LEGACY CONTROL FUNCTIONS IN NEWGEN CONTROLLERS ALONGSIDE NEWGEN CONTROL FUNCTIONS

• US 20190025788A1
• Filed: 07/20/2017
• Published: 01/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Ganapathi, Ramakrishnan, Munihanumaiah, Shylaja, Saravanan, Dhanalakshmi, Schreder, James
• Granted Patent: US 10,401,816 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23424 Select construction element from function library
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44536 Selecting among different versions

Abstract

This disclosure provides a device and method for implementing legacy and improved control functions in controllers, including but not limited to in industrial control systems and other systems. A method includes maintaining, by a device having a controller and a memory, a function library having a plurality of legacy control functions and a plurality of improved control functions. The method includes receiving a process to be executed by the controller. The method includes, when calling a function of the process, determining whether a device setting indicates that the function is to be executed by one of the plurality of improved control functions. The method includes, when the device setting indicates that the function is to be executed by one of the plurality of improved control functions, executing the function using the one of the improved control functions, and otherwise executing the function using one of the legacy control functions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

maintaining, by a device having a controller and a memory, a function library having a plurality of legacy control functions and a plurality of improved control functions;

receiving a process to be executed by the controller;

when calling a function of the process, determining whether a device setting indicates that the function is to be executed by one of the plurality of improved control functions;

when the device setting indicates that the function is to be executed by one of the plurality of improved control functions, executing the function using the one of the improved control functions; and

when the device setting does not indicate that the function is to be executed by one of the plurality of improved control functions, executing the function using one of the legacy control functions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device setting is a user selection received by the device from a user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the device setting is a user selection configured into the device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein device setting indicates a default mode of operation of the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the legacy control functions and improved control functions are stored in a control library.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the legacy control functions and improved control functions are stored in a control library that is associated with a support class.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a replacement device capable of functioning as a legacy device using the legacy control functions, and wherein the improved control functions are not supported by the legacy device.

8. A device comprising:

a controller; and

a memory, wherein the memory stores a function library having a plurality of legacy control functions and a plurality of improved control functions, the controller configured to;

receive a process to be executed;

when calling a function of the process, determine whether a device setting indicates that the function is to be executed by one of the plurality of improved control functions;

when the device setting indicates that the function is to be executed by one of the plurality of improved control functions, execute the function using the one of the improved control functions; and

when the device setting does not indicate that the function is to be executed by one of the plurality of improved control functions, execute the function using one of the legacy control functions.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the device setting is a user selection received by the device from a user.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the device setting is a user selection configured into the device.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein device setting indicates a default mode of operation of the device.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the legacy control functions and improved control functions are stored in a control library.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein the legacy control functions and improved control functions are stored in a control library that is associated with a support class.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein the device is a replacement device capable of functioning as a legacy device using the legacy control functions, and wherein the improved control functions are not supported by the legacy device.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium encoded with a function library having a plurality of legacy control functions and a plurality of improved control functions and encoded with executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of a device to:

receive a process to be executed;

when calling a function of the process, determine whether a device setting indicates that the function is to be executed by one of the plurality of improved control functions;

when the device setting indicates that the function is to be executed by one of the plurality of improved control functions, execute the function using the one of the improved control functions; and

when the device setting does not indicate that the function is to be executed by one of the plurality of improved control functions, execute the function using one of the legacy control functions.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the device setting is a user selection received by the device from a user.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the device setting is a user selection configured into the device.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the device setting indicates a default mode of operation of the device.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the legacy control functions and improved control functions are stored in a control library.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the legacy control functions and improved control functions are stored in a control library that is associated with a support class.