Version control for objects in a process plant configuration system

• US 20070061033A1
• Filed: 09/06/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Nixon, Mark, Li, Jian, Webb, Arthur, Stevenson, Dennis, Ott, Michael, Koska, Herschel, Jundt, Larry, Lucas, J., Havekost, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,729,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/108
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41845 characterised by system universality, reconfigurability, modularity
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4188 characterised by CIM planning or realisation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31121 Fielddevice, field controller, interface connected to fieldbus
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31418 NC program management, support, storage, distribution, version, update
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32154 Object, attribute for geometry, technology, function oop
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32161 Object oriented control, programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• 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: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A version control system helps to keep track of versions of process plant items that may represent, or be capable of representing, entities in a process plant. The process plant items may comprise, for example, module objects which may be capable of specifically representing process entities of the process plant. These module objects may be created from module class objects which may be capable of generically representing process entities of the process plant. Version data is stored and associated with a module object. The version data may comprise data indicative of a version of a module class object that was used to create the module object. The version data may also comprise data indicative of a version of the module object. Configuration systems, version control systems, viewing systems, debugging systems, run-time monitoring systems, asset management systems, etc., may examine or permit viewing of the version control data associated with an item.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring changes in a configuration of at least a portion of a process plant, the method comprising:

detecting a modification of a module class object capable of being generically representative of a process entity within the process plant;

determining one or more module objects that were created from the module class object, each module class object capable of being generically representative of a process entity within the process plant;

propagating the modification of the module class object to the one or more module objects;

generating a version identifier for the modified module class object; and

associating the version identifier for the modified module class object with each of the one or more module objects.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising generating respective version identifiers for the one or more module objects;

and

associating the version identifiers for the one or more module objects with the appropriate one or more module objects.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein detecting the modification of the module class object comprises detecting that the modified module class object was saved to a configuration database.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein detecting the modification of the module class object comprises detecting that the modified module class object was checked in via a version control system.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein associating the version identifier for the modified module class object with each of the one or more module objects comprises storing the version identifier for the modified module class object as part of each of the one or more module objects.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein associating the version identifier for the modified module class object with each of the one or more module objects comprises linking each of the one or more module objects to the version identifier for the modified module class object.

7. A configuration management system for monitoring changes in a configuration associated with a process plant, comprising:

a computer readable medium;

a processor in communication with the computer-readable medium;

a database that stores first data and second data, the first data representative of a module class object capable of generically representing a process entity within the process plant, the second data representative of one or more process plant items created from the module class object;

configuration and version control routines stored on the computer-readable medium and configured to be executed by the processor to

facilitate modification of the module class object,

detect a modification of the module class object,

determine the one or more process plant items created from the module class object,

modify the one or more process plant items based on the modified module class object,

generate a version identifier for the modified module class object,

associate the version identifier for the modified module class object with each of the one or more process plant items.

8. A configuration management system as defined in claim 7, wherein the configuration and version control routines are configured to be executed by the processor to

generate respective version identifiers for the one or more process plant items, and

associate the version identifiers for the one or more the process plant items with the appropriate one or more process plant items.

9. A configuration management system as defined in claim 7, wherein the configuration and version control routines are configured to be executed by the processor to detect the modification of the module class object by detecting that the modified module class object was saved to the database.

10. A configuration management system as defined in claim 7, wherein the configuration and version control routines are configured to be executed by the processor to

permit a user to check out the module class object,

permit a user to check in the module class object;

detect the modification of the module class object by detecting that the modified module class object was checked in.

11. A configuration management system as defined in claim 7, wherein the configuration and version control routines are configured to be executed by the processor to store the version identifier for the modified module class object as part of each of the one or more module objects.

12. A configuration management system as defined in claim 7, wherein the configuration and version control routines are configured to be executed by the processor to link each of the one or more module objects to the version identifier for the modified module class object.

13. A method for monitoring changes in a configuration of at least a portion of a process plant, the method comprising:

detecting a modification of a process plant item, the process plant item capable of representing a process entity within the process plant;

determining one or more module class objects from which the modified process plant item was created, each module class object capable of being generically representative of a process entity within the process plant;

determining respective version data associated with each of the one or more module class objects;

generating a version identifier for the modified process plant item;

associating the version identifier with the modified process plant item; and

associating the respective version data associated with each of the one or more module class objects with the modified process plant item.

14. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the process plant item comprises a module class object capable of being generically representative of a process entity within the process plant.

15. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the process plant item comprises a module object capable of being specifically representative of a process entity within the process plant.

16. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein associating the respective version data associated with each of the one or more module class objects with the modified process plant item comprises storing the respective version data associated with each of the one or more module class objects as part of the modified process plant item.

17. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein associating the respective version data associated with each of the one or more module class objects with the modified process plant item comprises linking the modified process plant item to the version data associated with each of the one or more module class objects.

18. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein detecting the modification of the process plant item comprises detecting one or more modifications of the one or more module class objects from which the modified process plant item was created.

19. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein detecting the modification of the process plant item comprises detecting a modification of the process plant item that would not affect the one or more module class objects from which the modified process plant item was created.

20. A configuration management system for tracking a configuration associated with a process plant, comprising:

a computer readable medium;

a processor in communication with the computer-readable medium;

a database that stores first data and second data, the first data representative of a process plant item capable of representing a process entity within the process plant, the second data representative of a plurality of module class objects capable of being generically representative of process entities within the process plant;

a configuration routine stored on the computer-readable medium and configured to be executed by the processor to facilitate modification of the process plant item;

a version control routine stored on the computer-readable medium and configured to be executed by the processor to;

detect a modification of the process plant item;

determine respective version data associated with each of one or more module class objects from which the modified process plant item was created;

generate a version identifier for the modified process plant item;

associate the version identifier with the modified process plant item; and

associate the respective version data associated with each of the one or more module class objects from which the modified process plant item was created with the modified process plant item.

21. A configuration management system as defined in claim 20, wherein the version control routine stored is configured to be executed by the processor to detect a modification of the process plant item caused by one or more modifications of the one or more module class objects from which the modified process plant item was created.

22. A configuration management system as defined in claim 20, wherein the version control routine stored is configured to be executed by the processor to detect a modification of the process plant item that would not affect the one or more module class objects from which the modified process plant item was created.

23. A configuration management system as defined in claim 20, wherein the process plant items comprises a module object capable of being specifically representative of a process entity within the process plant.

24. A configuration management system as defined in claim 20, wherein the process plant items comprises a module object capable of being generically representative of a process entity within the process plant.

25. A method for notifying a user of a changed configuration associated with at least a portion of a process plant, the method comprising:

determining one or more module class objects from which a process plant item was created, wherein the process plant item is capable of representing a process entity within the process plant, and wherein the one or more module class object are capable of being generically representative of process entities within the process plant;

determining a respective current version of each of the one or more module class objects;

determining a respective version of each of the one or more module class objects from which the process plant item was created;

determining whether the respective version from which the process plant item was created and the respective current version is different for each of the one or more module class objects; and

generating a notification that indicates a newer version of at least one of the one or more module class objects from which the process plant item was created exists if it is determined that the respective version from which the process plant item was created and the respective current version is different for at least one of the one or more module class objects.

26. A method as defined in claim 25, wherein the process plant item comprises a module class object capable of being generically representative of a process entity within the process plant.

27. A method as defined in claim 25, wherein the process plant item comprises a module object capable of being specifically representative of a process entity within the process plant.

28. A method as defined in claim 25, further comprising prompting a user whether modify the process plant item based on the newer version of the at least one of the one or more module class objects.

29. A method as defined in claim 28, further modifying the process plant item based on the newer version of the at least one of the one or more module class objects.

30. A configuration system for configuring at least a portion of a process plant, comprising:

a computer readable medium;

a processor in communication with the computer-readable medium;

a database that stores first data and second data, the first data representative of a process plant item capable of representing a process entity within the process plant, the second data representative of a plurality of module class objects capable of being generically representative of process entities within the process plant;

a configuration routine stored on the computer-readable medium and configured to be executed by the processor to facilitate modification of the process plant item;

a notification routine stored on the computer-readable medium and configured to be executed by the processor to;

determine one or more module class objects from which the process plant item was created;

determine a respective current version of each of the one or more module class objects;

determine a respective version of each of the one or more module class objects from which the process plant item was created;

determine whether the respective version from which the process plant item was created and the respective current version is different for each of the one or more module class objects; and

generate a notification that indicates a newer version of at least one of the one or more module class objects from which the process plant item was created exists if it is determined that the respective version from which the process plant item was created and the respective current version is different for at least one of the one or more module class objects.

31. A configuration system as defined in claim 30, further comprising an updating routine stored on the computer-readable medium and configured to be executed by the processor to update the process plant item based on the newer version of the at least one of the one or more module class objects from which the process plant item was created.

32. A method for notifying a user of a changed configuration associated with at least a portion of a process plant, the method comprising:

detecting a new version of a module class object capable of being generically representative of a process entity within the process plant;

determining one or more process plant items created from one or more older versions of the module class object, wherein each of the one or more process plant item is capable of representing a respective process entity within the process plant; and

generating a notification that indicates that the one or more process plant items were created from one or more older versions of the module class object.

33. A method as defined in claim 32, wherein at least one of the one or more process plant items comprises a module class object capable of being generically representative of a process entity within the process plant.

34. A method as defined in claim 32, wherein at least one of the one or more process plant items comprises a module object capable of being specifically representative of a process entity within the process plant.

35. A method as defined in claim 32, further comprising prompting the user whether to modify the one or more process plant items base on the new version of the module class object.

36. A configuration management system for tracking a configuration associated with a process plant, comprising:

a computer readable medium;

a processor in communication with the computer-readable medium;

a database that stores first data and second data, the first data representative of a process plant item capable of representing a process entity within the process plant, the second data representative of a plurality of module class objects capable of being generically representative of process entities within the process plant;

a configuration routine stored on the computer-readable medium and configured to be executed by the processor to facilitate modification of the process plant item;

a version control routine stored on the computer-readable medium and configured to be executed by the processor to;

detect a modification of the process plant item;

determine respective version data associated with each of one or more module class objects from which the modified process plant item was created;

generate a version identifier for the modified process plant item;

associate the version identifier with the modified process plant item; and

associate the respective version data associated with each of the one or more module class objects from which the modified process plant item was created with the modified process plant item.

37. A configuration management system as defined in claim 36, wherein the version control routine stored is configured to be executed by the processor to detect a modification of the process plant item caused by one or more modifications of the one or more module class objects from which the modified process plant item was created.

38. A configuration management system as defined in claim 36, wherein the version control routine stored is configured to be executed by the processor to detect a modification of the process plant item that would not affect the one or more module class objects from which the modified process plant item was created.

39. A configuration management system as defined in claim 36, wherein the process plant items comprises a module object capable of being specifically representative of a process entity within the process plant.

40. A configuration management system as defined in claim 36, wherein the process plant items comprises a module object capable of being generically representative of a process entity within the process plant.