METHODS AND APPARATUS TO CONFIGURE PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEM INPUTS AND OUTPUTS

• US 20080189441A1
• Filed: 02/02/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Lewis, Marty James, Burr, Kent Allan, Law, Gary Keith, Irwin, William George, Jundt, Larry Oscar, Ott, Michael George, Havekost, Robert Burke
• Granted Patent: US 7,684,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/3
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25056 Automatic configuration of monitoring, control system as function of operator input, events
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25083 For each subsystem a configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to configure process control system inputs and outputs are disclosed. A disclosed example method comprises obtaining a tag of a process control device from the input/output device, and associating the process control device with a process control module based on the obtained tag.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining a tag of a process control device from an input/output device; and

associating the process control device with a process control module based on the obtained tag.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the process control module with a second tag for a process control device; and

binding the process control device to the process control module when the obtained tag matches the second tag.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the input/output device is an input/output slice, and the process control device is a field device.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising using a module class object to implement the process control module.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising configuring the input/output device with the tag of the process control device.

6. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein configuring the input/output device with the tag of the process control device comprises:

wiring the process control device to the input/output device; and

programming the process control device with the tag, wherein the input/output device obtains the tag from the process control device.

7. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein configuring the input/output device with the tag of the process control device comprises:

wiring the process control device to the input/output device; and

programming the input/output device with the tag.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, where the input/output device is programmed with the tag by an installer of the process control device.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein obtaining the tag of the process control device from the input/output device comprises directing an input/output gateway to sense whether the input/output device is present, the input/output gateway to read the tag from the input/output device when the input/output device is present.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein associating the process control device with the process control module based on the obtained tag comprises:

comparing a channel identifier associated with the tag obtained from the input/output device;

comparing the channel identifier with a second channel identifier configured in the process control module for the process control device; and

providing an error indicator when the channel identifier and the second channel identifier do not match.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a configuration that associates a tag of a process control device with an input/output channel;

obtaining a second tag from an input/output device electrically coupled to the process control device; and

providing an error indicator when the tag and the second tag do not match.

12. A method as defined in claim 11, further comprising:

wiring the process control device to the input/output device; and

programming the input/output device with the second tag.

13. A method as defined in claim 11, wherein the configuration that associates the tag of the process control device with the input/output channel is received at an input/output gateway of a process control system.

14. A method as defined in claim 11, wherein the input/output device is located in a marshalling cabinet for a process control system.

15. A method as defined in claim 11, wherein the input/output device is implemented by an input/output slice.

16. A method as defined in claim 11, wherein the configuration associates the tag with an input/output port, and the error indicator is provided when the input/output port does not correspond to a second input/output port to which the input/output device is connected.

17. A method as defined in claim 11, where the second tag is provided to the input/output device by the process control device.

18. A method as defined in claim 11, where the second tag is provided to the input/output device by an installer of the process control device.

19. An article of manufacture storing machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to:

receive a configuration that associates a tag of a process control device with an input/output channel;

obtain a second tag from an input/output device electrically coupled to the process control device; and

provide an error indicator when the tag and the second tag do not match.

20. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 19, wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to implement an input/output gateway of a process control system.

21. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 19, wherein the input/output device is located in a marshalling cabinet for a process control system.

22. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 19, wherein the input/output device is implemented by an input/output slice.

23. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 19, wherein the configuration associates the tag with an input/output port, and wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to provide the error indicator when the input/output port does not correspond to a second input/output port to which the input/output device is connected.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory and programmed to;

receive a configuration that associates a tag of a process control device with an input/output channel;

obtain a second tag from an input/output device electrically coupled to the process control device; and

provide an error indicator when the tag and the second tag do not match.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the apparatus implements an input/output gateway of a process control system.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the input/output device is located in a marshalling cabinet for a process control system.

27. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the input/output device is implemented by an input/output slice.

28. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the configuration associates the tag with an input/output port, and wherein the processor is programmed to provide the error indicator when the input/output port does not correspond to a second input/output port to which the input/output device is connected.