Computerized system for remote diagnostics and configuration on a field device

• US 20050216099A1
• Filed: 12/14/2001
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB SPA (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Vanini, Roberto, Ferraro, Antonio, Cassara', Salvatore
• Granted Patent: US 7,792,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0423 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device

Abstract

A computerized system for performing remote diagnostics and configuration operations of a field device comprising a control unit, the system comprising: first computerized means, connected to a first communications network and to a second communications network, the first computerized means comprising: a first communications module suitable to automatically handle the remote exchange of data/information with a remote station, by virtue of the first communications network; and a second communications module, linked to the first communications module and suitable to automatically handle the exchange of data/information with the control unit of the field device by virtue of the second communications network; second computerized means, which are connected to the first computerized means and comprise a third communications module suitable to automatically handle the remote exchange of data/information with the first communications module by means of the first communications network; its particularity consisting of the fact that the second computerized means comprise a first diagnostics and configuration module, which is linked to the third communications module and is suitable to remotely and automatically handle, the virtue of the third communications module and the first computerized means, diagnostic operations and/or configuration operations on the control into the field device.

Claims

1. A computerized system for performing remote diagnostics and configuration operations of a field device which comprises a control unit, said computerized system comprising:

first computerized means, connected to a first communications network and to a second communications network, said first computerized means comprising;

a first communications module suitable to automatically handle the remote exchange of data/information with a remote station, by virtue of said first communications network; and

a second communications module, linked to said first communications module and suitable to automatically handle the exchange of data/information with the control unit of said field device by virtue of said second communications network;

second computerized means, which are connected to said first computerized means and comprise a third communications module suitable to automatically handle the remote exchange of data/information with said first communications module by means of said first communications network;

characterized in that said second computerized means comprise a first diagnostics and configuration module, which is linked to said third communications module and is suitable to remotely and automatically handle, by virtue of said third communications module and said first computerized means, diagnostics operations and/or configuration operations on the control unit of said field device.

2. The computerized system according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises third computerized means which are remotely linked to said second computerized means and comprise a fourth communications module suitable to handle automatically the remote exchange of data/information with said first diagnostics and configuration module, by virtue of said first communications network or by virtue of a third communications network.

3. The computerized system according to claim 2, characterized in that said second computerized means comprise an interfacing module that can be accessed by said first computerized means and by said third computerized means, said interfacing module comprising a plurality of resources that can be shared by said first computerized means and by said third computerized means.

4. The computerized system according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first computerized means comprise a second diagnostics and configuration module connected to said first communications module and said second communications module, said second diagnostics and configuration module being suitable to support said first diagnostics and configuration module during diagnostics operations and/or configuration operations on the control unit of said field device.

5. The computerized system according to claim 4, characterized in that said first diagnostics and configuration module interacts with said second diagnostics and configuration module according to a master-slave mode.

6. The computerized system according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first communications network and/or said third communications network is an Internet communications network.

7. The computerized system according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first communications network and/or said third communications network is a telephone and/or satellite communications network.

8. The computerized system according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second communications network is a field communications network.

9. The computerized system according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises fourth computerized means that are suitable to support remotely the execution of manual testing operations on the control unit of said field device.

10. The computerized system according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said diagnostics operations comprise:

the acquisition and processing of data regarding physical values and/or parameters related to the operation of said field device; and

/or

the acquisition and processing of data regarding physical values and/or parameters related to the execution of tests on said field device.

11. The computerized system according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said configuration operations comprise the acquisition and/or processing and/or sending of data/commands related to the operating configuration of the control unit of said field device.