Wireless control of a field device in an industrial process

• US 7,010,294 B1
• Filed: 04/14/2000
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metso Automation OY (Vanowen Group Acquisition Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metso Automation OY (Vanowen Group Acquisition Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Pyotsia, Jouni, Cederlof, Harri, Simula, Markku
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US09/550,311
• Time in Patent Office: 2,153 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17, 700/65, 700/83, 700/264, 700/2, 700/9, 345734-740, 345/853, 345/854, 345/864, 345/744, 345/746, 340/3.1, 340/3.9, 340/3.71, 455/3.01, 455/3.03, 455/423, 455/425, 455/68, 455/88, 455/90.3, 455/420, 455/422.1, 702/188, 715734-740, 715/853, 715/854, 715/864, 715/744, 715/746, 709/217, 709/219, 709/203, 709/206, 709/313, 709/329
• US Class Current: 455/420
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23297 Remote load of program with cellular, wireless, satellite connection
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23336 Identification of program, application, device to be controlled
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24048 Remote test, monitoring, diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31156 Network structure, internet
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A mobile terminal is arranged to communicate over a cellular communication system with a control system connected to a plurality of field devices in an industrial process, in order to remote control, configure or monitor the field devices. The mobile terminal accesses through a dedicated data connection established over the cellular communication system an interactive user interface associated with the control system and arranged to utilize the configuration, control and management data of the control system. In the preferred embodiment, the interactive user interface is provided by a World Wide Web server.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling, configuring or monitoring field devices in an industrial process, said control system being connected to a plurality of field devices and comprising:

at least one mobile terminal arranged to communicate with the control system over a cellular communication system in order to selectively remotely control, configure or monitor the field devices; and

an interactive user interface associated with the control system, said user interface utilizing configuration, control and management data maintained in at least one database of the control system and being accessible by the mobile terminal through a dedicated data connection established over the cellular communication system, in order to selectively control, configure or monitor the field devices connected to the control system,

said interactive user interface being configured to modify content of the interactive user interface in response to requests or selections made by the mobile terminal and based on the configuration, control and management data retrieved from said at least one database of the control system, and to create control or configuration commands to the control system in response to selections or inputs made by the mobile terminal user in the interactive user interface.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control system controls or configures the field devices according to the commands from the interactive user interface.

3. A control system for controlling, configuring or monitoring field devices in an industrial process, said control system being connected to a plurality of field devices and comprising:

at least one mobile terminal arranged to communicate with the control system over a cellular communication system in order to selectively remotely control, configure or monitor the field devices; and

an interactive user interface associated with the control system, said user interface utilizing configuration, control and management data maintained in at least one database of the control system and being accessible by the mobile terminal through a dedicated data connection established over the cellular communication system, in order to selectively control, configure or monitor the field devices connected to the control system, wherein the identity of the field device is a tag number of the field device.

4. A control system for controlling, configuring or monitoring field devices in an industrial process, said control system being connected to a plurality of field devices and comprising:

at least one mobile terminal arranged to communicate with the control system over a cellular communication system in order to selectively remotely control, configure or monitor the field devices;

a World Wide Web (WWW) server associated with the control system,

said WWW server utilizing configuration, control and management data maintained in at least one database of the control system for providing at least one interactive WWW page which is accessible through a TCP/IP network and a data connection between the mobile terminal and an access server connected to the TCP/IP network; and

a browser in the mobile terminal for interacting with the interactive WWW page through said data connection, access server and the TCP/IP network, in order to selectively control, configure or monitor the field devices connected to the control system, wherein

the WWW server comprises a search function which, in response to an identity of a field device sent from the mobile terminal, searches the WWW page of the respective field device.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the search function is responsive to a truncated or ambiguous identity sent by the mobile terminal for displaying a list of field devices to which the truncated or ambiguous identity matches.

6. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said WWW server is configured to modify the content of the interactive WWW pages in response to requests or selections made by the mobile terminal and based on the configuration, control and management data of said at least one database of the control system, and to create control or configuration commands to the control system in response to selections or inputs made by the mobile terminal user in the interactive WWW pages.

7. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is used between the access server and the mobile terminal, and a WWW protocol is used between the access server and the WWW server.

8. A control system for controlling, configuring or monitoring field devices in an industrial process, said control system being connected to a plurality of field devices and comprising:

at least one mobile terminal arranged to communicate with the control system over a cellular communication system in order to selectively remotely control, configure or monitor the field devices;

a World Wide Web (WWW) server associated with the control system,

said WWW server utilizing configuration, control and management data maintained in at least one database of the control system for providing at least one interactive WWW page which is accessible through a TCP/IP network and a data connection between the mobile terminal and an access server connected to the TCP/IP network;

a browser in the mobile terminal for interacting with the at least one interactive WWW page through said data connection, access server and the TCP/IP network, in order to selectively control, configure or monitor the field devices connected to the control system, wherein

said WWW server is configured to modify content of the at least one interactive WWW page in response to requests or selections made by the mobile terminal and based on the configuration, control and management data in said at least one database of the control system, and to create control or configuration commands to the control system in response to selections or inputs made by the mobile terminal user in the at least one interactive WWW page.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the WWW server is arranged to assist the selection of a desired field device by providing a hierarchic set of WWW pages representing logical, functional or location architecture of the plant in a tree configuration, the user of the mobile terminal being able to proceed from a higher hierarchic level to a lower hierarchic level by selection made on the higher level.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the WWW page on the highest hierarchical level displays a list of plants or plant areas for user selection, the next lower level displays a list of plant areas within the plant or plant area selected at the highest level, etc., the second lowest level displays a list of field devices in the plant area selected on a next higher level, and the lowest level displays a WWW page for the desired field device.

11. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the WWW server is provided with a search function which in response to an identity of a field device sent from the mobile terminal searches the WWW page of the respective field device.

12. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is used between the access server and the mobile terminal, and a WWW protocol is used between the access server and the WWW server.

13. The system according to claim 8, wherein the identity of the field device is a tag number of the field device.