Systems and methods to maintain process control systems using information retrieved from a database storing general-type information and specific-type information
First Claim
1. A method for determining whether information is associated with a process control system, comprising:
- registering a process control system with a server at which a plurality of other process control systems are registered, the process control system located at a first plant site geographically separate from other plant sites of the plurality of other process control systems;
monitoring, via the server, the process control system and the plurality of other process control systems to facilitate maintaining the process control systems;
retrieving first information from a database in communication with the server based on the monitoring of the process control systems, the database configured to store general type information pertaining to general operations of the process control systems and specific type information pertaining to operations of particular process control system components;
determining whether the first information is associated with general process control system operations, the first information being associated with the general process control system operations when the first information is identified as pertaining to a plurality of the process control system components of different device types based on matches between at least one criterion in the first information and criteria associated with the plurality of the process control system components;
when the first information is not associated with the general process control system operations, determining whether the first information is associated with a particular component of the process control system;
if the first information is associated with the particular component of the process control system, identifying the particular component of the process control system based on a component identifier located in the first information; and
communicating the first information to a user, the first information including an action category selected from a group comprising a required action category and an advisement category, wherein the required action category indicates that action must be taken at some point and the advisement category indicates information associated with improving system performance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Example systems and methods to maintain process control systems are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves retrieving first information and determining whether the first information is associated with a process control system. If the first information is associated with the process control system, second information is generated to indicate that the first information is associated with the process control system. It is also determined whether the first information is associated with a particular node of the process control system. If the first information is associated with the particular node of the process control system, third information is generated to indicate that the first information is associated with the particular node.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for determining whether information is associated with a process control system, comprising:
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registering a process control system with a server at which a plurality of other process control systems are registered, the process control system located at a first plant site geographically separate from other plant sites of the plurality of other process control systems; monitoring, via the server, the process control system and the plurality of other process control systems to facilitate maintaining the process control systems; retrieving first information from a database in communication with the server based on the monitoring of the process control systems, the database configured to store general type information pertaining to general operations of the process control systems and specific type information pertaining to operations of particular process control system components; determining whether the first information is associated with general process control system operations, the first information being associated with the general process control system operations when the first information is identified as pertaining to a plurality of the process control system components of different device types based on matches between at least one criterion in the first information and criteria associated with the plurality of the process control system components; when the first information is not associated with the general process control system operations, determining whether the first information is associated with a particular component of the process control system; if the first information is associated with the particular component of the process control system, identifying the particular component of the process control system based on a component identifier located in the first information; and communicating the first information to a user, the first information including an action category selected from a group comprising a required action category and an advisement category, wherein the required action category indicates that action must be taken at some point and the advisement category indicates information associated with improving system performance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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9. An apparatus for determining whether information is associated with a process control system, comprising:
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a server to register a process control system and a plurality of other process control systems to facilitate maintaining the process control systems, the process control system located at a first plant site geographically separate from other plant sites of the plurality of other process control systems; an interface in communication with the server to retrieve first information from a database in communication with the server based on monitoring of the process control systems, the database configured to store general type information pertaining to general operations of the process control systems and specific type information pertaining to operations of particular process control system components; a comparator to; determine whether the first information is associated with general process control system operations, the first information being associated with the general process control system operations when the first information is identified as pertaining to a plurality of the process control system components of different device types based on matches between at least one criterion in the first information and criteria associated with the plurality of the process control system components; when the first information is not associated with the general process control system operations, determine whether the first information is associated with a particular component of the process control system; and if the first information is associated with the particular component of the process control system, identify the particular component of the process control system based on a component identifier located in the first information; and a communication interface to communicate the first information to a user, the first information including an action category selected from a group comprising a required action category and an advisement category, wherein the required action category indicates that action must be taken at some point and the advisement category indicates information associated with improving system performance. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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17. A machine accessible medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to:
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register a process control system with a server at which a plurality of other process control systems are registered, the process control system located at a first plant site geographically separate from other plant sites of the plurality of other process control systems monitor, via the server, the process control system and the plurality of other process control systems to facilitate maintaining the process control systems; retrieve first information from a database in communication with the server based on the monitoring of the process control systems, the database configured to store general type information pertaining to general operations of the process control systems and specific type information pertaining to operations of particular process control system components; determine whether the first information is associated with general process control system operations, the first information being associated with the general process control system operations when the first information is identified as pertaining to a plurality of the process control system components of different device types based on matches between at least one criterion in the first information and criteria associated with the plurality of the process control system components; when the first information is not associated with the general process control system operations, determine whether the first information is associated with a particular component of the process control system; if the first information is associated with the particular component of the process control system, identify the particular component of the process control system based on a component identifier located in the first information; and communicate the first information to a user, the first information including an action category selected from a group comprising a required action category, and an advisement category, wherein the required action category indicates that action must be taken at some point and the advisement category indicates information associated with improving system performance. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification