Software deployment manager integration within a process control system

• US 8,914,783 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Van Camp, Kim O
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Xi D
• Application Number:
  US12/323,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20100131084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,212 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Example systems and methods to maintain process control systems are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves identifying at least one of an update or an upgrade applicable to a configuration of nodes of a process control system. Software is provided for download to the process control system. The software represents an update and/or upgrade. Metadata for the software indicating applicability of the software to one or more nodes of the process control system is also provided for download. Automated installation of the software to one or more nodes of the process control system is facilitated based on the metadata from a workstation in communication with the one or more nodes of the process control system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for deployment and management of software updates or upgrades for nodes of a process control system, comprising:

identifying software for at least one of an update or an upgrade applicable to a first configuration of nodes of the process control system by determining that at least one of preventative maintenance or corrective maintenance is available for a portion of the first configuration of nodes;

identifying an operating efficiency of a field device in the first configuration of nodes, the operating efficiency corresponding to measurement values of the field device within the process control system;

providing, for download to the process control system, the software for the update or upgrade and metadata for the software based on a comparison of the operating efficiency to a threshold value;

identifying, based on the comparison and the metadata, applicability of the software to a second configuration of nodes of the process control system; and

facilitating, based on applicability of the software to the second configuration of nodes, automated installation of the software to the second configuration of nodes based on the metadata via a workstation in communication with the second configuration of nodes of the process control system.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein providing for download comprises automatically downloading the software to the workstation.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein facilitating automated installation of the software further comprises displaying an interface for user approval of software installation.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein the interface allows a user to select a time for automated installation of the software.

5. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein the interface allows a user to approve automated installation of the software to at least one of the first and second configuration of nodes in the process control system.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising configuring a desired degree of automation in downloading and installing the software for the second configuration of nodes of the process control system based on user input.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising grouping the at least one of the first and second configuration of nodes of the process control system according to at least one of an individual node, a set of related nodes, or a network of nodes.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein facilitating automated installation of the software further comprises facilitating automated installation of the software based on the grouping of the at least one of the first and second configuration of nodes.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising alerting a user regarding a process control system service disruption resulting from installation of the software.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein facilitating automated installation of the software comprises automatically installing the software on the second configuration of nodes of the process control system according to the metadata downloaded with the software.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second configuration of nodes include at least one of a controller, a valve, a sensor, or a communication bus.

12. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the update or upgrade relates to at least one of system security, virus protection, operating system, or digital automation system operation.

13. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising determining installation results of the at least one of the update or upgrade on a third configuration of nodes;

and

determining that the update or upgrade is available for the portion of the first configuration of nodes based on the installation results,

wherein a user determines one or more nodes of the third configuration of nodes to install the upgrade or update of the third configuration of nodes, provides for download of the upgrade or update of the third configuration of nodes, and installs the upgrade or update of the third configuration of the nodes.

14. A method as defined in claim 13 wherein contents of the at least one of the update or upgrade applicable to the portion of the first configuration of nodes comprises contents of the at least one of the update or upgrade of the third configuration of nodes.

15. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

identifying an operating efficiency of one or more field devices of a configuration of nodes of a process control system, the operating efficiency corresponding to measurement values of the one or more field devices within the process control system;

rendering a first display area via a graphical web-based user interface to display one or more pending software updates and upgrades for the configuration of nodes of the process control system, the one or more pending software updates and upgrades automatically received from a software delivery service based on a comparison of the operating efficiency of one or more field devices of the configuration of nodes to a threshold value;

accepting user input to configure one or more groups of nodes for the process control system, wherein the one or more groups of nodes includes at least one controller that receives process measurements from the one or more field devices of the process control system;

accepting user input to approve action regarding the one or more pending software updates and upgrades; and

facilitating download and installation of the one or more pending software updates and upgrades according to the user input and the configuration of nodes.

16. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein accepting user input to approve action regarding the one or more pending software updates and upgrades allows a user to select a time for automated installation of the software.

17. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein accepting user input to configure one or more groups of nodes for the process control system comprises configuring a desired degree of automation for downloading and installing the one or more pending software updates and upgrades for the configuration of nodes.

18. A method as defined in claim 15, further comprising alerting a user regarding a process control system service disruption resulting from installation of the one or more pending software updates and upgrades.

19. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein facilitating download and installation of the one or more pending software updates and upgrades comprises automatically installing the one or more pending software updates and upgrades on the configuration of nodes according to metadata downloaded with the one or more pending software updates and upgrades.

20. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the one or more field devices includes at least one of a second controller, a valve, a sensor, or a communication bus.

21. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the one or more pending software updates and upgrades relates to at least one of system security, virus protection, operating system, or digital automation system operation.

22. An apparatus for deploying software updates or upgrades to nodes in a process control system, comprising:

a service management system to monitor an operating efficiency corresponding to measurement values of a field device in a configuration of the nodes of the process control system and provide, using a software delivery service, software and supporting information for at least one of an update or an upgrade to the configuration of nodes of the process control system based on a comparison of the operating efficiency to a threshold value and without user initiation, the at least one of the update or the upgrade comprising preventive or corrective maintenance for the configuration of nodes; and

a software deployment manager at a user-specified destination in the process control system, the software deployment manager including a degree of automation configurable by a user, the software deployment manager to use a knowledge base article matching process that compares information in knowledge base articles for an expected operating efficiency of the field device to the operating efficiency of the field device, the software deployment manager to download and install the software from the software delivery service to the configuration of nodes in the process control system based on the knowledge base article matching process; and

wherein at least one of the service management system or the software deployment manager comprises a processor.

23. An apparatus as described in claim 22, wherein the supporting information includes metadata for the software indicating applicability of the software to one or more nodes of the configuration of nodes.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein the software deployment manager displays an interface for user approval of at least one of software download and installation.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the interface allows a user to select a time for automated installation of the software.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the interface allows a user to approve automated installation of the software to a group of nodes of the configuration of nodes in the process control system.

27. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the interface allows a user to group one or more nodes of the configuration of nodes according to at least one of an individual node, a set of related nodes, or a network of nodes.

28. An apparatus as defined in claim 27, wherein the software deployment manager facilitates installation of the software based on the grouped nodes.

29. An apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein the software deployment manager is to alert a user regarding a process control system service disruption resulting from installation of the software.

30. An apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein the configuration of nodes includes at least one of a controller, a valve, a sensor, or a communication bus.

31. An apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein the at least one of an update or an upgrade relates to at least one of system security, virus protection, operating system, or digital automation system operation.

32. An apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein the information in the knowledge base articles comprises database entries that describe issues associated with the configuration of nodes of the process control system and at least one of workarounds, fixes, or other maintenance procedures associated the issues,

wherein the configuration of nodes of the process control system comprises field devices of a digital plant process control architecture.

33. An apparatus as defined in claim 32, wherein the issues associated with the configuration of nodes of the process control system comprise at least one of software bugs, equipment failures, or operating anomalies.

34. A non-transitory machine accessible medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to:

identify at least one of an update or an upgrade applicable to a first configuration of nodes of a process control system;

identify operating efficiencies of one or more field devices in the first configuration of nodes, the first configuration of nodes operating in the process control system;

provide, for download to the process control system, software for the at least one of an update or an upgrade and metadata for the software based on a comparison of the operating efficiencies to a threshold value;

identify, based on the comparison and the metadata, applicability of the software to a second configuration of nodes of the process control system, the second configuration of nodes comprising the first configuration of nodes; and

facilitate, based on applicability of the software to the second configuration of nodes, automated installation of the software to the second configuration of nodes of the process control system based on the metadata via a workstation in communication with the second configuration of nodes,

wherein the process control system employs a digital plant process control architecture that integrates at least one of high-speed discrete buses, embedded advanced control, or advanced unit and batch management.

35. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 34, wherein providing for download comprises automatically downloading the software to the workstation.

36. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 34, wherein facilitating automated installation of the software comprises displaying an interface for user approval of software installation.

37. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 36, wherein the interface allows a user to select a time for automated installation of the software.

38. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 37 wherein the interface allows a user to approve automated installation of the software to a group of nodes in the process control system.

39. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 34, having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to configure a desired degree of automation in downloading and installing software for the second configuration of nodes of the process control system based on user input.

40. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 34, having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to group the one or more nodes of the second configuration of nodes according to at least one of an individual node, a set of related nodes, of a network of nodes.

41. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 40, wherein facilitating automated installation of the software further comprises facilitating automated installation of the software based on grouping one or more nodes of the second configuration of nodes.

42. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 34, having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to alert a user regarding a process control system service disruption resulting from installation of the software.

43. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 34, wherein facilitating automated installation of the software comprises automatically installing the software on the one or more nodes of the second configuration of nodes according to the metadata downloaded with the software.

44. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 34, wherein at least one of the second configuration of nodes includes at least one of a controller, a valve, a sensor, or a communication bus.

45. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 34, wherein the at least one of the update or the upgrade relate to at least one of system security, virus protection, operating system, or digital automation system operation.