Interconnected zones within a process control system
AssigneeFisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc.
InventorsMark J. Nixon, Robert Havekost, Ken Beoughter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process control system includes multiple zones containing process control network communicatively interconnected to exchange information necessary to monitor the system and to perform process control. Each zone may include an inter-zone server that controls the exchange of information between the zones via communication links. In addition to controlling the routing of information between the zones, the inter-zone servers may perform additional processing on the information being exchanged, such as security monitoring, language translation and version control.
Claims51
A process control system comprising:
- a first process control network having a first inter-zone server;
- a second process control network having a second inter-zone server;
- a first communication link that communicatively couples the first inter-zone server and the second inter-zone server;
- and
- a communication routine that uses the first communication link to transfer process control messages from the first process control network to the second process control network, and from the second process control network to the first process control network.
A local process control network in a process control system having a plurality of process control networks communicatively interconnected by communication links, the process control networks being able to transfer process control messages to each other via the communication links, the local process control network comprising:
- a controller;
- at least one device capable of performing process control functions;
- a bus communicatively connecting the controller and the at least on device whereby the controller and the at least one device transmit process control messages on the bus;
- and
- an inter-zone server connected to the bus and having a communication routine that uses at least one of the communication links to transfer process control messages between the controller and at least one device of the process control network, and a remote process control network of the process control system.
28 The local process control network of claim 19, wherein the controller and at least one device are configured to use process control messages in a first language and one of the remote process control networks is configured to use process control messages in a second language, the inter-zone server having a language translation routine that converts process control messages in the first language to process control messages in the second language when process control messages are transferred to the one of the remote process control networks.
An inter-zone server in a local process control network having a controller communicatively coupled by a bus with at least on device capable of performing process control functions, the process control network being part of a process control system having a plurality of remote process control networks communicatively interconnected by communication links, the remote process control networks being able to transfer process control messages to each other and the local process control network via the communication links, the inter-zone server comprising:
- a first communication link that communicatively couples the inter-zone server to the local process control network for transferring and receiving process control messages;
- a second communication link that communicatively couples the inter-zone server to one of the remote process control networks for transferring and receiving process control messages;
- and
- a communication routine that uses the first and second communication links to transfer process control messages between the local process control network and the one of the remote process control networks.
A method of transferring data in a process control system having a first process control network having a first inter-zone server and a second process control network having a second inter-zone server, the method comprising the steps of:
- formatting a process control messages in the first process control network;
- communicating the process control messages within the first process control network to the first inter-zone server;
- communicating the process control messages from the first inter-zone server to the second inter-zone server via a first communication link;
- and
- communicating the process control messages from the second inter-zone server to the second process control network.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.