Method of adding software to a field maintenance tool

• US 20040111238A1
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Russell, Alden C. III, Kantzes, Christopher P., Mathiowetz, Brad N.
• Granted Patent: US 10,261,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0272 Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user

Abstract

A handheld field maintenance tool is provided with a removable memory module. The module is preferably adapted to be removable in the presence of a hazardous environment. Further, the handheld field maintenance tool is adapted, via hardware, software, or both to automatically detect the presence of the removable memory module and to copy, or otherwise install, data from the module to the tool. Data can be placed on a removable memory module in any suitable manner including flashing flash memory within the removable memory module, or, in embodiments where the removable memory module includes both storage and input/output capability, transmitting software and/or data to the storage media through the input/output capability.

Claims

1. A method of adding software to a handheld field maintenance tool, the method comprising:

storing the software on a removable memory module;

removably coupling the removable memory module to the tool; and

installing a software into the tool from the removable memory module.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein storing includes flashing flash memory on the removable memory module.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein storing includes writing information to the removable memory module through an input/output port of the removable memory module.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein installing includes copying files from the removable memory module to random access memory of the tool.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the removable memory module has a serial number, and wherein the software is licensed based on the serial number.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein installing begins automatically upon removably coupling the removable memory module to the tool.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein installing comprises accessing the software on the removable memory module by a processor of the tool.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein installing comprises a processor of the tool programmed to recognize the software available on the removable memory module and allow a user of the tool to access the functionality of the software through the tool.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein removably coupling can be performed in a hazardous environment in compliance with intrinsic safety.