Software lockout coordination between a process control system and an asset management system

• US 9,927,788 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2011
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Balentine, James R., Dicaire, Andre A., Scott, Cindy A., Lattimer, Donald Robert, Schibler, Kenneth, Shepard, John R., Jundt, Larry O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chbouki, Tarek
• Application Number:
  US13/111,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20120296448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,504 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/409 characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23008 Computer aided software engineering, program generation, case tools, CASE
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32122 Documentation of programmable electronic system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32152 Inhibit further editing of entered parameters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A process control system coordinates with an associated asset management system to implement a plant safety mechanism and, in particular, to prevent unintended changes to, or otherwise undesired operation of, one or more process control equipment resources in a process plant. A maintenance technician uses the asset management system to request access to one or more of the process control equipment resources. A process operator receives the request via the process control system and grants or denies the request. Process control equipment resources for which a process operator grants a request are inoperable, in part or in whole, by the process control system. Upon completion of the maintenance task, the maintenance technician requests to return control of the process control equipment resource to the process operator. The return is complete when the process operator acknowledges the return of the resource to the process control system.

Claims

1. A process control system operating to control a process within a process plant, the system comprising:

a process control equipment resource;

a process controller;

a plurality of user interface devices including an operator user interface device and a maintenance user interface device, each of the plurality of user interface devices including a processor and a display;

a data structure storing an assignment record for identifying an assigned user interface device for the process control equipment resource, the assigned user interface device for the process control equipment resource being one of the operator user interface device or the maintenance user interface device; and

a message handling routine that, when executed, causes the process controller to to selectively forward or block messages to the process control equipment resource based on (i) which of the plurality of user interface devices is sending the messages and (ii) which of the plurality of user interface devices the assignment record indicates is the assigned user device for the process control equipment resource, such that a message sent to the process control equipment resource is blocked;

(a) when the message is sent from the operator user interface device while the assigned user interface device is the maintenance user interface device; and

(b) when the message is sent from the maintenance user interface device while the assigned user interface device is the operator user interface device.

2. The process control system of claim 1, wherein the assignment record comprises a device identification and a value indicating whether the maintenance user interface device may access the process control equipment resource.

3. The process control system of claim 2, wherein the assignment record further comprises a value indicating one or more specific persons having access to the process control equipment resource.

4. The process control system of claim 2, wherein the assignment record further comprises a value indicating an access level for the process control equipment resource.

5. The process control system of claim 1, wherein the data structure comprises a plurality of registers, stored on a computer readable storage device, each register operable to indicate for the process control equipment resource whether each of the operator user interface device and the maintenance user interface device may access the process control equipment resource.

6. The process control system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first display routine operable to cause a first display device coupled to the operator user interface device to display a first list of process control equipment resources accessible to the maintenance user interface device; and

a second display routine operable to cause a second display device coupled to the maintenance user interface device to display a second list of process control equipment resources accessible to the maintenance user interface device, and

wherein the first and second lists are generated or updated according to the data structure.

7. The process control system of claim 1, further comprising a batch executive engine operable to schedule one or more batches and to allocate process control equipment resources for each batch, the batch executive engine communicatively coupled to the data structure and allocating the process control equipment resources according to the assignment record stored in the data structure.

8. The process control system of claim 7, wherein the batch executive engine reallocates process control equipment resources for a scheduled batch if the assignment record stored in the data structure indicates that one or more assigned process control equipment resources becomes inaccessible to the operator user interface device.

9. The process control system of claim 1, wherein accessing the process control equipment resource includes one or more of:

sending a message to the resource, receiving a message from the resource, causing an operation on the resource, operating the resource, and changing the status of the resource.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon one or more sets of computer readable instructions for execution by one or more processors, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, causing the one or more processors to:

display at a first user interface device an operator user interface operable to control a process control equipment resource operating as part of a process that operates in a process plant, the first user interface device including a processor and a display;

display at a second user interface device a maintenance user interface operable to perform tasks related to maintaining the process control equipment resource, the second user interface device including a processor and a display;

maintain an assignment record for the process control equipment resource;

display a third user interface configured to facilitate selection by a user of the first user interface device or the second user interface device to be an assigned user interface device for the process control equipment resource and which causes the assignment record to be changed to indicate that the selection from the first user interface device and the second user interface device is the assigned user interface device for the process control equipment resource; and

selectively facilitate communication, by a process controller, between the process control equipment resource and one of the first and second user interface devices based on (i) which of the first and second user interface devices is sending the message and (ii) which of the first and second user interface devices the assignment record indicates is the assigned user interface device for the process control equipment resource, such that a message sent to the process control equipment resource is blocked;

(a) when the message is sent from the first user interface device while the assigned user interface device is the second user interface device; and

(b) when the message is sent from the second user interface device while the assigned user interface device is the first user interface device.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to allow a user of the second user interface device to modify the assignment record.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to allow a user of the first user interface device to review a request from a user of the second user interface device and to grant or deny the request.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to:

display via the second user interface device the process control equipment resource;

receive via the second user interface device a selection of the process control equipment resource to request access;

display via the first user interface device the selected process equipment control resource;

receive via the first user interface device a decision granting or denying the requested access; and

selectively modify the assignment record based on whether the requested access was granted or denied.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to:

display via the second user interface device the process control equipment resource;

receive via the second user interface device a selection of the process control equipment resource to request access; and

selectively modify the assignment record based on the requested access.

15. A method for selectively facilitating control access by first and second users to a process control equipment resource operating in a process of a process plant, the method comprising:

facilitating selection of the process control equipment resource, by a first user, to be assigned to the first user and, in response to the selection, notifying a second user that the process control equipment resource is assigned to the first user;

storing user access information indicative of which of the first and second users may control the process control equipment resource, the first user associated with a maintenance function and the second user associated with an operator function;

retrieving the stored user access information for the process control equipment resource;

evaluating the retrieved user access information to determine a one of the first and second users to whom the process control equipment resource is accessible; and

selectively facilitating control access, via a process controller, to the process control equipment resource by either the first or the second user according to the evaluation of the retrieved user access information, wherein (i) control access by the first user precludes control access by the second user, and (ii) control access by the second user precludes control access by the first user, such that a message to the process control equipment resource is blocked;

(a) when the message is sent from a user interface device used by the first user while the user access information does not indicate that the first user may control the process control equipment resource; and

(b) when the message is sent from a user interface device used by the second user while the user access information does not indicate that the second user may control the process control equipment resource.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving from the first user a request to access the process control equipment resource;

displaying to the second user the request to access the process control equipment resource;

receiving from the second user a selection granting or denying the request; and

selectively modifying the stored user access information according the selection received from the second user.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving from the first user a request to transfer control access to the process control equipment resource back to the second user;

displaying to the second user the request to transfer control access back to the second user;

receiving from the second user an acknowledgement; and

selectively modifying the stored user access information according to the request and acknowledgement.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the stored user access information includes an indication of the control access to provide to the selected user.

19. A method for selectively facilitating control access by first and second users to a process control equipment resource operating in a process of a process plant, the method comprising:

facilitating selection of the process control equipment resource, by a first user, to be assigned to the first user and, in response to the selection, notifying a second user that the process control equipment resource is assigned to the first user;

storing user access information indicative of which of the first and second users may control the process control equipment resource, the first user associated with a maintenance function and the second user associated with a operator function;

retrieving the stored user access information for the process control equipment resource;

evaluating the retrieved user access information to determine a one of the first and second users to whom the process control equipment resource is accessible; and

selectively facilitating control access to the process control equipment resource by either the first or the second user according to the evaluation of the retrieved user access information, wherein (i) control access by the first user precludes control access by the second user, and (ii) control access by the second user precludes control access by the first user;

the method further comprising;

(i) receiving from the first user a request to access the process control equipment resource;

(ii) displaying to the second user the request to access the process control equipment resource;

(iii) receiving from the second user a selection granting or denying the request; and

(iv) selectively modifying the stored user access information according the selection received from the second user;

the method further comprising;

(i) receiving from the first user a request to transfer control access to the process control equipment resource back to the second user;

(ii) displaying to the second user the request to transfer control access back to the second user;

(iii) receiving from the second user an acknowledgement; and

(iv) selectively modifying the stored user access information according to the request and acknowledgement.