Methods and apparatus to access process data stored on a server

• US 9,122,764 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2010
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Neitzel, Lee Allen, Zhou, Ling, Nixon, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Aftab N.
• Application Number:
  US12/730,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20110238780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,987 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/227, 709/246, 715/206, 715/236, 715/741, 715/772
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/408 characterised by data handling or data format, e.g. reading, buffering or conversion of data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/116 Details of conversion of file system types or formats
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/185 Hierarchical storage management [HSM] systems, e.g. file migration or policies thereof details of archiving G06F16/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

Example methods and apparatus to access process data stored on a server are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes receiving a request to access process data via a web browser, identifying a server that stores at least a portion of the process data, wherein the server is associated with an interoperability data packing format, accessing the server to receive the process data, converting the process data from a format associated with the interoperability data packing format to a web browsing format, and embedding at least a first portion of the converted process data into at least one data field for display via the web browser.

Claims

1. A method to access process data stored on a server, the method comprising:

authenticating a request to access the process data stored on the server, the request originating from a first rendering device or a second rendering device;

creating an access session, based on the authentication, to provide access for the first rendering device when the request originates from the first rendering device, and to provide access for the second rendering device when the request originates from the second rendering device;

rejecting the request to access the process data from the first rendering device or the second rendering device prior to creating the access session for the respective first rendering device or second rendering device;

identifying the server that stores the process data in response to the request to access the process data, wherein the server is associated with an interoperability data packing format, the process data generated by a field device of a process control system communicatively coupled to the server, the field device receiving inputs to control a process or measuring outputs of the process;

determining which one of the first rendering device or the second rendering device originates the request based on first target display information or second target display information embedded in the request;

converting the process data from a format associated with the interoperability data packing format to a first web browsing format associated with a first template that is tailored based on a type of the process data from the field device of the process control system and the first target display information when the first target display information is embedded in the request;

converting the process data from the format associated with the interoperability data packing format to a second web browsing format associated with a second template that is tailored based on the type of the process data from the field device of the process control system and the second target display information when the second target display information is embedded in the request; and

embedding the converted process data into a first data field in the first template for display via the first rendering device when the first target display information is embedded in the request, and a second data field in the second template for display via the second rendering device when the second target display information is embedded in the request, the second data field displayed via the second template differently than the first data field displayed via the first template.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein identifying the server includes accessing a list that cross-references an identifier associated with the request.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the interoperability data packing format complies with an open packaging convention.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first target display information comprises at least one of a type of web browser or a type of the first rendering device that is to display the process data.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein embedding the converted process data into the first data field, when the first target display information is embedded in the request, includes:

partitioning the converted process data by a data type;

determining which data type is associated with each data field;

creating a data field for each data type; and

embedding the converted process data associated with each data type into a corresponding data field.

6. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein determining which data type is associated with each data field includes:

determining metadata associated with each portion of the converted process data; and

cross-referencing the metadata to the corresponding data field.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the request is from a client using a web browser.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, further comprising:

embedding the first data field including the converted process data into a webpage when the first target display information is embedded in the request; and

returning the webpage including the converted process data within the first data field to the client using the web browser to display the converted process data in the webpage.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the request is from a client using a client display application that is executed within a web browser.

10. The method as defined in claim 9, further comprising sending an instruction to the web browser that causes the client display application to access and display the first data field including the converted process data when the request originates from the first rendering device.

11. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the server stores a first portion of the process data.

12. The method as defined in claim 11, further comprising:

identifying a second server that stores a second portion of the process data, wherein the second server is associated with the interoperability data packing format;

converting the second portion of the process data from the format associated with the interoperability data packing format to the first web browsing format to generate a second portion of the converted process data when the first target display information is embedded in the request; and

embedding the second portion of the converted process data into the first data field for display along with the first portion of the converted first process data via the first rendering device when the first target display information is embedded in the request.

13. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the type of process data comprises at least one of server identification information, file directory organization information, numerical data, string data, status data of a control device, alarm data or data associated with the process control system.

14. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the process data is generated by at least one of a valve, a pump, a fan, a heater, a cooler, a mixer, a thermometer, a pressure gauge, a concentration gauge, a fluid level meter, a flow meter or a vapor sensor.

15. An apparatus to access process data stored on a server, the apparatus comprising:

a security processor device to authenticate a request to access the process data stored on the server, the request originating from a first rendering device or a second rendering device;

a session controller to;

create an access session, based on the authentication, to provide access for the first rendering device when the request originates from the first rendering device, and to provide access for the second rendering device when the request originates from the second rendering device; and

reject the request to access the process data from the first rendering device or the second rendering device prior to creating the access session for the respective first rendering device or second rendering device;

an adaptor to identify the server that stores the process data in response to the request to access the process data via a web browser, wherein the server is associated with an interoperability data packing format, the process data generated by a field device of a process control system communicatively coupled to the server, the field device receiving inputs to control a process or measuring outputs of the process;

a converter to;

convert the process data from a format associated with the interoperability data packing format to a first web browsing format associated with a first template that is tailored based on a type of the process data from the field device of the process control system and first target display information when the first target display information is embedded in the request;

convert the process data from the format associated with the interoperability data packing form a to a second web browsing format with a second template that is tailored based on the type of the process data from the field device of the process control system and second target display information when the second target display information is embedded in the request; and

a web-based interface to;

determine which one of the first rendering device or the second rendering device originates the request based on the first target display information or the second target display information embedded in the request;

embed the converted process data into a first data field in the first template for display via the first rendering device when the first target display information is embedded in the request, and a second data field in the second template for display via the second rendering device when the second target display information is embedded in the request, the second data field displayed via the second template differently than the first data field displayed via the first template.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the adaptor identifies the server by accessing a list that cross-references an identifier associated with the request to the server.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the web-based interface is to receive the request to access the process data via the web browser.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the request is from a client using the web browser.

19. The apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein the web-based interface is to:

embed the first data field including the converted process data into a webpage when the first target display information is embedded in the request; and

return the webpage including the converted process data within the first data field to the client using the web browser to display the converted process data in the webpage.

20. The apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the request is from a client using a client display application that is executed within the web browser.

21. The apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein the web-based interface is to send an instruction to the web browser that causes the client display application to access and display the first data field including the converted process data when the request originates from the first rendering device.

22. The apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the web-based interface is to embed the converted process data into the first data field, when the first target display information is embedded in the request, by:

partitioning the converted process data by a data type;

determining which data type is associated with each data field;

creating a data field for each data type; and

embedding the converted process data associated with each data type into a corresponding data field.

23. The apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein determining which data type is associated with each data field includes a data processor to:

determine metadata associated with each portion of the converted process data; and

cross-reference the metadata to the corresponding data field.

24. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to, at least:

authenticate a request to access a process data stored on a server, the request originating from a first rendering device or a second rendering device;

create an access session, based on the authentication, to provide access for the first rendering device when the request originates from the first rendering device, and to provide access for the second rendering device when the request originates from the second rendering device;

reject the request to access the process data from the first rendering device or the second rendering device prior to creating the access session for the respective first rendering device or second rendering device;

identify the server that stores the process data in response to the request to access the process data, wherein the server is associated with an interoperability data packing format, the process data generated by a field device of a process control system communicatively coupled to the server, the field device receiving inputs to control a process or measuring outputs of the process;

determine which one of the first rendering device or the second rendering device originates the request based on first target display information or second target display information embedded in the request;

convert the process data from a format associated with the interoperability data packing format to a first web browsing format associated with a first template that is tailored based on a type of the process data from the field device of the process control system and the first target display information when the first target display information is embedded in the request;

convert the process data from the format associated with the interoperability data packing format to a second web browsing format associated with a second template that is tailored based on the type of the process data from the field device of the process control system and the second target display information when the second target display information is embedded in the request; and

embed the converted process data into a first data field in the first template for display via the first rendering device when the first target display information is embedded in the request, and a second data field in the second template for display via the second rendering device when the second target display information is embedded in the request, the second data field displayed via the second template differently than the first data field displayed via the first template.