Managing field devices having different device description specifications in a process control system

• US 20060229738A1
• Filed: 06/20/2005
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Bhandiwad, Deepak S., Patra, Surjya Narayana, Mohammed, Rizwan, Prasad, Raghavendra T.S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,317,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/9
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31121 Fielddevice, field controller, interface connected to fieldbus
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32142 Define device, module description using xml format file
• 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

According to an aspect of the present invention, device descriptions of different DD specifications are converted (represented) into a single format. In an embodiment, the single format corresponds to extended markup language (XML). The device description in the single format is then examined to provide a user interface for management of the corresponding field devices. Due to such use of a common format, integration of field devices (into a management system) having device description defined according to a new DD specification, may be simplified.

Claims

1. A method of managing a plurality of field devices in a process control plant, a first plurality of device descriptions specifying a manner in which said plurality of field devices are to be managed, said plurality of device descriptions being defined according to a corresponding plurality of specifications, said method comprising:

forming a second plurality of device descriptions from said first plurality of device descriptions, said second plurality of device descriptions being in a common format and also specifying said manner in which said plurality of field devices can be managed;

receiving data representing a user action associated with a first field device contained in said plurality of field devices, a first device description corresponding to said first field device, wherein said first device description is contained in said second plurality of device descriptions in said common format; and

examining said first device description in said common format to determine the manner in which to process data representing said user action, wherein a common parser is used by said examining due to the use of said common format.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first plurality of device descriptions are received by said forming from a corresponding first plurality of files and said second plurality of device descriptions are stored by said forming in a corresponding second plurality of files on a non-volatile storage, wherein said first device description is stored in a first file contained in said second plurality of files such that said examining examines said first file on said non-volatile storage to determine the manner in which to process data representing said user action.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said common format comprises extended markup language (XML).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said user action comprises display of a status information of a first field device contained in said plurality of field devices, and wherein a client system provides an user interface to manage said first plurality of field devices, said examining being implemented in said client system, said client system determining whether a menu portion for displaying said status information is dynamic depending on a present value of a variable, said client system subscribing to a server for said status information if said menu is determined to be dynamic.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said client system receives from said central server data representing said menu portion in said common format.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said first device description contains a unique identifier identifying each information element contained in a corresponding one of said second plurality of device descriptions, wherein said unique identifier is sent by said client system to said server system to request data representing said menu portion.

7. A computer readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for causing a system to manage a plurality of field devices in a process control plant, wherein a first plurality of device descriptions specifying a manner in which said plurality of field devices are to be managed, said plurality of device descriptions being defined according to a corresponding plurality of specifications, wherein execution of said one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors contained in said system causes said one or more processors to perform the actions of:

forming a second plurality of device descriptions from said first plurality of device descriptions, said second plurality of device descriptions being in a common format and also specifying said manner in which said plurality of field devices can be managed;

receiving data representing a user action associated with a first field device contained in said plurality of field devices, a first device description corresponding to said first field device, wherein said first device description is contained in said second plurality of device descriptions in said common format; and

examining said first device description in said common format to determine the manner in which to process data representing said user action, wherein a common parser is used by said examining due to the use of said common format.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein said first plurality of device descriptions are received by said forming from a corresponding first plurality of files and said second plurality of device descriptions are stored by said forming in a corresponding second plurality of files on a non-volatile storage, wherein said first device description is stored in a first file contained in said second plurality of files such that said examining examines said first file on said non-volatile storage to determine the manner in which to process data representing said user action.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein said common format comprises extended markup language (XML).

10. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein said user action comprises display of a status information of a first field device contained in said plurality of field devices, and wherein a client system provides an user interface to manage said first plurality of field devices, said examining being implemented in said client system, said client system determining whether a menu portion for displaying said status information is dynamic depending on a present value of a variable, said client system subscribing to a server for said status information if said menu is determined to be dynamic.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein said client system receives from said central server data representing said menu portion in said common format.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein said first device description contains a unique identifier identifying each information element contained in a corresponding one of said second plurality of device descriptions, wherein said unique identifier is sent by said client system to said server system to request data representing said menu portion.