US 8,788,071 B2 · Security for objects in a process plant configuration system

Abstract

A configuration system uses process plant items that may represent, or be capable of representing, entities in a process plant to assist in configuring, organizing, and changing the control and display activities within the process plant. Access to the items may be controlled by associating access control data with the items. The configuration system may also use objects that represent, or may be capable of representing, one or more steps to be performed by entities in the process plant. Access to these objects may be controlled by associating access control data with the objects. The access control data may indicate whether users or certain users may be able to, for example, view or modify all or some data associated with the process plant items or the objects. The process plant items may comprise, for example, module class objects which may be capable of generically representing process entities of the process plant, module objects which may be capable of specifically representing process entities of the process plant, composite templates, module templates, etc. The objects that represent, or may be capable of representing, one or more steps to be performed by entities in the process plant may comprise, for example, phase classes or unit phases.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An object entity for use in configuring or viewing the operation of a process plant having multiple field devices connected to a process controller and operable to perform physical control and measurement functions within the process plant, the object entity comprising:

a computer readable memory;
a programming object stored on the computer readable memory, the programming object representing a process entity within the process plant and including:
a first memory storage which, when executed on a processor, stores indications of one or more functions to be performed by the process entity during operation of the process plant;
and
a second memory storage which, when executed on a processor:
stores a global security parameter indicating whether access to the programming object by a viewing or configuration application is to be limited, and
stores a plurality of sub-element security parameters corresponding to a plurality of sub-element objects included in the programming object, wherein:
each sub-element security parameter stored in the programming object representing the process entity indicates whether access to a respective sub-element object of the programming object is to be limited, and
a first sub-element security parameter stored in the programming object representing the process entity and corresponding to the first sub-element object and a second sub-element security parameter stored in the programming object representing the process entity and corresponding to the second sub-element object are each individually modifiable.

6 more elements

a computer readable memory;
a programming object stored on the computer readable memory, the programming object representing one or more steps capable of being performed by one or more process entities within the process plant and including:
a first memory storage which, when executed on a processor, stores indications of the one or more steps;
and
a second memory storage which, when executed on a processor:
stores a global security parameter indicating whether access to the programming object by a viewing or configuration application is to be limited, and
stores a plurality of sub-element security parameters corresponding to a plurality of sub-element objects included in the programming object, wherein:
each sub-element security parameter stored in the programming object representing the one or more steps capable of being performed by one or more process entities indicates whether access to a respective sub-element object of the programming object is to be limited, and
a first sub-element security parameter stored in the programming object representing the one or more steps capable of being performed by one or more process entities and corresponding to the first sub-element object and a second sub-element security parameter stored in the programming object representing the one or more steps capable of being performed by one or more process entities and corresponding to the second sub-element object are each individually modifiable.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Security for objects in a process plant configuration system

Life of this patent

Security for objects in a process plant configuration system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16