US 7,779,089 B2 · Method and system for remote configuration of process data access servers

Abstract

A remote configuration utility architecture is disclosed for a manufacturing/process control system data access server. Server agents, located on remote nodes, notify a configuration console of existing data access servers on the system. The configuration utility includes a control console from which a user selects one of the identified data access servers. Thereafter, the configuration console, via remote interfaces, obtains configuration parameters and associated rules associated with the selected data access server. The configuration utility thereafter displays the retrieved configuration information within a user interface faceplate defined for a type of configuration node selected for display/editing from the selected DAS. Using various faceplates for selected node types, the user creates, clears, examines and/or manipulates hierarchically arranged nodes for a configuration associated with the selected data access server.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A distributed configuration utility facilitating remote configuration of process control data access servers, the distributed configuration utility comprising:

a configuration editor located at a configuration console;
a configuration storage for storing information including parameter values corresponding to a current configuration of a configurable process control data access server;
a rules storage for storing a set of configuration rules associated with the configurable process control data access server, wherein the set of configuration rules provide a guide to processing the configuration information within the configuration storage corresponding to the current configuration of the configurable process control data access server;
and
a server agent, located on a computing node remote from the configuration console and containing the configurable process control data access server, the server agent including executable procedures for notifying the configuration editor of the configurable process control data access server and thereby facilitating establishing a configuration interface between the configuration editor and the configurable process control data access server.

2 more elements

A computer-readable medium including computer-executable instructions facilitating remotely configuring a data access server in a system including a configuration editor and a configurable process control data access server and a server agent located remotely from the configuration editor on a computing node, the server agent being capable of identifying process control data access servers currently residing on the computing node, the computer-executable instructions facilitating performing the steps of:

receiving, by the configuration editor from the server agent, a notification regarding data access servers presently residing on the computing node, including the configurable process control data access server;
obtaining, by the configuration editor after receiving the notification, configuration information relating to the configurable process control data access server, the configuration information including:
a configuration data set comprising data access server parameter values, and
a rules data set comprising rules that guide processing the configuration data set;
and
providing access, by the configuration editor, to the configuration data set in accordance with the rules of the rules data set.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for remote configuration of process data access servers

Life of this patent

Method and system for remote configuration of process data access servers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20