Realtime process history server

• US 20080133733A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Technology AG (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Hanking, Heino
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41875 characterised by quality surveillance of production
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31288 Archive collected data into history file
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32126 Hyperlink, access to program modules and to hardware modules in www, web server, browser
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32407 Real time processing of data
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a realtime process history server for use in a process control system comprising a process information management system (PIMS) and one or more distributed processing systems (distributed control systems DCS, 14.1 to 14.n). The realtime process history server features a combined PIMS/DCS server and a report server and is set up such that, by means of the report server, both clients and operator workstations of the DCS systems (14.1 to 14.n) have concurrent access under realtime conditions to the PIMS/DCS server and process history data which is stored therein.

Claims

1. Realtime process history server for use in a process control system comprising a process information management system (PIMS) and one or more distributed processing systems (DCS), wherein the realtime process history server features a combined PIMS/DCS server and a report server and is set up such that, by means of the report server, both clients and operator workstations of the DCS systems have concurrent access under realtime conditions to the PIMS/DCS server and process history data which is stored therein.

2. Realtime process history server according to claim 1, wherein the clients are office PCs of the PIMS area and/or Internet users.

3. Realtime process history server according to claim 1, wherein the clients are connected to the server via a first data transmission entity and a firewall.

4. Realtime process history server according to claim 1, wherein the DCS systems are connected to the server via a second data transmission entity.

5. Realtime process history server according to claim 1, wherein the PIMS/DCS server is set up such that signals are treated as individual sub-databases and a dedicated folder is used for each signal sub-database in its file system.

6. Realtime process history server according to claim 5, wherein the PIMS/DCS server includes a RAM in which short-term read/write caches are set up for each signal, the size of said caches being dynamically variable.

7. Realtime process history server according to claim 6, wherein an SQL engine which is also set up has access to a cache which is set up in the PIMS/DCS server.

8. Realtime process history server according to claim 6, wherein the PIMS/DCS server is set up so as to control an emptying of the short-term cache by means of a flush process, and to control the dynamic adaptation of the size of the short-term read/write cache depending on the signal speed concerned.

9. Realtime process history server according to claim 6, wherein the report server is set up so as to accept queries from clients or operator workstations at all times, to hold said queries in a queue and to service them consecutively.

10. Realtime process history server according to claim 1, wherein a time stamp for each stored measured value of a signal is also stored in a database of the PIMS/DCS server.

11. Realtime process history server according to claim 10, wherein an upward or downward deviation from a difference value between current measured value of the relevant signal and previously stored measured value is used as a criterion for the storage of a new measured value of a signal.

12. Realtime process history server according to claim 2, wherein the clients are connected to the server via a first data transmission entity and a firewall.

13. Realtime process history server according to claim 3, wherein the DCS systems are connected to the server via a second data transmission entity.

14. Realtime process history server according to claim 4, wherein the PIMS/DCS server is set up such that signals are treated as individual sub-databases and a dedicated folder is used for each signal sub-database in its file system.

15. Realtime process history server according to claim 7, wherein the PIMS/DCS server is set up so as to control an emptying of the short-term cache by means of a flush process, and to control the dynamic adaptation of the size of the short-term read/write cache depending on the signal speed concerned.

16. Realtime process history server according to claim 7, wherein the report server is set up so as to accept queries from clients or operator workstations at all times, to hold said queries in a queue and to service them consecutively.

17. Realtime process history server according to claim 9, wherein a time stamp for each stored measured value of a signal is also stored in a database of the PIMS/DCS server.

18. Realtime process history server for use in a process control system comprising:

a combined process information management system (PIMS) and distributed control systems (DCS) server (PIMS/DCS server), and

a report server configured to enable clients and operator workstations of the DCS systems to have concurrent access under realtime conditions to the PIMS/DCS server and process history data which is stored therein.