qian, Pille, Charles H., Hurt, Paul, Hong, Nghy
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, Jason D
• Application Number:
  US15/722,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20180024519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 700 28
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4065 Monitoring tool breakage, life or condition
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4067 Restoring data or position after power failure or other interruption
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4068 Verifying part programme on screen, by drawing or other means
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4147 characterised by using a programmable interface controller [PIC]
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/418 Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM]
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4187 by tool management
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23192 A limited number of programs to be used by plurality of machines, multiplex
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25061 Configuration stored in central database
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Techniques for assessing and presenting differences between the current commissioning data of a set of process control devices within a process plant and the respective baseline or defined commissioning parameters of the set of process control devices. According to embodiments, systems and methods may obtain the current commissioning data from the set of process control devices and access baseline parameters corresponding to the commissioning data. The systems and methods may compare the current commissioning data to the baseline parameters to determine a set of differences, and present, via a user interface, the set of differences for review by an administrator. In reviewing the set of differences, the administrator may facilitate different functionalities including rebaselining or reconfiguring process control devices.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of accessing commissioning data associated with a set of devices in a process plant, where at least some of the set of devices are communicatively connected to operate in the process plant during run-time to control a set of processes, the method comprising:

obtaining, at a computing device for each of the set of devices, commissioning status data for the respective device;

accessing a set of defined commissioning parameters respectively associated with the set of devices;

determining, by the computing device for each of the set of devices, a difference between the respective commissioning status data and the respective defined commissioning parameter; and

causing a user interface to indicate (i) the set of differences between the set of commissioning status data and the set of defined commissioning parameters, (ii) a first option to modify, for a device of the set of devices, the defined commissioning parameter of the device to match the commissioning status data of the device, and (iii) a second option to configure the device according to the defined commissioning parameter of the device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the commissioning status data comprises a current configuration of the respective device and the defined commissioning parameter comprises a desired configuration for the respective device, and wherein determining the difference comprises:

determining, for each of the set of devices, the difference between the respective current configuration and the respective desired configuration.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining, for each of the set of devices, the difference between the respective commissioning status data and the respective defined commissioning parameter comprises:

determining that (i) a portion of the set of devices conforms with a respective portion of the set of defined commissioning parameters, and (ii) a remaining portion of the set of devices does not conform with a respective remaining portion of the set of defined commissioning parameters.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein causing the user interface to indicate the set of differences comprises:

causing the user interface to indicate (i) the portion of the set of devices that conforms with the respective portion of the set of defined commissioning parameters, and (ii) the remaining portion of the set of devices that does not conform with the respective remaining portion of the set of defined commissioning parameters.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling a user to input an update to the commissioning status data for at least one of the set of devices.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein enabling the user to input the update to the commissioning status data comprises:

enabling the user to input, via the user interface, the update to the commissioning status data.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the user interface, a selection of one of the set of devices; and

causing the user interface to indicate the difference associated with the one of the set of devices in a visually distinctive manner.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein obtaining, at the computing device for each of the set of devices, the commissioning status data for the respective device comprises:

receiving, from the user interface, a request for the commissioning status data; and

responsive to receiving the request, retrieving, for each of the set of devices, the commissioning status data for the respective device.

9. A system in a process plant for accessing commissioning data associated with the process plant, comprising:

a set of devices communicatively connected to operate in the process plant during run-time to control a set of processes;

a user interface for presenting content;

a memory storing a set of defined commissioning parameters respectively associated with the set of devices;

a communication unit; and

a processor interfacing with the set of devices, the user interface, the memory, and the communication unit, and configured to;

receive, via the communication unit from each of the set of devices, commissioning status data for the respective device,

access, from the memory, the set of defined commissioning parameters respectively associated with the set of devices,

determine, for each of the set of devices, a difference between the respective commissioning status data and the respective defined commissioning parameter, and

cause the user interface to indicate (i) the set of differences between the set of commissioning status data and the set of defined commissioning parameters, (ii) a first option to modify, for a device of the set of devices, the defined commissioning parameter of the device to match the commissioning status data of the device, and (iii) a second option to configure the device according to the defined commissioning parameter of the device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the commissioning status data comprises a current configuration of the respective device and the defined commissioning parameter comprises a desired configuration for the respective device, and wherein to determine the difference, the processor is configured to:

determine, for each of the set of devices, the difference between the respective current configuration and the respective desired configuration.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein to determine, for each of the set of devices, the difference between the respective commissioning status data and the respective defined commissioning parameter, the processor is configured to:

determine that (i) a portion of the set of devices conforms with a respective portion of the set of defined commissioning parameters, and (ii) a remaining portion of the set of devices does not conform with a respective remaining portion of the set of defined commissioning parameters.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the user interface indicates (i) the portion of the set of devices that conforms with the respective portion of the set of defined commissioning parameters, and (ii) the remaining portion of the set of devices that does not conform with the respective remaining portion of the set of defined commissioning parameters.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor interfaces with the user interface via a wireless network connection.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

enable a user to input, via the user interface, an update to the commissioning status data for at least one of the set of devices.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the user interface is configured to:

receive a selection of one of the set of devices, and

indicate the difference associated with the one of the set of devices in a visually distinctive manner.

16. An electronic device for managing commissioning data associated with a process plant, comprising:

a user interface for presenting content;

a transceiver interfacing with a computing device communicatively connected to a set of devices communicatively connected to operate in the process plant during run-time to control a set of processes;

a memory storing a set of computer-executable instructions; and

a processor interfacing with the user interface, the transceiver, and the memory, and configured to execute the set of computer-executable instructions to cause the processor to;

receive, via the user interface, a selection of a device of the set of devices,

retrieve, via the transceiver from the device, commissioning status data for the device, the commissioning status data indicating a current configuration of the device,

access a defined commissioning parameter associated with the at device,

determine a difference between the commissioning status data and the defined commissioning parameter, and

cause the user interface to indicate (i) the difference between the commissioning status data and the defined commissioning parameter, (ii) a first option to modify, for the device, the defined commissioning parameter to match the commissioning status data, and (iii) a second option to configure the device according to the defined commissioning parameter.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to execute the set of computer-executable instructions to further cause the processor to:

receive, via the user interface, a selection of the first option, and

cause the defined commissioning parameter of the device to be modified to match the commissioning status data of the device.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to execute the set of computer-executable instructions to further cause the processor to:

receive, via the user interface, a selection of the second option, and

cause the device to be configured according to the defined commissioning parameter of the device.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the commissioning status data comprises a current configuration of the device and the defined commissioning parameter comprises a desired configuration for the device, and wherein to determine the difference, the processor is configured to:

determine the difference between the respective current configuration and the desired configuration.

20. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to execute the set of computer-executable instructions to further cause the processor to:

enable a user to input, via the user interface, an update to the commissioning status data for the device.

21. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to execute the set of computer-executable instructions to further cause the processor to:

in response to receiving the selection of the device, cause the user interface to indicate the difference associated with the device in a visually distinctive manner.

22. A computer-implemented method in an electronic device of presenting commissioning data associated with a set of devices in a process plant, where at least some of the set of devices are communicatively connected to operate in the process plant during run-time to control a set of processes, the method comprising:

receiving, from a controller for each of the set of devices, commissioning status data for the respective device;

accessing a set of defined commissioning parameters respectively associated with the set of devices;

determining, by a processor for each of the set of devices, a difference between the respective commissioning status data and the respective defined commissioning parameter;

presenting, in a user interface, (i) a set of sections indicating at least some of the set of differences between the set of commissioning status data and the set of defined commissioning parameters, (ii) a first option to modify, for a device of the set of devices, the defined commissioning parameter of the device to match the commissioning status data of the device, and (iii) a second option to configure the device according to the defined commissioning parameter of the device;

receiving, via the user interface, a selection of a section of the set of sections; and

presenting, in the user interface, information associated with a portion of the set of differences and corresponding to the section of the set of sections.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein presenting, in the user interface, the set of sections indicating the at least some of the set of differences comprises:

presenting, in the user interface, at least one of;

a project section, a monitoring section, a calibration section, and a configuration section.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein presenting, in the user interface, the information associated with the portion of the set of differences comprises:

presenting, in the user interface, at least one graph indicating the information associated with the portion of the set of differences.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 24, wherein presenting, in the user interface, the at least one graph comprises:

presenting, in the user interface, the at least one graph indicating a historical progression of the portion of the set of differences.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein presenting, in the user interface, the information associated with the portion of the set of differences comprises:

presenting, in the user interface, a listing of a portion of the set of devices having commissioning status data that differs from the defined commissioning parameters.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving, via the user interface, a selection of the first option; and

causing the defined commissioning parameter of the device to be modified to match the commissioning status data of the device.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving, via the user interface, a selection of the second option; and

causing the device to be configured according to the defined commissioning parameter of the device.