Abstract: An industrial service device fleet management system implements an organized and easy to use methodology to manage the digital content stored on each of a plurality of portable or stationary devices used in a plant, such as portable maintenance devices, to assure that each of the portable devices receives or implements only the content that it is supposed to have and is upgraded at the appropriate time to include new content, features, etc. The fleet management system includes a memory for storing information related to the fleet of portable or stationary devices including device identifications, device descriptions, end user names and privileges, the current content of each of the portable devices, and templates defining configuration parameters for the portable or stationary devices. The system also includes a content downloader that obtains, stores, and downloads content (such as software and firmware upgrades, additional features, applications, drivers, knowledge articles, etc.

Abstract: An industrial service device fleet management system implements an organized and easy to use methodology to manage the digital content stored on each of a plurality of portable or stationary devices used in a plant, such as portable maintenance devices, to assure that each of the portable devices receives or implements only the content that it is supposed to have and is upgraded at the appropriate time to include new content, features, etc. The fleet management system includes a memory for storing information related to the fleet of portable or stationary devices including device identifications, device descriptions, end user names and privileges, the current content of each of the portable devices, and templates defining configuration parameters for the portable or stationary devices. The system also includes a content downloader that obtains, stores, and downloads content (such as software and firmware upgrades, additional features, applications, drivers, knowledge articles, etc.

Abstract: A portable field maintenance tool may perform one or more tasks, such as communicating with a field device, powering a field device, diagnosing a field device, or diagnosing a communication link in a plant environment to which a field device is connected. The portable field maintenance tool may interact with field devices configured according to a number of different communication protocols, such as the HART protocol and the Fieldbus protocol. The portable field maintenance tool may be energy limited and fault tolerant, and may operate in compliance with Intrinsic Safety standards, enabling use of the portable field maintenance tool in hazardous areas.

Abstract: A portable field maintenance tool may perform one or more tasks, such as communicating with a field device, powering a field device, diagnosing a field device, or diagnosing a communication link in a plant environment to which a field device is connected. The portable field maintenance tool may interact with field devices configured according to a number of different communication protocols, such as the HART protocol and the Fieldbus protocol. The portable field maintenance tool may be energy limited and fault tolerant, and may operate in compliance with Intrinsic Safety standards, enabling use of the portable field maintenance tool in hazardous areas.

Abstract: A portable field maintenance tool system for performing a plurality of different functional tasks on one or more equipment assets in a plant includes a handheld base and a plurality of functional modules for attachment to the handheld base. Each functional module, when operatively attached to the handheld base, interacts with computer circuits on the handheld base to perform a pre-defined one or more of the functional tasks. A portable handheld field maintenance tool for performing one or more pre-selected ones of the functional tasks on an equipment asset in a plant is formed by operatively mounting any one of the functional modules to the handheld base.

Abstract: Techniques for performing two-factor authentication in a process plant include receiving, at a user interface device, a first type of identification information for a user from an identification device or a physical trait of the user. The user interface device also receives a second type of identification information for the user from knowledge-based information provided by the user. The user interface device then determines that each type of identification information corresponds to the same authorized user within the process plant. When both types of identification information are for the same authorized user, the user is granted access to the user interface device. Accordingly, the user may execute functions on the user interface device to perform operations on a plant asset which is connected to the user interface device.

Abstract: Multi-functional field maintenance (FM) tools that connect to process control devices, such as FOUNDATION Fieldbus and Highway Addressable Remote Transducer devices, can automatically detect and simultaneously identify communications, troubleshoot connections, and supply power in a process control plant. Simplifying the troubleshooting process, by guiding a user of a multi-functional FM tool through recommended troubleshooting steps, while simultaneously detecting and correcting issues reduces the number of tools required to maintain process control devices, reduces the risk of damage, and improves efficiency by minimizing production downtime.

Abstract: A platform-to-platform communication architecture for a process control messaging service in a process control system or other industrial setting allows stationary and portable industrial computing units to communicate with each other, in one-to-one and one-to-many communications, and across networks, including isolated networks inside the process control system or industrial setting and external networks. A requesting industrial computing device platform generates a message for a destination, or responding, industrial computing device in the communication protocol of the destination platform, and wraps the message in a communication protocol of the process control messaging service. The communication architecture decodes the wrapped message into the communication protocol of the destination industrial computing device and forwards the decoded wrapped message to the destination.

Abstract: A platform-to-platform communication architecture for a process control messaging service in a process control system or other industrial setting allows stationary and portable industrial computing units to communicate with each other, in one-to-one and one-to-many communications, and across networks, including isolated networks inside the process control system or industrial setting and external networks. A requesting industrial computing device platform generates a message for a destination, or responding, industrial computing device in the communication protocol of the destination platform, and wraps the message in a communication protocol of the process control messaging service. The communication architecture decodes the wrapped message into the communication protocol of the destination industrial computing device and forwards the decoded wrapped message to the destination.

Abstract: A platform-to-platform communication architecture for a process control messaging service in a process control system or other industrial setting allows stationary and portable industrial computing units to communicate with each other, in one-to-one and one-to-many communications, and across networks, including isolated networks inside the process control system or industrial setting and external networks. A requesting industrial computing device platform generates a message for a destination, or responding, industrial computing device in the communication protocol of the destination platform, and wraps the message in a communication protocol of the process control messaging service. The communication architecture decodes the wrapped message into the communication protocol of the destination industrial computing device and forwards the decoded wrapped message to the destination.

Abstract: A connector assembly for a portable field device testing includes a two-wire communication line to provide communication between a handheld maintenance tool and a field device, a first two-prong plug to provide power and communication signals to the field device and a shunt plug to provide power to the field device using the two-wire communication line.

Abstract: A handheld field maintenance tool includes a training mode. The handheld field maintenance tool has a process communication module operably coupleable to a field device, a user interface, and a controller coupled to the process communication module and the user interface. The controller is configured to interact with a user through the user interface, and is configured to provide a simulation function where at least one characteristic of the field device, indicated through the user interface, is generated by the controller instead of the field device.

Abstract: A platform-to-platform communication architecture for a process control messaging service in a process control system or other industrial setting allows stationary and portable industrial computing units to communicate with each other, in one-to-one and one-to-many communications, and across networks, including isolated networks inside the process control system or industrial setting and external networks. A requesting industrial computing device platform generates a message for a destination, or responding, industrial computing device in the communication protocol of the destination platform, and wraps the message in a communication protocol of the process control messaging service. The communication architecture decodes the wrapped message into the communication protocol of the destination industrial computing device and forwards the decoded wrapped message to the destination.

Abstract: A platform-to-platform communication architecture for a process control messaging service in a process control system or other industrial setting allows stationary and portable industrial computing units to communicate with each other, in one-to-one and one-to-many communications, and across networks, including isolated networks inside the process control system or industrial setting and external networks. A requesting industrial computing device platform generates a message for a destination, or responding, industrial computing device in the communication protocol of the destination platform, and wraps the message in a communication protocol of the process control messaging service. The communication architecture decodes the wrapped message into the communication protocol of the destination industrial computing device and forwards the decoded wrapped message to the destination.

Abstract: Multi-functional field maintenance (FM) tools that connect to process control devices, such as FOUNDATION Fieldbus and Highway Addressable Remote Transducer devices, can automatically detect and simultaneously identify communications, troubleshoot connections, and supply power in a process control plant. Simplifying the troubleshooting process, by guiding a user of a multi-functional FM tool through recommended troubleshooting steps, while simultaneously detecting and correcting issues reduces the number of tools required to maintain process control devices, reduces the risk of damage, and improves efficiency by minimizing production downtime.

Abstract: An industrial service device fleet management system implements an organized and easy to use methodology to manage the digital content stored on each of a plurality of portable or stationary devices used in a plant, such as portable maintenance devices, to assure that each of the portable devices receives or implements only the content that it is supposed to have and is upgraded at the appropriate time to include new content, features, etc. The fleet management system includes a memory for storing information related to the fleet of portable or stationary devices including device identifications, device descriptions, end user names and privileges, the current content of each of the portable devices, and templates defining configuration parameters for the portable or stationary devices. The system also includes a content downloader that obtains, stores, and downloads content (such as software and firmware upgrades, additional features, applications, drivers, knowledge articles, etc.