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Location dependent control access in a process control system

  • US 9,244,455 B2
  • Filed: 09/05/2008
  • Issued: 01/26/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of accessing an element in a process control environment using a portable communicator, comprising:

  • defining, by one or more processors, one or more control areas within the process control environment, each of the one or more control areas being associated with one or more respective elements within a process control environment, the process control environment including a plurality of elements;

    determining, by one or more processors, a position of a user operating a portable communicator with respect to the one or more of the control areas;

    establishing, by one or more processors, an identity of the user and an organizational role of the user based on information entered via the portable communicator; and

    selectively allowing, by one or more processors, the user to access an element from among the plurality of elements within the process control environment via the portable communicator depending on (i) the determined position of the user with respect to the one or more control areas and (ii) the identity and the organizational role of the user,wherein a boundary of at least one of the one or more control areas is adjusted dynamically without user intervention according to conditions in the process control environment that are detected by a computing device, andwherein the dynamic adjustment results in a change in an association of one or more elements with at least one control area while the number of the plurality of elements in the process control environment remains unchanged.

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