Apparatus for servicing a field device from a remote terminal

• US 9,276,996 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2010
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endress+Hauser Process Solutions AG
• Original Assignee: Endress+Hauser Process Solutions AG
• Inventors: Vetter, Immanuel, De Groot, Vincent, Hhniche, Jrg, Juillet, Dennis, Lohmann, Martin, Hartmann, Thomas, Eberhard, Holger, Fetz, Florian, Jahl, Gnter, Robl, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): DARAMOLA, ISRAEL O
• Application Number:
  US13/386,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20120182119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,079 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.41, 700/7, 700/86, 700/286, 705/308, 709/203, 709/219, 711/118, 715/205
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31121 Fielddevice, field controller, interface connected to fieldbus
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34444 Web control system, with intelligent control components each with web server
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

An apparatus for servicing a field device from a remote terminal, wherein the field device has an onsite display/servicing capability and is connected to a fieldbus of process automation technology. The remote terminal and the field device communicate with one another via at least one defined transmission protocol. A web server is integrated in the field device, in a Plant Access Point or in the remote terminal; the web server provides all requested device information, which is the so called firmware, of the field device in the form of dynamically produced contents to the remote terminal. A communication driver specific to the applied transmission protocol and a browser are integrated in the remote terminal. The communication driver emulates the protocol of the onsite display/servicing capability of the field device on the remote terminal and the dynamically produced contents are displayed on a display of the remote terminal via the web browser, so that the onsite display/servicing capability at the field device and the display/servicing capability at the remote terminal are identical.

Claims

1. A system for servicing a field device from a remote terminal in an automation process, comprising:

said field device for registering and/or influencing a process variable and said remote terminal, wherein

said remote terminal and said field device communicate with one another via a bus system of process automation technology using a transmission protocol,

the field device has an onsite display and servicing capability and is linked to said bus system;

the remote terminal has a display and servicing capability, and has at least a communication driver specific to said transmission protocol, and a browser, said communication driver and said browser being integrated in the remote terminal;

a JavaScript web application is loaded in the communication driver from the field device via the bus system;

a web server is integrated in the field device, the web server provides all requested device information of the field device in the form of dynamically produced contents to the remote terminal via JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) so that the dynamically produced contents are displayed on the display of the remote terminal via the browser and on the onsite display of the field device, and

the onsite display and servicing capability on the field device and the display and servicing capability on the remote terminal are identical at any time.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said browser is integrated in a separate driver or in a generic communication driver.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said remote terminal is a PC, a configuration/management system or a handheld servicing device.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said transmission protocol on the fieldbus plane is a conventional fieldbus protocol used in process automation.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

said fieldbus protocol is, the HART protocol, the Profibus PA protocol, the Fieldbus Foundation protocol or a proprietary protocol of the field device manufacturer or another protocol, such as TCP/IP or USB.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the field device is a control/evaluation unit, which has a number of channels, via which sensors/actuators are connected.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said bus system is a wireless HART communication connection.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

the connection to a wireless HART field device is produced via a selection list by means of a wireless HART gateway.

9. The system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

an RF/ID chip, which provides information required for connection to the field device.