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AssigneeFisher Controls International LLC
InventorsBrent H. Larson, Harry A. Burns, Larry K. Brown
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A system and method for debugging and tuning a process control network having distributed control functions implemented by a set of field devices communicatively linked over a bus includes an operational scheduler that schedules the execution of each of a number of process control functions and communication functions performed by the field devices to define a process control scheme and an indicator that indicates one or more process control scheme locations at which the process control scheme is to be automatically or conditionally interrupted to thereby enable debugging and/or tuning of the process control network. A controller interrupts execution of the process control scheme at the indicated flow locations, communicates process data to a user to display the current or a past state of the process to a user and waits for user input before continuing with operation of the process control scheme. In a tuning mode, the controller delivers data pertaining to a process parameter to a tuning device or to a user which determines a new tuning parameter, such as a gain, to be used within the process control scheme based on the process parameter data.
A system for use in debugging or tuning a process control network having distributed control functions implemented by a plurality of field devices communicatively linked over a bus, wherein each of the field devices is capable of performing one or more process control functions and one or more communication functions, the system comprising:
A method of debugging or tuning a process control network having distributed control functions implemented by a plurality of field devices communicatively linked over a bus, wherein each of the field devices is capable of performing one or more process control functions and one or more communication functions, the method comprising the steps of:
The method of 14, wherein the step of marking includes the steps of marking one of the process control scheme locations as a conditional breakpoint and storing a condition associated with the conditional breakpoint, and wherein the step of interrupting includes the steps of determining if the condition associated with the conditional breakpoint is satisfied when the process control scheme reaches the conditional breakpoint and automatically continuing with the process control scheme if the condition is not satisfied.
A process control device for use in a process control network having distributed control functions implemented by a plurality of field devices communicatively coupled to a bus, wherein each of the field devices includes one or more function blocks capable of performing an input function, an output function, or a control function within the process control network and capable of communicating on the bus, the process control device comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.