Utility for comparing deployed and archived parameter value sets within a field device editor

• US 20070078540A1
• Filed: 04/11/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Invensys Systems Incorporated (Invensys PLC)
• Original Assignee: Invensys Systems Incorporated (Invensys PLC)
• Inventors: Kostadinov, Vladimir, Camino, Nestor, Tegnell, Johan, Bump, Scott, Linscott, Richard, Piper, Charles
• Application Number:
  US11/403,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20070078540A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/90
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41845 characterised by system universality, reconfigurability, modularity
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31132 FDT interfacing profibus field device drivers DTM with engineering tool
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31334 Database with devices, configuration, of plant
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32144 Define device description using dd files
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A compare tool for use in a process control system device configuration environment is described herein. The compare tool, including a graphical user interface for providing comparison results, is utilized in a device configuration environment to compare parameter values from an instance of a field device to corresponding values maintained within an application database. After performing the comparison the utility displays the results on a user interface. More particularly the parameter names and associated values are presented in three columns of the user interface. A first column identifies a parameter within the field device. A second column identifies a previously archived value for the parameter identified in the first column, and a third column identifies a current value, captured from a device instance, corresponding to the parameter identified in the first column.

Claims

1. A utility for use in a device configuration environment for comparing parameter values from an instance of a field device to corresponding values maintained within an application database, the utility comprising a user interface presenting parameter names and associated values in a set of columns including:

a first column identifying a parameter within the field device;

a second column identifying a previously archived value for the parameter identified in the first column; and

a third column identifying a current value, captured from a device instance, corresponding to the parameter identified in the first column.

2. The utility of claim 1 further comprising a compare function for comparing an archived value displayed in the first column to a corresponding device instance value presented in the third column and displaying a visual indicator for any parameter for which the corresponding values in the second and third columns are unequal.

3. The utility of claim 2 wherein the visual indicator is a color change in at least one of the columns of a row where unequal values are detected.

4. The utility of claim 2 wherein a fourth column displays a symbol within a row corresponding to a parameter, wherein the symbol indicates unequal values in the second and third columns for the parameter.

5. The utility of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a control for designating display of only selected ones of a set of parameters for a device.

6. The utility of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a control for designating display of only parameter rows where corresponding values in columns two and three are unequal.

7. The utility of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a control for updating the values displayed in column three on demand.

8. The utility of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a control for downloading values from the second column to the device that provided the values in column three.

9. The utility of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a control for writing values for selected parameters from column three to an archived device record that provided the values in column three.

10. A method for rendering synchronization status in a user interface, for use in a device configuration environment, the method comprising the steps of:

acquiring for a set of parameters associated with a device type;

a first set of archived values stored in an application database,

a second set of current values from a device instance;

comparing corresponding parameter values from the first and second sets; and

presenting parameter names and associated values in a set of columns including;

a first column identifying a parameter within the field device,

a second column identifying a previously archived value for the parameter identified in the first column, and

a third column identifying a current value, captured from a device instance, corresponding to the parameter identified in the first column.

11. A computer readable medium including computer executable instructions facilitating rendering synchronization status in a user interface, for use in a device configuration environment, the computer executable instructions facilitating performing the steps of:

acquiring for a set of parameters associated with a device type;

a first set of archived values stored in an application database,

a second set of current values from a device instance;

comparing corresponding parameter values from the first and second sets; and

presenting parameter names and associated values in a set of columns including;

a first column identifying a parameter within the field device,

a second column identifying a previously archived value for the parameter identified in the first column, and

a third column identifying a current value, captured from a device instance, corresponding to the parameter identified in the first column.