Coupling a Specialty System, Such as a Metering System, to Multiple Control Systems

• US 20100100654A1
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emerson Automation Solutions Measurement Systems & Services LLC
• Original Assignee: Daniel Measurement and Control Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Ramsay, Lawson H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,046,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/100
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25428 Field device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices

Abstract

A metering system configured to couple to multiple specialty systems, such as a control system. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are processing units comprising a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a communication port configured to coupled to a backbone communication network of a control system. The memory stores a program that causes the processor to selectively participate (over the communication port) as a processing unit of a control system of a first manufacturer (the control system implements a first proprietary communication protocol between processing units), and to participate (over the communication port) as a processing unit of a control system of a second manufacturer different than the first manufacturer (the control system of the second manufacturer implements a second proprietary communication protocol between the processing units).

Claims

1. A processing unit comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor; and

a communication port coupled to the processor, the communication port configured to couple to a backbone communication network of a control system;

wherein the memory stores programs that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to selectively;

participate, over the communication port, as a processing unit of a control system of a first manufacturer, the control system implements a first proprietary communication protocol between processing units; and

participate, over the communication port, as a processing unit of a control system of a second manufacturer, different than the first manufacturer, the control system of the second manufacturer implements a second proprietary communication protocol between processing units, and the second proprietary communication protocol is different than the first proprietary communication protocol.

2. The processing unit of claim 1 wherein the programs, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to conform to metrological audit requirements.

3. The processing unit of claim 1 wherein the programs, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to communicate with the one or more flow computers, and further cause the processor to conform to metrological audit requirements.

4. The processing unit of claim 1 wherein when the programs participate, the programs cause the processor to scan a processing unit of the control system for creation of a function block, and to create a corresponding function block within the processing unit and execute the function block.

5. The processing unit of claim 1 wherein when the programs participate, the programs cause the processor to be directly programmable by a human/machine interface of the control system.

6. The processing unit of claim 5 wherein when the processor is directly programmable by the human/machine interface, the programs further cause the processor to accept programming in conformance with International Electric Commission (IEC) standard 61131-3.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the programs, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to at least one system selected from the group consisting of:

perform hydrocarbon metering;

control a turbine;

perform diagnostic and monitoring services; and

perform hydrocarbon quality monitoring.

8. A computer-readable medium storing programs that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

communicate with one or more devices and to perform actions to conform to metrological audit requirements related to the one or more devices;

participate, over a communication port, as a processing unit of a control system of a first manufacturer, the control system implements a first proprietary communication protocol between processing units; and

participate, over the communication port, as a processing unit of a control system of a second manufacturer, different than the first manufacturer, the control system of the second manufacturer implements a second proprietary communication protocol between processing units, and the second proprietary communication protocol is different than the first proprietary communication protocol.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein when the processor communicates, the programs further cause the processor to communicate with the one or more flow computers.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein when the processor communicates with the one or more flow computers, the program further causes the processor to communicate with the one or more flow computers over the communication port.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein when the processor communicates, the programs further cause the processor to communicate with one or more ultrasonic flow meters.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein when the processor participates, the programs cause the processor to scan a processing unit of the control system for creation of a function block, and to create a corresponding function block and execute the function block.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein when the programs participate, the programs cause the processor to be directly programmable by a human/machine interface of the control system.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein when the programs cause the processor to be directly programmable by the human/machine interface, the programs further cause the processor to accept programming in conformance with International Electric Commission (IEC) standard 61131-3.

15. A computer-readable medium storing programs that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

scan a first processing unit of a control system for function blocks directed to a second processing unit;

implement a function block in the second processing unit corresponding to a function block found in the first processing unit if no corresponding function block is present in the second processing unit; and

change a function block in the second processing unit to correspond to a function block found in the first processing unit if corresponding function block as between the first and second processing units exist, but the function block in the second processing unit has different parameters.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the programs further cause the processor to scan the first processing unit, and remove a function block from the second processing unit if the corresponding function block in the first processing unit has been removed.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 further comprising:

wherein when the processor scans, the programs further cause the processor to scan a plurality of first processing units;

wherein when the processing implements, the programs further cause the processor to implement in a the second processing unit the function blocks corresponding to function blocks found in the plurality of first processing units.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein when the processor implements or changes, the programs cause the processor to implement or change function blocks in the second processing unit being part of at least one system selected from the group consisting of:

a system configured to perform hydrocarbon metering;

a system configured to control a turbine;

a system configured to perform diagnostic and monitoring services; and

a system configured to perform hydrocarbon quality monitoring.