Function block apparatus for viewing data in a process control system

An information viewing system for viewing real time values of process parameters in a process control network having a plurality of devices communicatively linked over a bus, wherein each of the devices is capable of performing a process function and of communicating on the bus using scheduled and unscheduled periodic communications, the information viewing system comprising:

• a first signal generator disposed in a first device that generates input signals including values of at least one process parameter associated with the first device;
• a first communicator coupled to the first signal generator and configured to deliver the input signals to an input of a second device using scheduled periodic communications;
• a data capture unit disposed in the second device that receives the input signals;
• a storage unit disposed in the second device and communicatively linked to the data capture unit, the storage unit adapted to store at least one value of at least one process parameter without using the at least one value to perform process control;
• a second signal generator disposed in one of the first device, the second device and a third device that generates request signals requesting at least one value of one or more of the at least one process parameter stored in the storage unit wherein the request signals are generated in response to a user selecting process parameters from a plurality of selectable process parameters;
• a second communicator coupled to the second signal generator and configured to deliver the request signals to an input of the second device using the unscheduled queued communications, the request signals being received by the data capture unit;
• a data transfer unit disposed in the second device that generates response signals including the requested values of the one or more of the at least one process parameter from the storage unit;
• a third communicator coupled to the data transfer unit and configured to deliver the response signals to an input of the one of the first device, the second device and third device using the unscheduled queued communications;
• a signal receiver that receives the response signals generated by the data transfer unit;
• and
• a display device disposed in the one of the first device, the second device and the third device that displays the requested values of the one or more of the at least one process parameter at a human interface.

A viewing process function module capable of being implemented in a process control device and of being used in a process control network having a plurality of devices communicatively coupled to a bus, wherein each of the devices includes at least one process function module 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 using scheduled and unscheduled periodic communications, the viewing process function module comprising:

• a data capture unit that receives input signals, wherein each input signal is generated by one of the process function modules, contains a value of a process parameter associated with the process function module, and is transmitted using the scheduled periodic communications;
• a storage unit that stores at least one value of at least one process parameter without using the at least one value to perform process control;
• a data transfer unit that causes the values of the process parameters in the input signals to be stored in the storage unit;
• an output host interface that receives request signals containing requests for at least one stored value of one or more of the at least one process parameter requested by a user from a plurality of selectable process parameters, the request signals generated by at least one of the devices and transmitted using the unscheduled queued communications,wherein the output host interface transfers the request signal to the data transfer unit;
• wherein the data transfer unit retrieves the at least one stored value of the at least one process parameter from the storage unit and transfers the at least one stored value to the output host interface in response to each request signal;
• and
• wherein the output host interface generates a response signal containing the at least one stored value of the one or more of the at least one process parameter and transmits the response signal to the second one of the devices using the unscheduled queued communications in response to each request signal.

A viewing process function module capable of being implemented in a process control device and of being used in a process control network having a plurality of devices communicatively coupled to a bus, wherein each of the devices includes one or more process function modules 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 using scheduled periodic communications, the viewing process function module comprising:

• a data capture unit that receives a plurality of input signals containing values of at least one process parameter, the input signals generated by a plurality of the process function modules in one or more devices and transmitted using the scheduled periodic communications;
• a storage unit that stores at least one value of each of the at least one process parameter without using the at least one value to perform process control;
• and
• a data transfer unit that one of overwrites and appends the stored values of the at least one process parameter in the storage unit with the values of the at least one process parameter from the input signals.

A method of viewing real time process information in a process control network having a plurality of devices communicatively linked on a bus, wherein each of the devices includes at least one process function module capable of performing a process control function within the process control network using process parameters and capable of communicating on the bus, and a viewing bus monitor communicatively linked on the bus capable of filtering process data out of transmissions on the bus, of storing values of process parameters, of being configured by a user to store at least one process parameter, and of retrieving values of the process parameters in response to a request generated by a user selecting the process parameters from a plurality of selectable process parameters, the method comprising the steps of:

• configuring the viewing bus monitor to store at least one value of at least one process parameter, each of the at least one process parameter being associated with one of the process function modules;
• transmitting a process data message containing a value of the at least one process parameter onto the bus;
• capturing transactions on the bus at the viewing bus monitor;
• identifying the process data message containing the value of the at least one process parameter at the viewing bus monitor;
• and
• storing the value of the at least one process parameter in the viewing bus monitor.

An information viewing system for viewing real time values of process parameters in a process control network having a plurality of devices communicatively linked over a bus, wherein each of the devices is capable of performing a process function and of communicating on the bus, the information viewing system comprising:

• a first signal generator disposed in a first device that generates process data messages including values of at least one process parameter;
• a first communicator coupled to the first signal generator and configured to transmit the process data messages on the bus;
• a data capture unit disposed in a viewing bus monitor that identifies the process data messages, wherein the viewing bus monitor is capable of capturing all transactions on the bus;
• a storage unit disposed in the viewing bus monitor and communicatively linked to the data capture unit, the storage unit adapted to store at least one value of at least one process parameter without using the value to perform process control;
• a human interface that generates requests for at least one value of the at least one process parameter contained in the storage unit, wherein the requests are generated by a user selecting the at least one process parameter from a plurality of selectable process parameters;
• wherein the at least one value of the at least one process parameter is retrieved from the storage unit and displayed at the human interface.

A viewing bus monitor capable of being used in a process control network having a plurality of devices communicatively coupled to a bus, wherein each of the devices includes at least one process function module 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, and wherein a human interface is communicatively linked to the viewing bus monitor, the viewing bus monitor comprising:

• a data capture unit adapted to capture all transactions on the bus and identify process data messages containing values of process parameters to be monitored by the viewing bus monitor, the process data messages generated by at least one of the devices and transmitted on the bus;
• a storage unit configured to store at least one value of at least one process parameter without using the at least one value to perform process control;
• a data transfer unit that causes the values of the at least one process parameter to be stored in the storage unit;
• wherein the data transfer unit receives requests for at least one stored value of the at least one process parameter from the human interface;
• and
• wherein the data transfer unit retrieves the at least one stored value of the at least one process parameter from the storage unit and transfers the at least one stored value to the human interface for display in response to the request.