Joining a computer to a process control system

• US 9,819,539 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2013
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Thilderkvist, Hans, Pauly, Thomas, Harding, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dustin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Guzman, Javier O
• Application Number:
  US14/061,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20140059193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 709224
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41855 by local area network [LAN], network structure
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24168 Identify connected programmer to allow control, program entry
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31098 Configuration editor for networking interconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them

Abstract

A setup control unit is configured to get activated via a first computer that is to become a node in the process control system and which activation is initiated by a setup tool being brought to the first computer. The setup control unit contacts a configuration control computer, supplies a setup tool identifier to the configuration control computer, accesses system information elements in the configuration control computer, presents system nodes to an operator using the system information elements, receives an operator selection of a system node, sends the node selection to the configuration control computer for registering, based on a setup tool identifier investigation, receives node parameter data associated with the selected system node from the configuration control computer and supplies the first computer with the node parameter data for making it into the selected system node.

Claims

1. A method for secure joining of a computer as a node in a process control system, the method being performed by a setup control unit of a setup tool having been created in the process control system and comprising a setup tool identifier providing a unique identity of the setup tool, the method comprising the steps of:

getting the setup control unit activated via a first computer, which computer is to become a node in the process control system, which activation is initiated by the setup tool being brought to the first computer,

contacting a configuration control computer in the process control system,

supplying the setup tool identifier to the configuration control computer, in order for the configuration control computer to perform a setup tool identifier investigation,

receiving node parameter data associated with the selected system node from said configuration control computer, said node parameter data being received based on an operator selection of a system node for the first computer and after a successful setup tool identifier investigation has been performed in the configuration control computer, and

providing the first computer with said node parameter data for making the first computer into the selected system node.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

accessing system information elements in the configuration control computer, which elements define system nodes,

presenting the system nodes to an operator using the system information elements,

receiving, by the setup control unit, an operator selection of a system node,

sending the node selection to the configuration control computer for registering, based on the setup tool identifier investigation, the first computer as the selected system node at the configuration control computer.

3. The method according claim 2, wherein the setup control unit instructs the configuration control computer to present nodes and receive operator selections.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving node functionality software from the configuration control computer and installing the node functionality software, and the step of providing the first computer with said node parameter data comprises applying said node parameter data in the node functionality software.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein node functionality software is pre-installed on the first computer and the step of providing the first computer with said node parameter data comprises applying said node parameter data in the node functionality software.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the setup tool comprises node functionality software, the method further comprising the step of installing the node functionality software and the step of providing the first computer with said node parameter data comprises applying said node parameter data in the node functionality software.

7. A node configuration setup arrangement for secure joining of a computer as a node in a process control system comprising:

a setup tool having been created in the process control system and comprising a setup tool identifier providing a unique identity of the setup tool and

a setup control unit that;

gets the setup control unit activated via a first computer, which first computer is to become a node in the process control system, which activation is initiated by the setup tool being brought to the first computer,

contacts a configuration control computer in the process control system,

supplies the setup tool identifier to the configuration control computer in order for the configuration control computer to perform a setup tool identifier investigation,

receives node parameter data associated with the selected system node from said configuration control computer, said node parameter data being received based on an operator selection of a system node for the first computer and after a successful setup tool identifier investigation has been performed in the configuration control computer, and

supplies the first computer with said node parameter data for making the first computer into the selected system node.

8. The node configuration setup arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the setup control unit further:

accesses system information elements in the configuration control computer, which elements define system nodes,

presents the system nodes to an operator using the system information elements,

receives an operator selection of a system node, and

sends the node selection to the configuration control computer for registering, based on the setup tool identifier investigation being performed in the configuration control computer, the computer as the selected system node at the configuration control computer.

9. The node configuration setup arrangement according to claim 7, comprising the first computer on which the setup control unit is provided.

10. The node configuration setup arrangement according to claim 7 wherein the setup tool comprises the setup control unit.

11. The node configuration setup arrangement according to claim 7, further comprising a memory on which the setup tool is provided as computer program code.

12. A method of controlling the joining of a new computer to a process control system comprising the steps of:

being contacted, by a setup control unit of a setup tool having been created in the process control system and comprising a setup tool identifier providing a unique identity of the setup tool, said setup control unit being operated by a first computer to be joined to the process control system,

receiving the setup tool identifier from the setup control unit,

performing a setup tool identifier investigation,

registering, after a successful setup tool identifier investigation, the first computer as a system node, said system node having been selected by an operator based on system information elements presented to the operator, which elements define system nodes, and

sending node parameter data associated with the selected system node to the setup control unit.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising sending node functionality software to the set up control unit.

14. A configuration control device comprising a configuration control unit that:

gets contacted by a setup control unit of a setup tool having been created in the process control system and comprising a setup tool identifier providing a unique identity of the setup tool, said setup control unit being operated by a first computer to be joined to the process control system,

receives the setup tool identifier from the setup control unit,

performs a setup tool identifier investigation,

registers, after a successful setup tool identifier investigation, the first computer as a system node, said system node having been selected by an operator based on the system information elements being presented to the operator, which elements define system nodes, and

sends node parameter data to the setup control unit.

15. The configuration control device according to claim 14, wherein the configuration control unit further provides system information elements to the setup control unit and which elements define system nodes and receives the operator selection from the setup control unit.

16. A computer program product for controlling the joining of a new computer to a process control system, the computer program product comprising a data carrier with computer program code implementing a configuration control unit that, when the code is loaded in a configuration control computer:

gets contacted by a setup control unit of a setup tool having been created in the process control system and comprising a setup tool identifier providing a unique identity of the setup tool, said setup control unit being operated by a first computer to be joined to the process control system,

receives the setup tool identifier from the setup control unit,

performs a setup tool identifier investigation,

registers, after a successful setup tool identifier investigation, the first computer as a system node, said system node having been selected by an operator based on the system information elements, being presented to the operator, which elements define system nodes, and

sends node parameter data to the setup control unit.