Cloud-Hosted Interface for Portable Device Communicators

A method of retrieving configuration data for one or more devices in a process plant, comprising:

• storing a plurality of device configuration profiles in a configuration database, each device configuration profile having device configuration data for a particular device, device identifier information defining the particular device and relational identifier information defining equipment or process data related to the particular device;
• generating, via a processor, a search interface window for display on a display device, wherein the search display interface window includes inputs for enabling a user to enter device identifier information for a device for which a device configuration profile is desired and relational identifier information defining equipment or a process related to a device for which a device configuration profile is desired;
• performing, via a processor, an electronic search of the configuration database for a device configuration profile including the input device identifier information or the relational identifier information;
• displaying, via the display device, a device configuration profile identifier for each of a set of device configuration profiles located in the search;
• receiving, via an input device connected to the display device, a user selection of at least one of the displayed device configuration profile identifiers, and
• downloading a device configuration profile associated with the selected device configuration profile identifier from the configuration database.

A configuration system for creating, storing and retrieving device configuration profiles for a plurality of process control devices, comprising:

• a configuration database that stores a multiplicity of device configuration profiles for the plurality of process control devices, each device configuration profile including configuration data for a particular one of the plurality of process control devices, device identifier information defining the particular one of the plurality of process control devices to which the configuration data pertains, and relational identifier information defining equipment data or a process data related to the particular one of the plurality of process control devices to which the configuration data pertains;
• a configuration unit including:
• a configuration user interface;
• a first communication interface that communicatively couples to a process control device;
• a second communication interface that communicatively couples to the configuration database;
• and
• a configuration processor that operates to:
• obtain device identifier information for the process control device;
• obtain device configuration data from the process control device via the first communication interface;
• enable a user, via the configuration user interface, to change the device configuration data and to store the changed device configuration data in the process control device;
• obtain relational identifier information indicating equipment data or process data related to the process control device;
• create a new device configuration profile that includes (1) the device configuration data stored in the process control device, (2) the device identifier information for the process control device and (3) the relational identifier information for the process control device;
• and
• store, via the second communication interface, the created new device configuration profile as one of the multiplicity of device configuration profiles in the configuration database;
• and
• a searching unit including;
• a searching user interface;
• a searching processor that operates to:
• generate a search interface window for display on the searching user interface for use in querying the configuration database for one or more device configuration profiles, wherein the search interface window includes inputs for device identifier information defining a device for which a device configuration profile is desired and for relational identifier information defining equipment data or process data related to a device for which a device configuration profile is desired,
• perform a search in the configuration database for a device configuration profile including the input device identifier information or the relational identifier information,
• display a configuration profile identifier for each of a set of device configuration profiles stored in the configuration database located in the search,
• receive a user selection of at least one of the displayed configuration profile identifiers, and
• download a device configuration profile associated with the selected configuration profile identifier.