SYSTEM AND A METHOD FOR CONTROL AND AUTOMATION SERVICE

• US 20110257766A1
• Filed: 05/18/2011
• Published: 10/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Research Ltd. (ABB Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sankaran, Sunderam, Guttermuth, Georg, Venkateswaran, Narayanan, SUNDARAM, Senthil Kumar
• Granted Patent: US 11,650,575 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/7
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• 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

The present disclosure relates to exemplary systems for providing control and expert services over a communication network by specialized service providers to various kinds of automation needs and methods thereof. The arrangement allows sharing of automated control system components among one or multiple users. Methods to configure and use control and automation service are also described. Exemplary systems for control and automation service as disclosed herein can have greater flexibility and simplicity from the plant user perspective.

Claims

1. A system having elements of an automated control system for industrial control and automation services for one or more industrial plants, the system comprising:

at least one central component which includes at least one of a controller, a server, and a Human Machine Interaction (HMI) station;

at least one dedicated communication link for connecting a user support component with the central component;

at least one interface for associating the central component and the support component, the interface including at least one of a communication component, and a security and management component for configuring, providing, receiving, monitoring and maintaining the control and automation services; and

at least one user support component which includes at least one of a field device, a controller, a server and a client station.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more interface is an integral part of the central component or is an integral part of the support component or is an integral part of both the central component and the support component, the interface comprising:

means to establish and maintain communication between the central component and the support component; and

means to coordinate activities related to information, data transfer and management of devices or functions associated with the central component or with the support component.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support component comprises:

means to acquire data related to one or more parameters for observation or manipulation through a service which includes at least one of monitoring, control, automation, backup, protection or management; and

means to communicate with the central component to receive a service related to the one or more parameters.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central component is configured to provide services which includes at least one of control service, automation service, monitoring service, backup or protection service, and safety service.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central component is co-located with the support component in a plant for providing control and automation service to the plant.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

at least two central components for providing control and automation service to the plant.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

devices in the central component or functions of the central component or a combination of devices and functions of the central component are configured using software, firmware or hardware based solutions including virtualization to address specifications of a user; and

devices in the support component or one or more functions of the support component or a combination of devices and functions of the support component are configured using software, firmware or hardware based solutions including virtualization to receive services from the service provider.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication link is provided by one or more communication network service providers and these one or more communication network service providers are configured for collaborating to assure quality of communication service, and wherein the communication link is wired and/or wireless communication networks.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central component comprises:

at least one control function or a controller configured for providing control and automation service to at least one plant.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elements of the automated control system comprise:

a distributed control system with a process controller and programmable logic controller; and

a Supervisory Control And Date Acquisition (SCADA).

10. A method for providing control and automation services by a system having elements of an automated control system for industrial control and automation services for one or more industrial plants, the method comprising:

engineering control devices and functions for a central component and a support component;

allocating resources in the central component by configuring a server and an interface;

establishing communication for the control and automation services through and/or by the interface; and

commissioning a plant for the control and automation service from the central component.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, comprising:

operating the plant with the support component and the central component.