Windows based network configuration and control method for a digital control system
First Claim
1. A system for configuring a process control system having intelligent field mounted devices coupled to a data communications bus, the system for configuring comprising:
- a computer including a display device, a storage device and a data communications device; and
an interface device for coupling to the data communications device of the computer for communicating data between the computer and the data communications bus of the process control system,wherein the storage device of the computer stores a program for controlling the computer to;
receive configuration information specifying the field mounted devices and function blocks of the field mounted devices to be included in the process control system;
for each of the specified field mounted devices, retrieve, from the storage device, at least one of first data and second data, the first data indicating at least one input of the field mounted device, the second data indicating at least one output of the field mounted device;
generate a graphical representation of the process control system on the display device using the configuration information; and
download the configuration information to the field mounted devices via the interface device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for configuring a process control system, e.g., a Fieldbus network, having intelligent field mounted devices coupled to a data communications bus. A software representation of the process control system to be configured is first designed on a computer. Using the system, a user selects representations of the various field mounted devices to be included in the actual control system. The user then specifies which function blocks of each field mounted device are to be used and how those function blocks are to be linked. The computer is then coupled to the communications bus of the actual control system via an interface device and the configuration and link data are downloaded to the field mounted devices of the control system. The computer can act as a bus master of the communications bus of the control system with the field mounted devices acting as slaves. The computer can also be disconnected from the control system communications bus and the control system will operate with one of the field mounted devices acting as the bus master.
254 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A system for configuring a process control system having intelligent field mounted devices coupled to a data communications bus, the system for configuring comprising:
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a computer including a display device, a storage device and a data communications device; and an interface device for coupling to the data communications device of the computer for communicating data between the computer and the data communications bus of the process control system, wherein the storage device of the computer stores a program for controlling the computer to; receive configuration information specifying the field mounted devices and function blocks of the field mounted devices to be included in the process control system; for each of the specified field mounted devices, retrieve, from the storage device, at least one of first data and second data, the first data indicating at least one input of the field mounted device, the second data indicating at least one output of the field mounted device; generate a graphical representation of the process control system on the display device using the configuration information; and download the configuration information to the field mounted devices via the interface device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14)
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8. A method for configuring a process control system having intelligent field mounted devices coupled to a data communications bus, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving configuration information specifying the field mounted devices and function blocks of the field mounted devices to be included in the process control system; for each of the specified field mounted devices, retrieving, from a storage device of a computer, at least one of first data and second data, the first data indicating at least one input of the field mounted device, the second data indicating at least one output of the field mounted device; generating a graphical representation of the process control system using the configuration information; and downloading the configuration information to the field mounted devices. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15)
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Specification