System, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium for process engineering assistance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11562309-B2
Application number	US-201916583285-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2019
Priority date	Mar 28, 2017
Publication date	Jan 24, 2023
Grant date	Jan 24, 2023

Abstract

An engineering assistant system 1 includes: an engineering server 10 that issues a work list including information related to work necessary for performing the engineering of a process control system 100 ; and an at least one engineering client 20 that grants work authority for each worker based on the work list issued by the engineering server 10 and makes it possible to perform work on a constituent apparatus that constitutes the process control system 100 within a range of granted work authority.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An engineering assistant system that assists engineering of a process control system, including workers and a field instrument, for control of an industrial process, the process control system comprising a constituent apparatus, the engineering assistant system comprising:
a server apparatus that issues a work list including a first list defining work necessary for performing the engineering of the process control system with the field instrument; and
at least one client apparatus that grants work authority for each worker based on the work list issued by the server apparatus and is connected to the constituent apparatus using at least one of a network and a cable, to perform work on the constituent apparatus within a range of granted work authority, wherein
at least two workers perform work in parallel,
the client apparatus has a work progress list generating unit that generates a work progress list based on work performed, and
the server apparatus has a protection setting unit that sets, based on the generated work progress list, protection information in the work list issued to the client apparatus for preventing redundant performance of work defined in the first list, wherein
the work list further includes:
a second list including information indicating authority according to a role of a worker; and
a third list defining information indicating a role of each worker, wherein the role of each worker defined in the third list is not redundant;

the client apparatus has an authenticating unit that performs authentication of a worker to use the client apparatus; and
the client apparatus has an authority granting unit that, based on the second list and the third list, grants work authority about work that a worker authenticated by the authenticating unit is allowed to perform among work defined in the first list.

2. The engineering assistant system according to claim 1 , wherein
the second list includes information indicating work administration defining which among roles of workers is in charge of work defined in the first list, and
the authority granting unit grants work authority to a worker based at least in part on the work administration.

3. The engineering assistant system according to claim 1 , wherein the server apparatus further has:
a work progress confirming unit that receives the work progress list and confirms whether or not all the work has been completed; and
a work authority modifying unit that modifies the work authority as necessary according to a progress of the work,
wherein upon determination by the work progress confirming unit that all the work has not been completed, protection setting unit sets protection flags only for a portion on which work has been completed, and upon determination by the work progress confirming unit that all the work has been completed, the protection setting unit sets protection flags for all the work.

4. An engineering assistant method of assisting engineering of a process control system, including workers and a field instrument, for control of an industrial process, the process control system including a constituent apparatus, the engineering assistant method comprising:
providing a server apparatus programmed to:
issue a work list including a first list defining work necessary for performing the engineering of the process control system using the server apparatus;
grant work authority for each worker, with a client apparatus, based on the work list issued in the issuing;
perform work on the constituent apparatus within a range of granted work authority using the client apparatus, wherein at least two workers perform work in parallel;
generate, by the client apparatus, a work progress list indicating work having been performed; and
set, by the server apparatus and based on the work progress list having been generated, protection information in the work list issued by the server apparatus to the client apparatus for preventing redundant performance of work having been performed among work defined in the first list, wherein
the work list further includes:
a second list including information indicating authority according to a role of a worker; and
a third list defining information indicating a role of each worker, wherein the role of each worker defined in the third list is not redundant;

the client apparatus has an authenticating unit that performs authentication of a worker to use the client apparatus; and
the client apparatus has an authority granting unit that, based on the second list and the third list, grants work authority about work that a worker authenticated by the authenticating unit is allowed to perform among work defined in the first list.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing thereon a program that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform operations that assists engineering of a process control system, including workers and a field instrument, for control of an industrial process, the process control system comprising a constituent apparatus, the operations comprising:
issue a work list including a first list defining work necessary for performing an engineering of the process control system using a server apparatus;
grant work authority for each of at least two workers based on the work list issued in the issuing of a work list;
perform work on a constituent apparatus within a range of granted work authority using a client apparatus, wherein the at least two workers perform work in parallel;
generate, by the client apparatus, a work progress list indicating work having been performed; and
set, by the server apparatus and based on the work progress list having been generated, protection information in the work list issued by the server apparatus to the client apparatus for preventing redundant performance of work having been performed among work defined in the first list, wherein
the work list further includes:
a second list including information indicating authority according to a role of a worker; and
a third list defining information indicating a role of each worker, wherein the role of each worker defined in the third list is not redundant;

the client apparatus has an authenticating unit that performs authentication of a worker to use the client apparatus; and
the client apparatus has an authority granting unit that, based on the second list and the third list, grants work authority about work that a worker authenticated by the authenticating unit is allowed to perform among work defined in the first list.

6. A server apparatus that provides information to assist engineering of a process control system, including workers and a field instrument, for control of an industrial process, the process control system comprising a constituent apparatus, the server apparatus comprising:
a storing unit that stores design information of a constituent apparatus of the process control system
an issuing unit that uses the design information stored in the storing unit to issue a work list including a first list defining work necessary for performing the engineering of the process control system, wherein at least two workers perform work in parallel; and
a protection setting unit that sets, based on a work progress list that has been generated by a client apparatus and indicates work having been performed, protection information in the work list for preventing redundant performance of work having been performed among work defined in the first list, wherein
the work list further includes:
a second list including information indicating authority according to a role of a worker; and
a third list defining information indicating a role of each worker, wherein the role of each worker defined in the third list is not redundant;

an authenticat

Assignees

• Yokogawa Electric Corp

Inventors

• Mori Hiroshi
• Ema Nobuaki

Classifications

• G06Q10/06316

  Sequencing of tasks or work · CPC title

• G06Q10/0633 Primary

  Workflow analysis · CPC title

• G06Q10/063114

  Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group · CPC title

• G06Q10/0637

  Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals · CPC title

• G06Q10/06398

  Performance of employee with respect to a job function · CPC title