Methods and apparatus for control configuration with control objects that are fieldbus protocol-aware
First Claim
1. Apparatus for configuring a control system, comprisingA. a model comprising one or more objects representing one or more devices of a control system,B. at least one of the objects representing at least one device (“
- bus master”
) that defines and/or controls communications on at least a portion of a network (“
segment”
) over which at least one of the devices communicates, the at least one object including information defining a configuration of the segment,C. a download service that is coupled to the model and to the control system and that transfers to the control system at least selected configuration information from objects in the model,D. a change tracking system that is in communications coupling with the download service,E. the download service transferring to the bus master communications configuration information for the segment and wherein a track attribute of the object indicates whether the object reports its downloading to the device in the control system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides, in some aspects, improved apparatus for configuring a control system. The apparatus includes a model made up of objects representing devices of such a system, including, at least one device that defines and/or controls communications on at least a portion of a network within that system. That device is referred to, here, as a “bus master” and the portion of the network is referred to as a “segment.” The object (or objects) representing the bus master can include information defining timings, port assignments and/or other aspects of the configuration of the segment. A download service transfers configuration information from objects in the model to devices in the control system. This includes transferring to the bus master communications configuration information for the segment. A download service according to this aspect of the invention generates—e.g., for logging by a change tracking system—indicia of the configuration information transferred to the bus master. The download service can likewise generate for logging (by the change tracking system) information transferred from the model to other devices in control system.
885 Citations
14 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for configuring a control system, comprising
A. a model comprising one or more objects representing one or more devices of a control system, B. at least one of the objects representing at least one device (“ - bus master”
) that defines and/or controls communications on at least a portion of a network (“
segment”
) over which at least one of the devices communicates, the at least one object including information defining a configuration of the segment,C. a download service that is coupled to the model and to the control system and that transfers to the control system at least selected configuration information from objects in the model, D. a change tracking system that is in communications coupling with the download service, E. the download service transferring to the bus master communications configuration information for the segment and wherein a track attribute of the object indicates whether the object reports its downloading to the device in the control system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- bus master”
-
13. Apparatus for configuring a control system, comprising
A. a model comprising one or more objects representing one or more devices of a control system, B. at least one of the objects representing at least one device (“ - bus slave”
) on a portion of a network (“
segment”
) that is defined and/or controlled by another device (“
bus master”
), the at least one object including information defining a configuration of the segment,C. a download service that transfers to the control system at least selected configuration information from objects in the model, D. the download service transferring to the bus slave communications configuration information for the segment and wherein a track attribute of the object indicates whether the object reports its downloading to the device in the control system. - View Dependent Claims (14)
- bus slave”
Specification