System and method for identification of process components

• US 20070229229A1
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Nelson, Nathan, LaMothe, Ross
• Granted Patent: US 8,212,655 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.410
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve

Abstract

A RFID transceiver interrogates RFID tags located on process components and provides identification data stored on the RFID tags to a process measurement device coupled to the process components. Based on the identification data received, the process measurement device configures itself to interpret data provided by the process components. Proper configuration allows the process measurement device to provide meaningful process data to a control room.

Claims

1. A process measurement point system, the system comprising:

a process component, which includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that stores identifying information regarding the process component;

a process measurement device connected to receive input from the process component and to calculate process data based at least in part on the input received from the process component; and

a RFID transceiver for interrogating the RFID tag associated with the process component, wherein identifying information received from the RFID tag is provided to the process measurement device, wherein the process measurement device is configured to interpret the input received from the process component based on the identifying information.

2. The process measurement point system of claim 1, wherein the RFID transceiver is a hand-held RFID transceiver device including a communication system for providing the process measurement device with the identifying information received from the RFID tag.

3. The process measurement point system of claim 2, wherein the process measurement device automatically configures itself for calculating process data based on identifying data received from the hand-held RFID transceiver.

4. The process measurement point system of claim 2, wherein the RFID transceiver includes memory for storing configuration data, wherein the RFID transceiver configures the process measurement device based on identifying information received from the RFID tag.

5. The process measurement point system of claim 1, wherein the RFID transceiver is included within the process measurement device, wherein the process measurement device automatically configures itself based on identifying information received from the RFID transceiver.

6. The process measurement point system of claim 1, wherein the process measurement device includes:

a sensor circuit connected to receive input from the process component; and

a transmitter circuit connected to receive process data from the sensor circuit and the identifying information from the RFID transceiver, wherein the transmitter circuit configures the sensor circuit based on the identifying information received from the RFID transceiver.

7. The process measurement point system of claim 6, wherein the sensor circuit operates process application software that is configured by the transmitter circuit based on identifying information received from the RFID transceiver.

8. The process measurement point system of claim 6, wherein the sensor circuit includes hardware that is configured by the transmitter circuit based on identifying information received from the RFID transceiver.

9. The process measurement point system of claim 1, wherein the process component is a primary element.

10. The process measurement point system of claim 9, wherein the identifying information associated with the primary element includes at least one of the following:

primary element type, primary element size, and primary element shape.

11. The process measurement point system of claim 1, wherein the process component is a sensor.

12. The process measurement point system of claim 11, wherein the identifying information associated with the sensor includes sensor type.

13. A method of operating a process measurement point system, the method comprising:

interrogating a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag located on a process component to obtain identifying information regarding the process component; and

configuring a process measurement device coupled to the process component based on the identifying information.

14. The method of claim 13, further including:

calculating process data based at least in part on input provided to the process measurement device by the process component; and

providing the process data to a control room system.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein interrogating the RFID tags includes:

using a hand-held RFID transceiver to interrogate the RFID tag located on each process component.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein configuring the process control device includes:

connecting the hand-held RFID transceiver to the process measurement device wherein the hand-held RFID transceiver configures the process measurement device based on the identifying information.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein configuring the process measurement device includes:

providing the identifying information to the process measurement component, wherein the process measurement device configures itself based on the identifying information.

18. The method of claim 13, further including:

providing the process measurement device with identifying information, wherein the process measurement device configures itself based on the received identifying information.

19. The method of claim 13, further including:

providing the identifying information received from the RFID tags to a control room system.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein configuring the process measurement device includes:

providing the identifying information to the process measurement device,

21. The method of claim 20, further including:

configuring process application software within a sensing circuit connected to receive data from the process component based on the identifying information provided to the process measurement device.

22. The method of claim 21, further including:

configuring hardware components within the sensing circuit based on the identifying information provided to the process measurement device.

23. A process system, comprising:

a control room; and

a plurality of process measurement point systems connected to provide process data to the control room, wherein each of the plurality of process measurement point systems comprises;

a plurality of process components, wherein each of the plurality of process components includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that stores identifying information regarding the process component;

a process measurement device connected to receive input from the plurality of process components, and to transmit the process data calculated based at least in part on the input received from the plurality of process components to the control room via a communication system; and

an RFID transceiver for interrogating the RFID tag associated with each of the plurality of process components, wherein identifying information received from the RFID tags is provided to the process measurement device to configure the process measurement device to interpret input received from the plurality of process components based on the identifying information.

24. The process system of claim 23, wherein the process measurement device also transmits identifying information received from the RFID tags to the control room.

25. The process system of claim 23, wherein the RFID transceiver is a hand-held RFID transceiver including a communication system for providing the process measurement device with the identifying information received from the RFID tags.

26. The process system of claim 23, wherein the RFID transceiver is included within the process measurement device.