Peer-to-peer hosting of intelligent field devices
First Claim
1. A method of operating an intelligent field device (IFD), the method comprising:
- providing a first IFD assigned a first operation, wherein the first IFD is a processing device for use in industrial environments;
providing a second IFD assigned a second operation, wherein the second IFD is a processing device for use in industrial environments, the second IFD storing a first configuration for use by the first IFD in performing the first operation and storing a second configuration for use by the second IFD in performing the second operation;
transferring the first configuration from the second IFD to the first IFD; and
performing the first operation using the first IFD with the first configuration transferred from the second IFD to the first IFD.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Device configurations are stored in a system including at least two intelligent field devices (IFDs) connected by a communications connection. A configuration for a first IFD is stored in the first IFD, and a backup of the configuration for the first IFD is stored in at least one other IFD. Storing a configuration for the first IFD may include having the first IFD request a configuration from at least one other IFD using the communications connection, an IFD having a stored backup of the configuration for the first IFD transmitting the backup to the first IFD using the communications connection, and the first IFD receiving the transmitted backup and storing the received backup in the first IFD as the configuration for the first IFD. Storing a backup of the configuration for the first IFD may include having the first IFD transmit a backup of the configuration for the first IFD to at least one other IFD using the communications connection, and having the at least one other IFD receive and store the backup of the configuration.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. A method of operating an intelligent field device (IFD), the method comprising:
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providing a first IFD assigned a first operation, wherein the first IFD is a processing device for use in industrial environments; providing a second IFD assigned a second operation, wherein the second IFD is a processing device for use in industrial environments, the second IFD storing a first configuration for use by the first IFD in performing the first operation and storing a second configuration for use by the second IFD in performing the second operation; transferring the first configuration from the second IFD to the first IFD; and performing the first operation using the first IFD with the first configuration transferred from the second IFD to the first IFD. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A network of intelligent field devices, the network comprising:
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a first IFD assigned a first operation, wherein the first IFD is a processing device for use in industrial environments; a second IFD assigned a second operation, wherein the second IFD is a processing device for use in industrial environments, the second IFD storing a first configuration for use by the first IFD in performing the first operation and storing a second configuration for use by the second IFD in performing the second operation; and a communications connection between the first IFD and the second IFD; wherein the first IFD; sends a request for the first configuration to the second IFD through the communications connection; receives the first configuration from the second IFD through the communications connection; and performs the first operation using the first configuration received from the second IFD. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. An intelligent field device (IFD), which is a processing device for use in industrial environments, comprising:
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at least one processor; and a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the intelligent field device to perform the following operations; determine that a first configuration is not stored in a memory of the IFD, the first configuration for use by the IFD in performing a first operation assigned to the IFD; in response to the determination that the first configuration is not stored in a memory of the IFD, send a request through a communications connection to a second IFD assigned a second operation, wherein the second IFD is a processing device for use in industrial environments, the second IFD storing the first configuration for use by the IFD in performing the first operation and storing a second configuration for use by the second IFD in performing the second operation; receive the first configuration from the second IFD through the communications connection; and perform the first operation using the first configuration received from the second IFD.
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Specification