US 8,612,545 B2Granted

Use of a really simple syndication communication format in a process control system

AssigneeFisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc.

InventorsJames S. Cahill, Trevor D. Schleiss, Gary K. Law

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Devices and applications within a process control system make data generated therein available using a really simple syndication (RSS) XML communication format, thereby making this data easily retrievable from the plant and useable for various purposes both within and outside of the plant. The RSS data communications may provide RSS data for use in control of the plant or for use in other applications not directly associated with the control of the plant, including third party applications run on devices outside of the plant. The RSS data sent from one device to another may include enclosures, such as video, audio or text files, or may include references such as hyperlinks to other sources of information stored on the receiving device or on a further device that may be accessed and used to understand or process the RSS data.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A process control device for use in a process plant, comprising:

(a) a process controller that is:
1) communicatively coupled to a computing device of the process plant, the computing device having an operator interface,
2) configured to store and execute a control module configured to receive a sensor signal from a first field device and generate at least one corresponding control signal to at least one of the first field device or a second field device for controlling equipment in the process plant based on the sensor signal, the control module including at least one function block used in implementing a process control loop in the process plant,
3) directly connected to each of the first field device and the second field device via a corresponding input/output device or card, and
4) further configured to communicate process control data to other process control devices in the process plant using a format that is not a web content syndication format;
(b) a web content syndication format data generator that converts the process control data into web content syndication formatted data, the process control data including a process control signal or an output of a process control application;
and
(c) a web content syndication format data communication unit that directly communicates, via a communications link, the web content syndication formatted data to a further process control device within the process plant.

5 more elements

A process control system, comprising:

a) a first process control device configured to generate first process data in a format that is not a web content syndication data format, the first process control device including a first process controller that is:
1) communicatively coupled to a computing device having an operator interface,
2) configured to store and execute a control module configured to receive a sensor signal from a first field device and generate at least one corresponding control signal to at least one of the first field device or a second field device for controlling equipment in the process control system based on the sensor signal, the control module including at least one function block used in implementing a process control loop in the process control system, and
3) directly connected to each of the first field device and the second field device via a corresponding input/output device or card;
and
b) a second process control device configured to generate second process data in the format that is not the web content syndication data format, the second process control device being one of:
1) a second process controller,
2) at least one of the first field device, the second field device, or a third field device that is configured to perform a physical action in the process control system to affect a process variable or to sense the process variable, or
3) the corresponding input/output device or card;
wherein the first process control device includes:
(a1) a really simple syndication (RSS) data conversion unit that converts the first process data generated by the first process control device into an RSS communication format to produce RSS data;
(a2) a memory for storing the RSS data;
and
(a3) a communication unit adapted to communicate the RSS data from the first process control device directly to the second process control device via a communications link within the process control system.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/252,727Filed 4 Oct 2011 · continuation
Priority: 22 Sep 2005
Published: US 2012/0078403 A129 Mar 2012
Granted: 17 Dec 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G05B 23/027
Fault communication, e.g. human machine interface [HMI]: alarm generation, e.g. communication protocol; Forms of alarm
G05B 2219/31181
From computer integrated manufacturing till monitoring: controller and device have several formats and protocols, select common one
G05B 2219/35582
Nc in input of data, input till input file format: control format in browser, use of xtml and xslt
G05B
Control or regulating systems in general

Family

Application11/233,082Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Sep 2005
US 2012/0078403 A1Pre-grant publication · published 29 Mar 2012
US 8,055,727 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2007/0067725 A1Published application
US 8,612,545 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.