Systems and methods for storing configuration data in process control systems

• US 7,178,103 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2004
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Systems USA, Inc. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Invensys Systems Incorporated (Invensys PLC)
• Inventors: Wallace, Katherine M., Humphrey, Douglas, Nunes, Nancy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh; Cong-Lac
• Application Number:
  US10/770,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20050172220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 715/501.1, 715/513, 715/500
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/117 Tagging; Marking up details of markup languages G06F40/143; Designating a block; Setting of attributes style sheets, e.g. eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation [XSLT], G06F40/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/12 Use of codes for handling textual entities

Abstract

Systems and methods for storing configuration data for process control systems are described. In one embodiment, a method for storing configuration data for a Fieldbus device can include generating one or more first documents based on a first document type definition in a markup language, and generating one or more second documents based on a second document type definition in the markup language. The one or more first documents can include one or more block identifiers for identifying one or more function blocks associated with the Fieldbus device. The one or more second documents can be associated with the one or more function blocks and can include one or more parameter identifiers for identifying one or more parameters associated with the one or more function blocks.

Claims

1. A method of storing configuration data for a Fieldbus device, the method comprising:

based on a first document type definition in a markup language, generating one or more first documents including one or more block identifiers for identifying one or more function blocks associated with the Fieldbus device, and

based on a second document type definition in the markup language, generating one or more second documents associated with the one or more function blocks, the one or more second documents including one or more parameter identifiers for identifying one or more parameters associated with the one or more function blocks.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the markup language includes a markup language capable of defining one or more unique document tags for identifying one or more of an organization and a content of a document.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more first documents further include data based on one or more of:

a name and a version of the Fieldbus device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a block identifier includes data based on one or more of:

a name, a version, a header, a function, and a validate function of a function block.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more second documents further include data based on one or more of:

a name, a version, and a header of the function block.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more second documents further include data based on one or more of:

a type of control device associated with the Fieldbus device,

a memory usage of the function block for the type of control device,

an execution time of the function block for the type of control device, and

a type of the function block.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the type of function block includes analog.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the type of function block includes discrete.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a parameter identifier includes data based on one or more of:

a name of a parameter and a configuration order of the parameter in a function block.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein generating one or more first documents includes:

generating one first document for each different operating version of the Fieldbus device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein generating one or more second documents includes:

generating one second document for each different function block associated with the Fieldbus device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein generating one or more second documents includes:

generating one second document for each different version of each different function block associated with the Fieldbus device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more second documents further include one or more parameter indicators for indicating data structures and data values associated with the one or more parameters.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a parameter indicator includes data based on one or more of:

a name of the parameter,

a configuration order of the parameter in a function block,

a data structure of the parameter,

a data type of the parameter,

a value of the parameter.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the data type includes one of:

Boolean, integer, real, and string.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the data structure include one of:

arrayed and non-arrayed.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on a third document type definition in the markup language, generating one or more third documents including one or more parameter indicators for indicating data structures and data values associated with the one or more parameters.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the one or more first and the one or more second documents.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

modifying the configuration data included in one or more of the stored documents.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein modifying includes:

modifying one or more of;

the one or more function blocks associated with the Fieldbus device,

the one or more parameters associated with the one or more function blocks, and

the data structures and data values of the one or more parameters during operation of the Fieldbus device.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on the configuration data included in the one or more first documents and the one or more second documents, generating control instructions to control the Fieldbus device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein generating control instructions to control the Fieldbus device includes:

based on the first and second document type definitions and the one or more first and second documents, generating one or more third documents including data based on

the one or more function blocks associated with the Fieldbus device,

the one or more parameters associated with the one or more function blocks, and

the data structures and data values of the one or more parameters.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein generating control instructions further includes:

based on a translation language, generating translation instructions for converting the one or more third documents to control instructions, and

based on the translation instructions and the one or more third documents, generating the control instructions.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the translation language includes an Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL).

25. The method of claim 23, wherein generating the control instructions includes:

generating the control instructions using a translation engine based on the translation language.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

restoring the Fieldbus device to a prior configuration based on providing the control instructions to the Fieldbus device.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the markup language includes one or more of:

a Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) and an Extensible Markup Language (XML).

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the Fieldbus device includes one or more of:

a processor, an input/output module, a sensor, a valve, and a transmitter.

29. A processor program for storing configuration data for a Fieldbus device, the processor program being stored on a processor-readable medium and including instructions to cause a processor to:

based on a first document type definition in a markup language, generate one or more first documents including one or more block identifiers for identifying one or more function blocks associated with the Fieldbus device, and

based on a second document type definition in the markup language, generate one or more second documents associated with the one or more function blocks, the one or more second documents including one or more parameter identifiers for identifying one or more parameters associated with the one or more function blocks.

30. The processor program of claim 29, wherein a block identifier includes data based on one or more of:

a name, a version, a header, a function, and a validate function of a function block.

31. The processor program of claim 29, wherein a parameter identifier includes data based on one or more of:

a name of a parameter and a configuration order of the parameter in a function block.

32. The processor program of claim 29, wherein the one or more second documents further include one or more parameter indicators for indicating data structures and data values associated with the one or more parameters.

33. The processor program of claim 32, wherein a parameter indicator includes data based on one or more of:

a name of the parameter,

a configuration order of the parameter in a function block,

a data structure of the parameter,

a data type of the parameter,

a value of the parameter.

34. The processor program of claim 29, further including instructions to:

based on the configuration data included in the one or more first documents and the one or more second documents, generate control instructions to control the Fieldbus device.

35. The processor program of claim 34, wherein the instructions to generate control instructions include instructions to:

based on the first and second document type definitions and the one or more first and second documents, generate one or more third documents including data based on

the one or more function blocks associated with the Fieldbus device,

the one or more parameters associated with the one or more function blocks, and

the data structures and data values of the one or more parameters.

36. The processor program of claim 35, wherein the instructions to generate control instructions further include instructions to:

based on a translation language, generate translation instructions for converting the one or more third documents to control instructions, and

based on the translation instructions and the one or more third documents, generate the control instructions.

37. A system for storing configuration data for a Fieldbus device, the system comprising:

a first document type definition in a markup language,

a second document type definition in a markup language, and

a data processing device in communication with the first and second document type definitions and capable of;

based on the first document type definition, generating one or more first documents including one or more block identifiers for identifying one or more function blocks associated with the Fieldbus device, and

based on the second document type definition in the markup language, generating one or more second documents associated with the one or more function blocks, the one or more second documents including one or more parameter identifiers for identifying one or more parameters associated with the one or more function blocks.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein a block identifier includes data based on one or more of:

a name, a version, a header, a function, and a validate function of a function block.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein a parameter identifier includes data based on one or more of:

a name of a parameter and a configuration order of the parameter in a function block.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein the one or more second documents further include one or more parameter indicators for indicating data structures and data values associated with the one or more parameters.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein a parameter indicator includes data based on one or more of:

a name of the parameter,

a configuration order of the parameter in a function block,

a data structure of the parameter,

a data type of the parameter,

a value of the parameter.

42. The system of claim 37, wherein the data processing device is capable of:

based on the configuration data included in the one or more first documents and the one or more second documents, generating control instructions to control the Fieldbus device.

43. The system of claim 37, wherein the data processing device is capable of:

based on the first and second document type definitions and the one or more first and second documents, generating one or more third documents including data based on

the one or more function blocks associated with the Fieldbus device,

the one or more parameters associated with the one or more function blocks, and

the data structures and data values of the one or more parameters.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the data processing device is capable of:

based on a translation language, generating translation instructions for converting the one or more third documents to control instructions, and

based on the translation instructions and the one or more third documents, generate the control instructions.