Authentication and authorization to control access to process control devices in a process plant
AssigneeFisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc.
InventorsTodd M. Toepke, Joseph D. Fisher, Christopher P. Kantzes, Nicholas T. Meyer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Techniques for controlling plant assets in a process plant include assigning permissions to users and user interface devices within the process plant, where the permissions specify a level of access to a plant asset. The permissions are then provided to the user interface devices. When a user connects a user interface device to a plant asset, the user interface device determines which operations the user may perform on the connected plant asset based on the permissions granted to the user.
Claims20
A method for controlling access to plant assets in a process plant, the method comprising:
- generating, by the one or more processors, a plurality of permissions, wherein each of the plurality of permissions specifies a level of access to a plant asset of a plurality of plant assets in a process plant;
- assigning, by the one or more processors, the plurality of permissions to at least one of:
- (i) one or more users authorized to access one or more user interface devices in the process plant, or (ii) the one or more user interface devices within the process plant;
- and
- providing, by the one or more processors, the plurality of permissions and indications of the one or more users or the one or more user interface devices assigned to the plurality of permissions to the one or more user interface devices within the process plant,
- wherein when a user connects a user interface device to one of the plurality of plant assets in the process plant, the user interface device determines a level of authorization that the user has to access the plant asset based on at least one of the plurality of permissions which is assigned to the user or the user interface device.
A server device for controlling access to plant assets in a process plant, the server device comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- a non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions thereon, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server device to:
- generate a plurality of permissions, wherein each of the plurality of permissions specifies a level of access to a plant asset of a plurality of plant assets in a process plant;
- assign the plurality of permissions to at least one of:
- (i) one or more users authorized to access one or more user interface devices in the process plant, or (ii) the one or more user interface devices within the process plant;
- and
- provide the plurality of permissions and indications of the one or more users or the one or more user interface devices assigned to the plurality of permissions to the one or more user interface devices within the process plant,
- wherein when a user connects a user interface device to one of the plurality of plant assets in the process plant, the user interface device determines a level of authorization that the user has to access the plant asset based on at least one of the plurality of permissions which is assigned to the user or the user interface device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.