Abstract: A communication technique enables the efficient transmission of data through a communication link having a large delay bandwidth product and/or a high bit error rate. The communication technique multiplexes data from one or more data sources through a plurality of communication connections to increase the overall throughput and to reduce the average data transfer delay of the communication link. Each communication connection has a set of communication connection parameters that may be uniquely configured so that each connection carries a particular type of data at a particular effective priority level. Each communication connection may be uniquely configured to have a particular sending buffer size, to deliver messages having a particular length to an underlying layer and to send the messages into the link at a particular rate to orchestrate the manner in which the communication connections send data through the link.

Abstract: Systems and methods of accessing a database associated with a process control system send a request for information from a client application to an intermediate data server process and determine if the information is stored within a data source associated with the intermediate data server process. The systems and methods also send a request for the information from the intermediate data server process to another process if the information is not stored within the data source and access the database to retrieve the information subsequent to the other process receiving the request for the information.

Abstract: Systems and methods of transmitting process control information to a portable communication device associate a resource link with the process control information and transmit the process control information and the resource link to the portable communication device. A session identifier is associated with the process control information and the session identifier and the resource link are transmitted to the portable communication device. A message and the resource link associated with the process control information are provided at the portable communication device. A user selects the resource link to initiate a communication link between the portable communication device and a wireless communication service. The portable communication device may receive one of video information, audio information, still image information, and software application information in response to initiation of the communication link between the wireless communication service and the portable communication device.

Abstract: A configuration database includes multiple databases distributed at a plurality of physical locations within a process control system. Each of the databases may store a subset of the configuration data and this subset of configuration data may be accessed by users at any of the sites within the process control system. A database server having a shared cache accesses a database in a manner that enables multiple subscribers to read configuration data from the database with only a minimal number of reads to the database. To prevent the configuration data being viewed by subscribers within the process control system from becoming stale, the database server automatically detects changes to an item within the configuration database and sends notifications of changes made to the item to each of the subscribers of that item so that a user always views the state of the configuration as it actually exists within the configuration database.

Abstract: Systems and methods of accessing a database associated with a process control system send a request for information from a client application to an intermediate data server process and determine if the information is stored within a data source associated with the intermediate data server process. The systems and methods also send a request for the information from the intermediate data server process to another process if the information is not stored within the data source and access the database to retrieve the information subsequent to the other process receiving the request for the information.

Abstract: Systems and methods of transmitting process control information to a portable communication device associate a resource link with the process control information and transmit the process control information and the resource link to the portable communication device. A session identifier is associated with the process control information and the session identifier and the resource link are transmitted to the portable communication device. A message and the resource link associated with the process control information are provided at the portable communication device. A user selects the resource link to initiate a communication link between the portable communication device and a wireless communication service. The portable communication device may receive one of video information, audio information, still image information, and software application information in response to initiation of the communication link between the wireless communication service and the portable communication device.

Abstract: A configuration database includes multiple databases distributed at a plurality of physical locations within a process control system. The configuration database may include a master configuration database that stores all of the configuration data for all of the sites and one or more briefcase databases that download and reserve configuration data from the master database. The briefcase database is used at other sites to perform configuration activities and, thereafter, changed configuration items are promoted back to the master configuration database where these changed items are stored.

Abstract: A configuration database includes multiple databases distributed at a plurality of physical locations within a process control system. Each of the databases may be accessed by users at any of the sites within the process control system. A database server having a shared cache accesses a database in a manner that enables multiple subscribers to read configuration data from the database with only a minimal number of reads to the database. To prevent the configuration data being viewed by subscribers within the process control system from becoming stale, the database server automatically detects changes to an item within the configuration database and sends notifications of changes made to the item the each of the subscribers of that item so that a user always views the state of the configuration as it actually exists within the configuration database.

Abstract: A configuration database includes multiple databases distributed at a plurality of physical locations within a process control system. Each of the databases may store a subset of the configuration data and this subset of configuration data may be accessed by users at any of the sites within the process control system. A database server having a shared cache accesses a database in a manner that enables multiple subscribers to read configuration data from the database with only a minimal number of reads to the database. To prevent the configuration data being viewed by subscribers within the process control system from becoming stale, the database server automatically detects changes to an item within the configuration database and sends notifications of changes made to the item to each of the subscribers of that item so that a user always views the state of the configuration as it actually exists within the configuration database.