Methods and apparatus to manage process control resources

• US 9,581,994 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2011
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Resurreccion, Enrico J., Lucero, Michael C. III
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, RUAY L
• Application Number:
  US13/080,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20120259436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,156 Days
• Field of Search: 715200-277, 715700-867, 700/12, 700/18, 700/83, 700701-866, 709201-229, 705/14.58, 705 50- 79, 345 30-111
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31474 Icon display for quick access of detailed information
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0216 Human interface functionality, e.g. monitoring system providing help to the user in the selection of tests or in its configuration

Abstract

Example methods and apparatus to manage process control resources are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes receiving a selection of a first process control resource within a process control system to be associated with a logical container, the logical container including other process control resources that have a same user defined characteristic in common with the first process control resource, creating an entry within the logical container for the first process control resource by storing an identifier of the first process control resource in the logical container, and assigning the first process control resource to the logical container so that the identifier of the first process control resource links to process control information associated with the first process control resource.

Claims

1. A method to display graphical representations of process control field devices, the method comprising:

displaying, via a display screen, a pictorial representation of a process control system;

determining a location of a process control field device within the pictorial representation by matching location information associated with the process control field device to a corresponding location within the pictorial representation; and

displaying, via the display screen, an icon in proximity to the location within the pictorial representation, the icon being a graphical representation of the process control field device and linking to information associated with the process control field device, the icon being graphically independent of the pictorial representation.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the pictorial representation is a photograph of the process control system.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the pictorial representation is at least one of a rendering, a map, or a drawing of the process control system.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a logical container that includes the process control field device;

displaying the icon within a graphical representation of the logical container, the logical container being displayed within the pictorial representation; and

displaying icons associated with other process control field devices included within the logical container in proximity to locations of the process control field devices within the pictorial representation.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a logical container prior to determining the location of the process control field device within the pictorial representation of the process control system; and

determining the process control field device is associated with the selected logical container.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining the location of the process control field device comprises:

creating a coordinate system for the pictorial representation; and

matching the location information associated with the process control field device to a coordinate within the coordinate system.

7. A method to manage process control resources, the method comprising:

receiving, via a processor, a selection of a first process control resource within a process control system to be associated with a logical container, the logical container including other process control resources that have a same user defined characteristic in common with the first process control resource;

creating, via the processor, an entry within the logical container for the first process control resource by storing an identifier of the process control resource in the logical container; and

assigning, via the processor, the first process control resource to the logical container so that the identifier of the first process control resource links to process control information associated with the first process control resource.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, further comprising displaying the identifier within the logical container via a user interface to enable the user to locate the first process control resource without having knowledge of a resource hierarchy of the process control system.

9. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the user defined characteristic includes at least one of a fault type, a history of common issues, a type of field device, a physical location, a user preference, a manufacturer, a calibration date, an installation date, or a communication type.

10. A method as defined in claim 7, further comprising:

associating a second process control resource with the first process control resource by dragging and dropping a graphical representation of the second process control resource to the identifier of the first process control resource displayed within the logical container;

identifying the other process control resources assigned to the logical container; and

associating the second process control resource with the other process control resources.

11. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the second process control resource is a document.

12. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the first, the second, and the other process control resources include at least field devices, components, process control personnel, process control assets, controllers, I/O cards, machinery, or manufacturing lines.

13. A method as defined in claim 7, further comprising:

selecting the first process control resource;

displaying via the user interface logical containers including the logical container that includes the first process control resource; and

determining a pattern of operational behavior based on a type of the logical containers that include the first process control resource.

14. An apparatus to manage process control resources, the apparatus comprising:

a container manager to;

select an icon representative of a process control resource within a process control system requested to be associated with a logical container, the icon including a link to information associated with the process control resource; and

assign the process control resource to the logical container so that the icon of the process control resource is displayed within the logical container via a user interface, the logical container including other process control resources that have a same user defined characteristic in common with the process control resource.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising a database interface to store the logical container to a resource database.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the container manager is to assign the process control resource to the logical container by creating an entry within the logical container that includes identifying information associated with the process control resource and includes a link to process control resource information corresponding to the process control resource.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the container manager is to:

associate a process control item with the process control resource by dragging and dropping a graphical representation of the process control item to the icon;

identify the other process control resources assigned to the logical container; and

associate the process control item with the other process control resources within the logical container.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the container manager is to:

receive a selection of the process control resource via the user interface; and

determine logical containers including the logical container that includes the process control resource; and

determine a pattern of operational behavior based on type of the logical containers that include the process control resource.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 18, further comprising a renderer to display the determined logical containers.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising a location processor to:

determine a location of a process control resource within a pictorial representation of a process control system by matching location information associated with the process control resource to a corresponding location within the pictorial representation; and

selecting an icon to display in proximity to the location within the pictorial representation, the icon being a graphical representation of the process control resource and linking to information associated with the process control resource.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 20, further comprising a display processor to display the pictorial representation and the icon.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein the location processor is to:

receive a selection of the logical container;

identify process control resources included within the logical container; and

determine locations for the process control resources in the pictorial representation.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein the display processor is to display icons associated with the process control resources in the pictorial representation, the display processor displaying the icons in proximity to the locations of the process control resources represented by the pictorial representation.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the user defined characteristic includes at least one of a fault type, a history of common issues, a type of field device, a physical location, a user preference, a manufacturer, a calibration date, an installation date, or a communication type.

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

display a pictorial representation of a process control system;

determine a location of a process control resource within the pictorial representation by matching location information associated with the process control resource to a corresponding location within the pictorial representation; and

display an icon in proximity to the location within the pictorial representation, the icon being a graphical representation of the process control resource and linking to information associated with the process control resource, the icon being graphically independent of the pictorial representation.

26. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 25, wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to:

identify a logical container that includes the process control field device; and

display icons associated with other process control field devices included within the logical container in proximity to locations of the process control field devices within the pictorial representation.

27. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 26, wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to:

receive a selection of the process control resource to be associated with the logical container, the logical container including other process control resources that have a same user defined characteristic in common with the process control resource;

creating an entry within the logical container for the process control resource by storing an identifier of the process control resource in the logical container; and

assigning the process control resource to the logical container so that the identifier of the process control resource links to process control information associated with the process control resource.

28. A tangible article of manufacture as defined in claim 27, wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to

select the process control resource;

display via a user interface logical containers including the logical container that includes the process control resource; and

determining a pattern of operational behavior based on a type of the logical containers that include the process control resource.