Peer-to-peer hosting of intelligent field devices
First Claim
1. A method of installing a device configuration on an intelligent field device (IFD), the method comprising:
- accessing, with a processor external to the IFD, a configurator program stored on the IFD, wherein the IFD is a hardware device that includes a mechanism for sensing or controlling a process condition in an industrial process;
running the configurator program on the external processor to generate the device configuration for the IFD;
transmitting the device configuration to the IFD;
storing the device configuration in memory in the IFD;
transferring the device configuration from the IFD to a second IFD; and
storing the device configuration in the second 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.
55 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of installing a device configuration on an intelligent field device (IFD), the method comprising:
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accessing, with a processor external to the IFD, a configurator program stored on the IFD, wherein the IFD is a hardware device that includes a mechanism for sensing or controlling a process condition in an industrial process; running the configurator program on the external processor to generate the device configuration for the IFD; transmitting the device configuration to the IFD; storing the device configuration in memory in the IFD; transferring the device configuration from the IFD to a second IFD; and storing the device configuration in the second IFD. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of installing a device configuration on an IFD, the method comprising:
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accessing a configurator program using browser software, wherein the configurator program is stored on a distributed network site; running the configurator program to generate the device configuration for the IFD; storing the device configuration in memory in the IFD, wherein the IFD is a hardware device that includes a mechanism for sensing or controlling a process condition in an industrial process; transferring the device configuration from the IFD to a second IFD; and storing the device configuration in the second IFD. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. An intelligent field device (IFD), wherein the IFD is a hardware device for use in controlling an industrial process, the IFD comprising:
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a mechanism for sensing or controlling an industrial process; at least one processing device; and a memory storing a configurator program and instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing device, cause the IFD to perform the following operations; in response to being accessed by a processor external to the IFD, transmit the configurator program to the external processor; receive a device configuration for the IFD from the external processor, wherein the device configuration is generated by running the configurator program on the external processor; storing the device configuration in the memory; transfer the device configuration from the IFD to a second IFD; and store the device configuration in the second IFD. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification