Distributed data access methods and apparatus for process control systems
First Claim
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1. A method of propagating information within a networked system, comprising:
- receiving, at a first one of a plurality of intermediate data servers within the networked system, a request for first information, the plurality of intermediate data servers in communication with a plurality of client applications and adapted to interoperate to retrieve and store, in respective local data sources, subsets of information in accordance with informational needs of at least some of the client applications, the request for the first information associated with a first one of the plurality of client applications;
receiving, at a second one of the plurality of intermediate data servers, the request for the first information when the first information is not locally stored in a first one of the local data sources associated with the first intermediate data server;
when the first information is not locally stored in a second one of the local data sources associated with the second intermediate data server, determining an access pattern associated with a database and the first client application, wherein the access pattern is indicative of different information separately requestable by the first client application from the database, the database storing information associated with a process control system;
selecting the first information within the database to form second information based on the access pattern and the first client application;
sending the second information to the second intermediate data server within the networked system;
sending the second information from the second intermediate data server to the first intermediate data server; and
storing at least a portion of the second information in the first local data source associated with the first client application, wherein the first local data source is local to the first client application to enable the client application to access the at least the portion of the second information in the first local data source when the first client application is off-line.
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Abstract
Systems and methods of accessing a database associated with a process control system send a request for information from a client application to an intermediate data server process and determine if the information is stored within a data source associated with the intermediate data server process. The systems and methods also send a request for the information from the intermediate data server process to another process if the information is not stored within the data source and access the database to retrieve the information subsequent to the other process receiving the request for the information.
75 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of propagating information within a networked system, comprising:
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receiving, at a first one of a plurality of intermediate data servers within the networked system, a request for first information, the plurality of intermediate data servers in communication with a plurality of client applications and adapted to interoperate to retrieve and store, in respective local data sources, subsets of information in accordance with informational needs of at least some of the client applications, the request for the first information associated with a first one of the plurality of client applications; receiving, at a second one of the plurality of intermediate data servers, the request for the first information when the first information is not locally stored in a first one of the local data sources associated with the first intermediate data server; when the first information is not locally stored in a second one of the local data sources associated with the second intermediate data server, determining an access pattern associated with a database and the first client application, wherein the access pattern is indicative of different information separately requestable by the first client application from the database, the database storing information associated with a process control system; selecting the first information within the database to form second information based on the access pattern and the first client application; sending the second information to the second intermediate data server within the networked system; sending the second information from the second intermediate data server to the first intermediate data server; and storing at least a portion of the second information in the first local data source associated with the first client application, wherein the first local data source is local to the first client application to enable the client application to access the at least the portion of the second information in the first local data source when the first client application is off-line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system to propagate information within a networked system, comprising:
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a first one of a plurality of intermediate data servers within the networked system to receive a request for first information, the plurality of intermediate data servers in communication with a plurality of client applications and adapted to interoperate to retrieve and store, in respective local data sources, subsets of information in accordance with informational needs of at least some of the client applications, the request for the first information associated with a first one of the plurality of client applications; a second one of the plurality of intermediate data servers to receive the request for the first information when the first information is not locally stored in a first one of the local data sources associated with the first intermediate data server; a database to store information associated with a process control system and configured to determine an access pattern associated with the first client application when the first information is not locally stored in a second one of the local data sources associated with the second intermediate data server, and the database to select the first information to form second information based on the access pattern and the first client application, wherein the access pattern is indicative of different information separately requestable by the first client application from the database; the second intermediate data server configured to receive the second information from the database; the first intermediate data server configured to receive the second information from the second intermediate data server; and a first one of the local data sources associated with the first client application and configured to store at least a portion of the second information, wherein the first local data source is local to the first client application and enables the first client application to access the at least the portion of the second information in the first local data source when the first client application is off-line. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause:
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a first one of a plurality of intermediate data servers within the networked system to receive a request for first information, the plurality of intermediate data servers in communication with a plurality of client applications and adapted to interoperate to retrieve and store, in respective local data sources, subsets of information in accordance with informational needs of at least some of the client applications, the request for the first information associated with a first one of the plurality of client applications; a second one of the plurality of intermediate data servers to receive the request for the first information when the first information is not locally stored in a first one of the local data sources associated with the first intermediate data server; a database to store information associated with a process control system, determine an access pattern associated with the first client application when the first information is not locally stored in a second one of the local data sources associated with the second intermediate data server, and select the first information to form second information based on the access pattern and the first client application, wherein the access pattern is indicative of different information separately requestable by the first client application from the database; the second intermediate data server to receive the second information from the database; the first intermediate data server to receive the second information from the second intermediate data server; and the first local data source to store at least a portion of the second information, wherein the first local data source is local to the first client application and enables the first client application to access the at least the portion of the second information in the first local data source when the first client application is off-line. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method, comprising:
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receiving, at a first one of a plurality of intermediate data servers, a request for first information, the plurality of intermediate data servers in communication with a plurality of client applications and adapted to interoperate to retrieve and store, in respective local data sources, subsets of information in accordance with informational needs of at least some of the client applications, the request for the first information associated with a first one of the plurality of client applications; receiving, at a second one of the plurality of intermediate data servers, the request for the first information when the first information is not locally stored in a first one of the local data sources associated with the first intermediate data server; when the first information is not locally stored in a second one of the local data sources associated with the second intermediate data server, determining an access pattern associated with accessing data in a database, wherein the access pattern is indicative of different information separately requestable from the database; selecting the first information within the database to form second information based on the access pattern; storing the second information in the first and second intermediate data servers; and storing at least a portion of the second information in the first local data source associated with the first client application to enable the first client application to access the portion of the second information in the first local data source. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification