Methods and apparatus to transmit device description files to a host

• US 9,182,757 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2011
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Holmes, David Farrell
• Primary Examiner(s): Winder, Patrice
• Assistant Examiner(s): WIDHALM, ANGELA M
• Application Number:
  US13/075,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20120254339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,686 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/00 Program-control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31121 Fielddevice, field controller, interface connected to fieldbus
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31334 Database with devices, configuration, of plant
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31422 Upload, download programs, parameters from, to station to, from server
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32144 Define device description using dd files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Example methods and apparatus to transmit device description files to a host are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes communicatively coupling a field device to the host to provision the field device within a process control system, receiving an indication that the host does not include a version of a device description file that corresponds to a version of the field device, accessing the device description file from a memory of the field device, and transmitting the device description file from the field device to the host.

Claims

1. A method to transmit device description files to a host, the method comprising:

communicatively coupling a field device to the host to provision the field device within a process control system; and

in response to the field device receiving an indication that the host does not include a version of a device description file that corresponds to a version of the field device;

determining, at the field device, a configuration of the device description file to be transmitted to the host, the determination based on comparing a device type of the host to a list of device types, the configuration of the device description file based on a screen size characteristic of the device type of the host;

accessing the device description file from a memory of the field device;

transmitting the device description file from the field device to the host.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising transmitting a query from the field device to the host to cause the host to determine if the host includes the device description file.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the query further causes the host to determine if the host includes the version of the device description file.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the device description file is transmitted to the host in response to receiving a request from the host for the device description file.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the device description file is stored in a compressed format within the memory.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the device type of the host includes at least one of a model number of a process control handheld device, a type of a wireless device, a type of a processor, a type of a server type, or a type of a controller.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the device description file is configured based on activated functions of the field device.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the host refrains from accessing the device description file from a manufacturer of the field device after receiving the device description file from the field device.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the device description file enables the host to display process data generated by the field device.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein the field device is pre-configured to store the device description file in the memory prior to communicatively coupling the field device to the host.

10. An apparatus to transmit device description files to a host, the apparatus comprising:

a device type identifier to identify a device type of a host communicatively coupled to a field device within a process control system based on comparing the device type of the host to a list of device types;

a file processor to receive an indication that the host does not have a device description file that corresponds to a version of the field device;

a file retriever to configure the device description file from a memory of the field device, the configuration associated with the device type of the host, the configuration of the device description file based on a screen size characteristic of the device type of the host; and

a transmitter to transmit the device description file from the field device to the host.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the field device is provisioned within the process control system before the device type identifier identifies the device type of the host.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the file processor is to transmit a query to the host to determine if the host includes the device description file.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the query is to determine if the host includes a version of the device description file that corresponds to the version of the field device.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the transmitter is to transmit the device description file to the host in response to the file processor receiving a request from the host for the device description file.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the file processor is to configure the device description file based on activated functions of the field device.

16. A tangible article of manufacture storing machine-readable instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

provision a field device within a process control system;

identify a host communicatively coupled to the field device;

determine whether a message received by the field device indicates that the host does not include a device description file that corresponds to a version of the field device;

in response to the determination that the host does not include the device description file that corresponds to the version of the field device, determine, at the field device, a configuration of the device description file to be transmitted to the host, the determination based on comparing a device type of the host to a list of device types, the configuration of the device description file based on a screen size characteristic of the device type of the host;

access the device description file from a memory of the field device; and

transmit the device description file from the field device to the host.

17. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 16, wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to transmit a query to the host to determine if the host includes the device description file.

18. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 16, wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to transmit a query to the host to determine if the host includes a version of the device description file.

20. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 16, wherein the device description file is altered based on available functions of the field device.