Abstract: An asset tracking system for use in a process control environment may include one or more asset tracking devices and an asset tracking host. The asset tracking device may receive signals corresponding to a position or location of an asset to be tracked, and may communicate, using an industrial automation protocol such as wireless HART, an indication of the position to the asset tracking host. The signals may be GPS signals that are re-radiated into the process control environment. Other information, such as environmental data, may be communicated in conjunction with the position of the asset. The asset tracking host may store and/or display the data or information included in the message, and may send a different message to the asset tracking device. An asset tracking device may be included in a field device, a network device, or a portable communications device used in the process control environment.

Abstract: Methods and systems for integrating external and/or enterprise data into a process control system are disclosed. A user interface may be provided to enable browsing and selection of a data item from an external and/or enterprise data source. The selected data item may be associated with a process control entity. At run time, independent of a configuration of the process control entity, an external data integration server or instance of an external data integration service at a process control computing device may periodically communicate with the data source to obtain an updated current value and updated current status for the selected data item for use by the process control entity. The external data integration server and/or external data integration service may consolidate access of external/enterprise data across process control entities, optimize communications with various data sources, and maintain a status of communication with each various data source.

Abstract: Devices and applications within a process control system make data generated therein available using a really simple syndication (RSS) XML communication format, thereby making this data easily retrievable from the plant and useable for various purposes both within and outside of the plant. The RSS data communications may provide RSS data for use in control of the plant or for use in other applications not directly associated with the control of the plant, including third party applications run on devices outside of the plant. The RSS data sent from one device to another may include enclosures, such as video, audio or text files, or may include references such as hyperlinks to other sources of information stored on the receiving device or on a further device that may be accessed and used to understand or process the RSS data.

Abstract: A process control configuration method in a user interface of a computer system for developing control strategies of a process plant, where the user interface defines a screen area to display a plurality of independent panes therein, includes generating a first edit pane, including displaying a graphical representation of a first set of logical or physical entities for carrying out respective process control operations in the process plant; generating a second edit pane, including displaying a graphical representation of a second set of logical or physical entities for carrying out respective process control operations in the process plant, wherein each in the first set and the second set of logical or physical entities includes at least one input and at least one output, and wherein each of the first edit pane and the second edit pane defines an independent user interface screen within the screen area; receiving a first selection of an output of a first entity in the first set of logical or physical entities

Abstract: A process control system within a process plant and, in particular, different devices and applications within the process control system such as field devices, controllers, user interfaces, alarm applications, diagnostics applications, etc. create, store and make data generated therein available using a really simple syndication (RSS) XML communication format, thereby making this data easily retrievable from the plant and useable for various purposes both within and outside of the plant. The RSS data communications may provide RSS data for use in control of the plant or for use in other applications not directly associated with the control of the plant, including third party applications run on devices outside of the plant, such as personal data assistants, pagers, phones, laptop computers, etc.

Abstract: An appendable system includes a plurality of appendable devices that are adapted to interoperate with each other and/or a workstation via a communication network to monitor and/or control a process. Each of the appendable devices can communicate with one or more sensors and/or control outputs and includes a housing that facilitates mounting of the appendable device to a surface.

Abstract: A secondary or “sidebar” display within a process control environment may provide several small applications to allow business managers, engineers, maintenance personnel, or other non-operator personnel to organize and manage process control system information and to display selected diagnostics and summary information or “key operating parameters” for the process control system. Further, sidebar applications may communicate with other applications that are executing on a non-operator user's workstation to, thereby, retrieve information related to tasks that the user is currently completing. The sidebar application may then determine whether certain process control information may be useful for the main task the user is completing and display that process control information within the sidebar.

Abstract: Methods and systems for integrating external and/or enterprise data into a process control system are disclosed. A user interface may be provided to enable browsing and selection of a data item from an external and/or enterprise data source. The selected data item may be associated with a process control entity. At run time, independent of a configuration of the process control entity, an external data integration server or instance of an external data integration service at a process control computing device may periodically communicate with the data source to obtain an updated current value and updated current status for the selected data item for use by the process control entity. The external data integration server and/or external data integration service may consolidate access of external/enterprise data across process control entities, optimize communications with various data sources, and maintain a status of communication with each various data source.

Abstract: Proper function and security of a complex network for communicating data within a process control system may be manually or automatically “locked-down” with a single command for an entire process control network or portions of the network. A user or application monitors network communication over multiple network devices. Once the network is configured and properly communicates data over the process control network, the application may lock down the network by deactivating or “locking out” access points on the network that are open and unused or have invalid connections. Locking down the network may essentially freeze it in a properly configured and functioning state and restrict future re-configuration of the network devices or harmful communication over an open or unused access point. When locked, is a currently connected device is unplugged and a different device is plugged into the access point, the network device may refuse the connection.

Abstract: A uniform resource locator (URL) is embedded in computerized or digital documentation for a physical and/or a software process control element existing within a process control environment to thereby provide an automatic link to documentation or other applications that exist in other processing or data environments, such as in a word processing environment or in a data manipulation environment. The URL may include a generalized field having a descriptor that identifies a property of the process control element and that operates so that, when the URL is selected, the generalized field is replaced with the property identified by the descriptor.

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 method of accessing an element in a process control environment using a portable communicator includes defining a plurality of control areas within the process control environment, determining a position of a user operating a portable communicator with respect to one or more of the control areas, establishing an identity of the user, and selectively allowing the user to access an element within the process control environment via the portable communicator depending on the determined position of the user with respect to the one or more control areas and on the identity of the user.

Abstract: An appendable system includes a plurality of appendable devices that are adapted to interoperate with each other and/or a workstation via a communication network to monitor and/or control a process. Each of the appendable devices can communicate with one or more sensors and/or control outputs and includes a housing that facilitates mounting of the appendable device to a surface.

Abstract: An appendable system includes a plurality of appendable devices that are adapted to interoperate with each other and/or a workstation via a communication network to monitor and/or control a process. Each of the appendable devices can communicate with one or more sensors and/or control outputs and includes a housing that facilitates mounting of the appendable device to a surface.

Abstract: A uniform resource locator (URL) is embedded in computerized or digital documentation for a physical and/or a software process control element existing within a process control environment to thereby provide an automatic link to documentation or other applications that exist in other processing or data environments, such as in a word processing environment or in a data manipulation environment. The URL may include a generalized field having a descriptor that identifies a property of the process control element and that operates so that, when the URL is selected, the generalized field is replaced with the property identified by the descriptor.

Abstract: A process plant uses an asset utilization expert to collect data or information pertaining to the assets of the process plant from various sources or functional areas of the plant including, for example, the process control functional areas, the maintenance functional areas and the business systems functional areas. This data and information is stored in a database and is sent to and manipulated in a coordinated manner by tools, such as optimization and modeling tools. This data is also redistributed to other areas or tools where it is used to perform overall better or more optimal control, maintenance and business activities. Information or data may be collected by maintenance functions pertaining to the health, variability, performance or utilization of a device, loop, unit, etc. and this information may then be sent to and displayed to a process operator or maintenance person to inform that person of a current or future problem.

Abstract: A uniform resource locator (URL) is embedded in computerized or digital documentation for a physical and/or a software process control element existing within a process control environment to thereby provide an automatic link to documentation or other applications that exist in other processing or data environments, such as in a word processing environment or in a data manipulation environment.

Abstract: An alarm display and interface tool for use in a process control system receives and displays different categories of alarms, including for example, device alarms and hardware alarms as well as traditional process alarms, on a single display to enable an operator or other user to view and have access to these different categories of alarms. The display and interface tool may be used to filter the alarms that are displayed according to any number of categories, including the category of the alarm, the priority of the alarm, the status of the alarm, etc. so as to alternatively segregate or combine the tasks typically associated with operator, maintenance and engineer personnel. The tool may also be used to access each of the displayed alarms to obtain more information about any individual alarm.

Abstract: A process control system uses an asset utilization expert to collect data or information pertaining to the assets of a process plant from various sources or functional areas of the plant including, for example, the process control functional areas, the maintenance functional areas and the business systems functional areas. This data and information is manipulated in a coordinated manner by tools, such as optimization and modeling tools and is redistributed to other areas or tools where it is used to perform overall better or more optimal control, maintenance and business activities. Information or data may be collected by maintenance functions pertaining to the health, variability, performance or utilization of a device, loop, unit, etc. and this information may then be sent to and displayed to a process operator or maintenance person to inform that person of a current or future problem.

Abstract: A process control system uses a data collection and distribution system and an asset utilization suite to collect data or information pertaining to the assets of a process plant from various sources or functional areas of the plant including, for example, the process control functional areas, the maintenance functional areas and the process performance monitoring functional areas. This data and information is manipulated in a coordinated manner by the data collection and distribution system and is redistributed to other applications where this it is used to perform overall better or more optimal control, maintenance and business activities. Information or data may be collected by maintenance functions pertaining to the health, variability, performance or utilization of a device, loop, unit, area, etc. and this information may then be sent to and displayed to a process operator or maintenance person to inform that person of a current or future problem.