Integrated distributed process control system functionality on a single computer

A method of simulating a distributed process control system having a user workstation remotely located from a distributed controller which controls one or more field devices using control modules, wherein the user workstation stores and uses a configuration application used to create the control modules for execution by the distributed controller to communicate with at least one further module within a device separated from the distributed controller and wherein the distributed controller stores and executes a controller application to control a process using the control modules during operation of the distributed process control system, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing the configuration application in a first computer having a memory and a processing unit;
• storing the controller application in the memory of the first computer;
• executing the configuration application on the first computer to create a first control module to be used by the distributed controller within the distributed process control system to communicate with the at least one further module and to create the at least one further module to be used by a device apart from the distributed controller within the distributed process control system;
• and
• executing the controller application on the first computer to cause execution of the first control module and the at least one further module within the first computer to thereby simulate operation of the distributed process control system.

An apparatus for use in conjunction with a distributed process control system having a user workstation remotely located from a distributed controller that controls one or more field devices using control modules, the apparatus comprising:

• a computer having a memory and a processing unit;
• a display connected to the computer;
• a controller application stored in the memory of the computer, wherein the controller application, when executed on the distributed controller, implements a control module during operation of the distributed process control system and wherein the controller application when executed on the computer communicates with a further controller that uses a different communication protocol than the distributed controller of the distributed process control system;
• and
• a viewing application stored in the memory of the computer which, when executed on the processing unit of the computer communicates with the controller application and uses the display to display information sent from the further controller.