Method and system of determining a hierarchical structure

• US 20060164296A1
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emerson Automation Solutions Measurement Systems & Services LLC
• Original Assignee: Daniel Measurement and Control Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Vanderah, Richard J., LaMothe, Brian P., Ellender, Damon J., Willett, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,941,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.310
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4188 characterised by CIM planning or realisation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31334 Database with devices, configuration, of plant
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

Determining a hierarchical structure, possibly for delivery to an asset management system. Some exemplary embodiments may be a method comprising receiving a message originated by a data acquisition system and destined for a remote process controller (the receiving by a message router), using content of the message to determine a hierarchical structure of a system between the data acquisition system and the remote process controller, forwarding the message by the message router, and passing information related to the hierarchical structure to an asset management system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a message originated by a data acquisition system and destined for a remote process controller, the receiving by a message router;

using content of the message to determine a hierarchical structure of a system between the data acquisition system and the remote process controller;

forwarding the message by the message router; and

passing information related to the hierarchical structure to an asset management system.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein using the content further comprises reading routing information from the message, and using the routing information to determine the hierarchical structure.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein using the content further comprises:

reading a destination identifier from the message;

running a trace route procedure to the destination identifier; and

determining the hierarchical structure from information obtained from the trace route procedure.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising forwarding the message through one of a first or second communication channels coupled to the message router.

5. A message router comprising:

a first communication port; and

a second communication port coupled to the first communication port;

wherein the message router receives a message on the first communication port, and forwards the message out the second communication port; and

wherein the message router reads content of the message and uses the content to determine, at least in part, a hierarchical structure of devices between the source of the message and the intended destination.

6. The message router as defined in claim 5 wherein the message router reads routing information from the message, and uses the routing information to determine the hierarchical structure.

7. The message router as defined in claim 5 wherein the message router reads a destination identifier from the message, runs a trace route procedure to the destination identifier, and determines the hierarchical structure from information obtained from the trace route procedure.

8. The message router as defined in claim 5 further comprising:

a third communication port coupled to the first communication port;

wherein the message router receives the message received on the first communication port, and forwards the message out one of the second or third communication port.

9. The message router as defined in claim 8 wherein the message router reads routing information from the message, and uses the routing information to determine the hierarchical structure.

10. The message router as defined in claim 8 wherein the message router reads a destination identifier from the message, runs a trace route procedure to the destination identifier, and determines the hierarchical structure from information obtained from the trace route procedure.

11. The message router as defined in claim 8 wherein the message router forwards the message out one of the first second or third communication port based, at least in part, on information in a routing table.

12. The message router as defined in claim 5 wherein the message routers sends information regarding the hierarchical structure to an asset management system.

13. A message routing system comprising:

a processor;

a random access memory (RAM) coupled to the processor;

a first communication port coupled to the processor, the first communication port receives a message originated by a source device and destined for a target device; and

a second communication port coupled to the processor, wherein the message routing system forwards at least some messages received on the first communication port through the second communication port;

wherein the processor, executing a program, reads content of the message and uses the content to determine configuration of devices between the source device and the target device.

14. The message routing system as defined in claim 13 further comprising a third communication port coupled to the processor, and wherein the message routing system forwards at least some of messages received on the first communication port through the third communication port.

15. The message routing system as defined in claim 14 wherein the processor, executing the a program, reads routing information from the message, and uses the routing information to determine the configuration of devices between the source device and the target device.

16. The message routing system as defined in claim 14 wherein the processor, executing a program, reads a target device identifier from the message, runs a trace route procedure to the target address identifier, and determines the configuration of devices between the source device and the target device from information obtained from the trace route procedure.

17. The message routing system as defined in claim 13 wherein the processor, executing the a program, reads routing information from the message, and uses the routing information to determine the configuration of devices between the source device and the target device.

18. The message routing system as defined in claim 13 wherein the processor, executing a program, reads a target device identifier from the message, runs a trace route procedure to the target address identifier, and determines the configuration of devices between the source device and the target device from information obtained from the trace route procedure.

19. A system comprising:

a plurality of remote process controllers coupled to field devices;

a message router coupled to the plurality of remote process controllers;

a data acquisition system coupled to the message router; and

an asset management system coupled to the message router;

wherein the message router snoops information from the message and uses the information to determine a tree structure between the data acquisition system and at least one of the plurality of remote process controllers.

20. The system as defined in claim 19 wherein the message router sends information regarding the tree structure to the asset management system.

21. The system as defined in claim 19 wherein the message router snoops routing information from the message, and uses the routing information to determine the tree structure.

22. The system as defined in claim 19 wherein the message router snoops a target field controller identification number from the message, runs a trace route procedure to the target field controller identification number, and uses information from the trace route procedure to determine the tree structure.