ASSET TRACKING IN PROCESS CONTROL ENVIRONMENTS
First Claim
1. An asset tracking method used by an asset tracking device communicatively coupled to a communication network operating according to an industrial automation protocol, the method comprising:
- obtaining, by the asset tracking device, positioning data corresponding to the asset tracking device, wherein the positioning data indicates a spatial position of the asset tracking device;
generating, by the asset tracking device, a message conforming to the industrial automation protocol and including a content corresponding to at least a portion of the positioning data; and
causing the message to be transmitted from the asset tracking device to an asset tracking host via the communication network using the industrial automation protocol, the industrial automation protocol including messages defined for communicating information corresponding to controlling or monitoring process variables in a process control environment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An asset tracking system for use in a process control environment may include one or more asset tracking devices and an asset tracking host. The asset tracking device may receive signals corresponding to a position or location of an asset to be tracked, and may communicate, using an industrial automation protocol such as wireless HART, an indication of the position to the asset tracking host. The signals may be GPS signals that are re-radiated into the process control environment. Other information, such as environmental data, may be communicated in conjunction with the position of the asset. The asset tracking host may store and/or display the data or information included in the message, and may send a different message to the asset tracking device. An asset tracking device may be included in a field device, a network device, or a portable communications device used in the process control environment.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. An asset tracking method used by an asset tracking device communicatively coupled to a communication network operating according to an industrial automation protocol, the method comprising:
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obtaining, by the asset tracking device, positioning data corresponding to the asset tracking device, wherein the positioning data indicates a spatial position of the asset tracking device; generating, by the asset tracking device, a message conforming to the industrial automation protocol and including a content corresponding to at least a portion of the positioning data; and causing the message to be transmitted from the asset tracking device to an asset tracking host via the communication network using the industrial automation protocol, the industrial automation protocol including messages defined for communicating information corresponding to controlling or monitoring process variables in a process control environment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A asset tracking device operating in a communication network coupled to a process control environment, wherein the communication network operates according to an industrial automation protocol, the asset tracking device comprising:
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a network interface to communicate with the communication network according to the industrial automation protocol, the industrial automation protocol including messages defined specifically for communicating data related to controlling or monitoring process variables in process control environments; a positioning module to determine a spatial position of at least one of; the asset tracking device, or a target device operating as a first node in the communication network and communicatively coupled to the asset tracking device; and a message generation unit configured to; generate a message that conforms to the industrial automation protocol and that includes an indication of the determined spatial position, and cause the message to be transmitted, using the industrial automation protocol and via the network interface, to a host operating as a second node in the communication network. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An asset tracking method performed by a host communicatively coupled to a communication network that operates in a process control environment according to an industrial automation protocol, the method comprising:
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receiving, at the host, a message conforming to the industrial automation protocol via the communication network, the industrial automation protocol including messages defined for transmitting data related to controlling or monitoring process variables in the process control environment, and the message including positioning data indicative of a spatial position of an asset associated with the process control environment; automatically retrieving, using the host, an asset device description from a database, wherein the asset device description includes data descriptive of the asset; generating, by the host, asset tracking information based on the positioning data and the asset device description; and at least one of; storing, by the host, the asset tracking information in a data storage device, or presenting, by the host, the asset tracking information via a user interface. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An asset tracking host comprising:
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a network interface communicatively coupled to communication network operating in a process control environment according to an industrial automation protocol, wherein the industrial automation protocol includes messages defined specifically for communicating data related to controlling or monitoring process variables in the process control environment; and an asset tracking unit coupled to the communication network and configured to; receive a message conforming to the industrial automation protocol via the network interface, the message including positioning data indicative of a spatial position of an asset, retrieve asset device description from a database, wherein the asset device description includes data descriptive of the asset, and generate asset tracking information based on the asset device description and the positioning data. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An asset tracking system operating in a process control environment, the asset tracking system comprising:
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a communication network including a plurality of nodes that communicate using an industrial automation protocol, the industrial automation protocol including messages defined specifically for communicating process data corresponding to one or more respective physical functions of one or more control loops in the process control environment, and the plurality of nodes in the communication network including; an asset tracking host, and a plurality of field devices, wherein each field device performs one or more respective physical functions corresponding to one or more control loops in the process control environment; and an asset tracking device configured to; generate positioning data indicative of a spatial position of the asset tracking device; and provide the positioning data to one of the plurality of field devices; wherein the one of the plurality of field devices transmits, to the asset tracking host, the positioning data in a message that conforms to the industrial automation protocol. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. An asset tracking method performed by a host communicatively coupled to a communication network that operates in a process control environment according to an industrial automation protocol, the method comprising:
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receiving, at the host via the communication network, messages corresponding to a particular asset of the process control environment, the messages conforming to the industrial automation protocol, the industrial automation protocol including messages defined for transmitting data related to controlling or monitoring process variables in the process control environment, and the messages including positioning data indicative of spatial positions of the particular asset; storing contents of each of the messages and a respective indication of a time stamp in a data storage device; and presenting at least a portion of the stored contents in response to a request. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification