Automatic distribution of device parameters for commissioning portions of a disconnected process control loop

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10754329-B2
Application number	US-201615313372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2016
Priority date	Oct 12, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed herein are techniques for automatically distributing device identification amongst components of a process control loop in a process plant while the loop is communicatively disconnected from the plant's back-end environment or control room. A field device's identification is stored in a memory of a component of the loop (which may be the field device or a proxy) and is used for commissioning the field device. While the loop remains disconnected, the field device's identification is distributed to the memory of another component of the loop and used for commissioning a portion of the loop including the field device and the another component. Additional distribution to other components for commissioning other loop portions is possible. Distribution may be triggered by the completion of certain commissioning activities, the establishment of communicative connections between components, and/or other conditions. Other parameters and/or information descriptive of the field device may be similarly distributed.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of commissioning a process plant, the method comprising:
storing, while a field device is in an input-output (I/O)-unallocated state, an identification of the field device in a memory of a component of a process control loop that is to operate, during run-time of the process plant, to control an industrial process within the process plant,
the process control loop including the field device, a second device, and a third device that are communicatively connected and disposed in a field environment of the process plant,
the identification of the field device including a system tag for the field device, the system tag automatically derived within the field environment based on a source tag of the field device during commissioning of the field device,
the field device to, during run-time of the process plant as part of the process control loop, perform a physical function and at least one of send or receive, via an I/O device, data corresponding to the physical function, and
the I/O-unallocated state of the field device indicative of an unavailability, within the field environment, of an assignment of the field device to communicate via any I/O device;

while the field device is in the I/O un-allocated state, distributing the field device identification from the memory of the component to the second device, the distributed field device identification for use in commissioning at least a portion of the process control loop including both the field device and the second device; and
while the field device is in the I/O un-allocated state, distributing the field device identification from the memory of the component for storage in a memory of the third device, the distributed field device identification stored in the memory of the third device for use in commissioning another portion of the process control loop including the third device.

2. The method of claim 1 ,
further comprising detecting an establishment of the communicative connection between field device and the second device; and
wherein distributing the field device identification to the second device comprises automatically distributing the field device identification to the second device upon detecting the establishment of the communicative connection.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein distributing the field device identification to the second device comprises pushing the field device identification to the second device, or responding to a pulling of the field device identification initiated by the second device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein distributing the field device identification to the second device comprises automatically distributing the field device identification to the second device upon completion of a commissioning action performed at the field device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the field device is a smart field device, and storing the field device identification in the memory of the component comprises storing the field device identification in a memory of the smart field device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein storing the field device identification in the memory of the component comprises storing the field device identification in a memory that is attached to an exterior surface of the field device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein storing the field device identification in the memory of the component comprises storing the field device identification in one of a memory of a Characterization Module (CHARM) associated with the field device, a memory of a CHARM carrier supporting the CHARM that is associated with the field device, a terminal block associated with the field device, or a memory included in an extender that is physically attached to the CHARM that is associated with the field device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the system tag of the field device is automatically derived based on the source tag of the field device and based on a set of parsing rules, and the system tag has a different total number of characters than a number of total characters of the source tag.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein storing the system tag of the field device comprises storing one of a device tag or a device signal tag of the field device.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the field device identification from a field commissioning tool disposed in the field environment of the process control plant and operated by a user to commission a plurality of field devices.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the identification of the field device is included in a plurality of values, each of which is descriptive of the field device;
storing the identification of the field device comprises storing the plurality of values that are descriptive of the field device, the plurality of values including the field device identification; and
distributing the field device identification to the second device comprises distributing the plurality of values that are descriptive of the field device to the second device.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein distributing the field device identification from the memory of the component to the second device comprises distributing the field device identification from the memory of the component to a plurality of devices disposed in the field environment of the process plant while the field environment of the process plant is communicatively disconnected from a back-end environment of the process plant, the plurality of devices including the second device.

13. A system for commissioning a process plant having a field environment and a back-end environment, the system comprising:
a field device disposed in the field environment of the process plant,
the field device to, during run-time of the process plant as part of a process control loop, perform a physical function and at least one of send or receive, via an I/O device, data corresponding to the physical function to control an industrial process in the process plant, and the process control loop to include the field device, a second device, and a third device that are communicatively connected and disposed in the field environment of the process plant, and
the field device being in an input-output (I/O)-unallocated state, the I/O-unallocated state of the field device being indicative of an unavailability, within the field environment, of an assignment of the field device to communicate via any I/O device;

a memory of a component of the process control loop, the memory of the component storing an identification of the field device, the field device identification including a system tag for the field device, and the system tag automatically derived within the field environment based on a source tag of the field device during commissioning of the field device; and
a processor disposed in the field environment of the process plant and executing a set of computer-executable instructions that cause the system to, while the field device is in the I/O-unallocated state:
distribute the field device identification from the memory of the component to the second device, the distributed field device identification for use in commissioning a portion of the process control loop including both the field device and the second device; and
distribute the field device identification from the memory of the component for storage in a memory of the third device, the distributed field device identification stored in the memory of the third device for use in commissioning another portion of the process control loop including the third device.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the field device is a smart field device, the component that inc

Assignees

• Fisher Rosemount Systems Inc

Inventors

• Jundt Larry O
• Law Gary K
• Uy Cristopher Ian S
• Colclazier Deborah R
• Diaz Sergio
• Naidoo Julian K
• Peterson Neil J
• Burr Kent A
• Strinden Daniel R
• Joshi Prashant

Classifications

• G05B19/41865 Primary

  characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow · CPC title

• G05B2219/32252

  Scheduling production, machining, job shop · CPC title

• G05B19/418 Primary

  Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM] · CPC title

• G05B23/0224

  Process history based detection method, e.g. whereby history implies the availability of large amounts of data · CPC title

• G06K7/10366

  the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications · CPC title