Abstract: A process plant and industrial control system architecture includes a generalized compute fabric that is agnostic or indifferent to the physical location at which the compute fabric is implemented, includes one or more physical control or field devices located at one or more specific sites at which a product or process is being manufactured and further includes a transport network that securely provides communications between the compute fabric and the pool of physical devices.

Abstract: A process control or automation system comprising a plurality of instantiated micro-encapsulated execution environments (MEEEs) includes a first one or more instantiated MEEEs communicatively connecting a provider of the plurality of instantiated MEEEs to a first enterprise operating a first one or more industrial or automation processes at a first one or more physical locations or sites. The system also includes a second one or more instantiated MEEEs communicatively connecting the provider to a second enterprise operating a second one or more industrial or automation processes at a second one or more physical locations or sites.

Abstract: A process control or automation system configured to control a plurality of process control or automation field devices in a process, includes a compute fabric executing a plurality of instantiated micro-encapsulated execution environments (MEEEs) that cooperate to control the process. Each of the plurality of field devices operates to sense a parameter of the process and output the sensed parameter of the process to an input of the compute fabric and/or to affect a parameter of the process according to an input received from the compute fabric. The system also includes a plurality of digital twin services, each instantiated as one or more of the plurality of instantiated MEEEs, each having an associated one or group of field devices, and each operable to mimic non-physical operation of the one or group of field devices.

Abstract: A process plant and industrial control system architecture includes a generalized compute fabric that is agnostic or indifferent to the physical location at which the compute fabric is implemented, includes one or more physical control or field devices located at one or more specific sites at which a product or process is being manufactured and further includes a transport network that securely provides communications between the compute fabric and the pool of physical devices.

Abstract: A process plant and industrial control system architecture includes a generalized compute fabric that is agnostic or indifferent to the physical location at which the compute fabric is implemented, includes one or more physical control or field devices located at one or more specific sites at which a product or process is being manufactured and further includes a transport network that securely provides communications between the compute fabric and the pool of physical devices. The compute fabric is implemented in a spoke and hub configuration in which the compute fabric includes computing infrastructure organized into one or more hubs, with each hub disposed in a particular geographical region or area. Each hub of the compute fabric may include communication connections in the form of spokes to each of a plurality of geographical locations or areas, such as plants, and may store and process the data from each of the associated spokes in the hub.

Abstract: A process plant and industrial control system architecture includes a generalized compute fabric that is agnostic or indifferent to the physical location at which the compute fabric is implemented, includes one or more physical control or field devices located at one or more specific sites at which a product or process is being manufactured and further includes a transport network that securely provides communications between the compute fabric and the pool of physical devices. A configuration system operates within the compute fabric to enable a user to easily make configuration changes to the software executing in the compute fabric by accessing and downloading new components for execution in the compute fabric from a centralized registry. The configuration system may provide feedback regarding the operation of the new component to a component developer to enable the developer to test and alter the component.

Abstract: A process plant and industrial control system architecture includes a generalized compute fabric that is agnostic or indifferent to the physical location at which the compute fabric is implemented, includes one or more physical control or field devices located at one or more specific sites at which a product or process is being manufactured and further includes a transport network that securely provides communications between the compute fabric and the pool of physical devices. The compute fabric performs various control, monitoring, diagnostics, simulation, and configuration activities with respect to a plurality of devices at the one or more specific sites.

Abstract: A process plant and industrial control system architecture includes a generalized compute fabric that is agnostic or indifferent to the physical location at which the compute fabric is implemented, includes one or more physical control or field devices located at one or more specific sites at which a product or process is being manufactured and further includes a transport network that securely provides communications between the compute fabric and the pool of physical devices. The compute fabric is implemented in a spoke and hub configuration in which the compute fabric includes computing infrastructure organized into one or more hubs, with each hub disposed in a particular geographical region or area. Each hub of the compute fabric may include communication connections in the form of spokes to each of a plurality of geographical locations or areas, such as plants, and may store and process the data from each of the associated spokes in the hub.

Abstract: A process plant and industrial control system architecture includes a generalized compute fabric that is agnostic or indifferent to the physical location at which the compute fabric is implemented, includes one or more physical control or field devices located at one or more specific sites at which a product or process is being manufactured and further includes a transport network that securely provides communications between the compute fabric and the pool of physical devices. The compute fabric performs various control, monitoring, diagnostics, simulation, and configuration activities with respect to a plurality of devices at the one or more specific sites.

Abstract: A process plant and industrial control system architecture includes a generalized compute fabric that is agnostic or indifferent to the physical location at which the compute fabric is implemented, includes one or more physical control or field devices located at one or more specific sites at which a product or process is being manufactured and further includes a transport network that securely provides communications between the compute fabric and the pool of physical devices. A configuration system operates within the compute fabric to enable a user to easily make configuration changes to the software executing in the compute fabric by accessing and downloading new components for execution in the compute fabric from a centralized registry. The configuration system may provide feedback regarding the operation of the new component to a component developer to enable the developer to test and alter the component.

Abstract: A process plant and industrial control system architecture includes a generalized compute fabric that is agnostic or indifferent to the physical location at which the compute fabric is implemented, includes one or more physical control or field devices located at one or more specific sites at which a product or process is being manufactured and further includes a transport network that securely provides communications between the compute fabric and the pool of physical devices.

Abstract: A process plant and industrial control system architecture includes a generalized compute fabric that is agnostic or indifferent to the physical location at which the compute fabric is implemented, includes one or more physical control or field devices located at one or more specific sites at which a product or process is being manufactured and further includes a transport network that securely provides communications between the compute fabric and the pool of physical devices.

Abstract: A process plant and industrial control system architecture includes a generalized compute fabric that is agnostic or indifferent to the physical location at which the compute fabric is implemented. One or more applications, executing via the location-agnostic compute fabric, provide for access, management, and/or reconfiguration of various aspects of one or more process control systems across one or more physical sites operated by an enterprise. The one or more applications may, for example, provide for viewing of operational parameters and/or health statuses based upon information accessed from one, two, three four or more physical sites.

Abstract: An industrial process control system includes a compute fabric having a first portion operating on-premises at an industrial process plant controlled by the industrial process control system and a second portion operating remotely from the industrial process plant controlled by the industrial process control system. The system also includes one or more transmitters in the process plant measuring or sensing physical parameters and includes one or more physical control elements in the process plant, each physical control element responsive to a respective setpoint parameter. The system further includes a plurality of micro-encapsulated execution environments instantiated in the compute fabric, each executing at least a portion of a control module that receives data from the one or more transmitters and transmits at least one setpoint parameter to each of the one or more physical control elements to cause the physical control elements to control a process in the industrial process plant.

Abstract: A process plant and industrial control system architecture includes a generalized compute fabric that is agnostic or indifferent to the physical location at which the compute fabric is implemented, includes one or more physical control or field devices located at one or more specific sites at which a product or process is being manufactured and further includes a transport network that securely provides communications between the compute fabric and the pool of physical devices.

Abstract: A process plant and industrial control system architecture includes a generalized compute fabric that is agnostic or indifferent to the physical location at which the compute fabric is implemented, includes one or more physical control or field devices located at one or more specific sites at which a product or process is being manufactured and further includes a transport network that securely provides communications between the compute fabric and the pool of physical devices.

Abstract: A process plant and industrial control system architecture includes a generalized compute fabric that is agnostic or indifferent to the physical location at which the compute fabric is implemented, includes one or more physical control or field devices located at one or more specific sites at which a product or process is being manufactured and further includes a transport network that securely provides communications between the compute fabric and the pool of physical devices.

Abstract: A process control device for use in an industrial process control or automation system of an industrial process plant includes a sensor configured to measure a parameter of a process in the industrial process plant and to output to a controller in the industrial process plant the parameter measured. The process control device also or alternatively includes a control element configured to perform an action in the industrial process plant according to an input received from the controller in the industrial process plant. The process control device also includes an embedded device identifier, unique to the process control field device and associated with one or more of an owner of the process control field device, a plant location of the process control field device, a country or geographical or geopolitical region, and a device tag.

Abstract: A process control or automation system comprising a plurality of instantiated micro-encapsulated execution environments (MEEEs) includes a first one or more instantiated MEEEs communicatively connecting a provider of the plurality of instantiated MEEEs to a first enterprise operating a first one or more industrial or automation processes at a first one or more physical locations or sites. The system also includes a second one or more instantiated MEEEs communicatively connecting the provider to a second enterprise operating a second one or more industrial or automation processes at a second one or more physical locations or sites.

Abstract: A fastener cartridge can be used with a shaft of a tool during an orthopedic procedure. The fastener cartridge can have a main housing that can be attached to fastener housing including a fastener chamber and a backstop component. The fastener chamber includes a plurality of non-flexible tabs and the backstop component includes a plurality of resiliently flexible tabs. The fastener housing is configured to include a plurality of fasteners that are arranged therein such that the longitudinal axes of the fastener chamber and the plurality of fasteners are collinear. The plurality non-flexible tabs prevent one of the fasteners from inadvertently passing entirely out of an outlet of the fastener chamber and the plurality of resiliently flexible tabs allow the fasteners to move axially in the first direction and restrict movement of the fasteners in a second direction opposite the first direction.