METHODS AND APPARATUS TO DISPLAY INFORMATION VIA A PROCESS CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20130304240A1
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bristol Inc (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Bristol Inc (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Vanderah, Richard J., Szurek, Scott G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,563,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/80
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0423 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25014 Fieldbus general name of bus connected to machines, detectors, actuators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to display information via a process control device are disclosed herein. An example method includes acquiring first information via a first sensor of a first output device. The first information is related to an industrial process. The example method also includes communicating the first information from the first output device to a controller and receiving second information in the first output device from the controller. The second information is based on the first information. The example method also includes displaying the second information via a display of the first output device.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first sensor to acquire first information related to an industrial process;

a processor in communication with a controller, the processor to communicate the first information to the controller and receive second information from the controller, the second information including a value of a process parameter calculated based on the first information; and

a display to display the second information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first port, the processor in communication with the controller via the first port.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a second port, the processor to be in communication with a portable field device via the second port, wherein the display is to display third information received by the processor from the portable field device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display is to display the first information adjacent the second information.

5. A method, comprising:

acquiring first information via a first sensor of a first output device, the first information related to an industrial process;

communicating the first information from the first output device to a controller;

receiving second information in the first output device from the controller, the second information based on the first information; and

displaying the second information via a display of the first output device.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising receiving third information from the controller, the third information related to a second output device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the third information is a value of a process parameter calculated by the controller based on fourth information acquired via a second sensor of the second output device.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising displaying the third information via the display.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the first information includes at least one of measured process information, environmental information or input device information.

10. The method of claim 5 further comprising receiving third information in the first output device from the controller, the third information including a tag to identify one of the first information or the second information.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising displaying the tag adjacent the one of the first information or the second information.

12. The method of claim 5 further comprising receiving a command from the controller to display the first information.

13. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

acquiring third information via a second sensor of the first output device; and

communicating the third information from the first output device to the controller, wherein the second information includes a process parameter calculated based on the first information and the third information.

14. The method of claim 5 further comprising receiving third information in the first output device from the controller, the third information including at least one of an alert, an alarm or a notification generated by a second output device.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving second information related to an industrial process from a second output device;

determining a second value of the first process parameter or a second process parameter based on the second information;

communicating the second value to the first output device; and

communicating an instruction to the first output device to display the second value.

15. A method comprising:

receiving first information related to an industrial process from a first output device, the first information acquired via a first sensor of the first output device;

determining a first value of a first process parameter based on the first information;

communicating the first value to the first output device, the first value to be displayed via the first output device.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising communicating an instruction to the first output device to display the first value.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising communicating an instruction to the first output device to display the first information adjacent the first value.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

communicating a tag to the first output device; and

communicating an instruction to the first output device to display the tag adjacent the first value.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first value includes at least one of a fluid density, a fluid velocity, a fluid viscosity, a beta ratio, a discharge coefficient, a velocity of approach, a Reynolds Number, a mass flow rate, a volumetric flow rate, an energy flow rate, or a totalized flow rate.