Abstract: The invention relates to a process control system comprising a calculating unit enabling a charge value (W) to be determined from operations occurring in the process control system. Preferably, said process control system comprises a process control computer with a web server and a computer which is used to access the processes control computer via Internet. The charging value (W) is especially a service fee which is to be paid to an application service provider by a user of the process control system.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for a system including at least one process management computer and a number of field devices, whereby status and control signals are transmitted between at least some of the field devices and the process management computer using a TCP/IP protocol over a communication channel, preferably a radio connection and/or the Internet. A process management system includes a process management computer with a web-server, a client computer with an Internet browser and a number of sensors and actuators. The process management system may preferably be operated by way of the Internet, using the client computer.

Abstract: A computer cluster includes a network plane and a processing plane. In the cluster, the network plane is formed by at least one network computer, which is configured to assign a time tag to incoming request data. The processing plane is composed of at least two processing computers, which are supplied in parallel with the request data from the network plane. Each processing computer is configured to process the request data in a subsequent processing step, if the current value of the time tag falls within a respective significant value range. An “implicit synchronisation” of the computers is thus achieved in a simple manner.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method in which at least one process management computer (7) and a number of field devices (FD) are applied, whereby status and control signals are transmitted between at least some of the field devices and the process management computer using a TCP/IP protocol over a communication channel, preferably a radio connection (F) and/or the Internet (15). According to the invention, a process management system (5) comprises a process management computer (7) with a web-server (9), a client computer (20) with an internet browser (22) and a number of sensors (S) and actuators (A). The process management system (5) may preferably be operated by means of the internet (15), using the client computer (20).

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer cluster comprising a network plane (10) and a processing plane (30). In said cluster, the network plane (10) is formed by at least one network computer (11, 12, 13), which is configured to assign a time tag to incoming request data (7) The processing plane (30) is composed of at least two processing computers (201, 202, 20x, 211, 212, 21y, 221, 222, 22z), which are supplied in parallel with the request data (7) from the network plane (10). Each processing computer is configured to process the request data (7) in a subsequent processing step, if the current value of the time tag falls within a respective significant value range. An “implicit syncronisation” of the computers is thus achieved in a simple manner.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process control system comprising a calculating unit enabling a charge value (W) to be determined from operations occurring in the process control system. Preferably, said process control system comprises a process control computer with a web server and a computer which is used to access the processes control computer via Internet. The charging value (W) is especially a service fee which is to be paid to an application service provider by a user of the process control system.