Abstract: A transactional data communications system and method communicates information within an enterprise having a process control system and a plurality of information technology systems that are communicatively coupled to the process control system via a web services interface and a transactional information server. The system and method generates transactional process control information and formats the transactional process control information based on an extensible markup language input schema to form formatted transactional process control information. The system and method sends the formatted transactional process control information to the transactional information server via the web services interface and maps the formatted transactional process control information to an extensible markup language output schema associated with one of the plurality of information technology systems to form mapped transactional process control information.

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 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 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: 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 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 diagnostic system for use in a process control system collects and stores in a database information pertaining to the operation of the process control system, and that uses an expert engine to apply rules for analysis to the information in the database to determine solutions to problems. The database stores various types of information such as event and alarm data, notices of scheduled maintenance and changes to operating parameters, and historical data related to previous changes to the process control system that are relevant to determining both the source of the problems detected in the process control system and the steps necessary to either further analyze or correct the detected problems. The diagnostic system identifies the source of the problem and identifies and runs the appropriate analytical tools or takes remedial measures based on the rules for analysis for the expert engine.

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 diagnostic tool automatically collects and stores data indicative of a variability parameter, a mode parameter, a status parameter and a limit parameter associated with each of the different devices, loops or function blocks within a process control system, processes the collected data to determine which devices, loops or function blocks have problems that result in reduced performance of the process control system, displays a list of detected problems to an operator and then suggests the use of other, more specific diagnostic tools to further pinpoint or correct the problems. When the diagnostic tool recommends and executes a data intensive application as the further diagnostic tool, it automatically configures a controller of the process control network to collect the data needed for such a tool.

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 transactional data communications system and method communicates information within an enterprise having a process control system and a plurality of information technology systems that are communicatively coupled to the process control system via a web services interface and a transactional information server. The system and method generates transactional process control information and formats the transactional process control information based on an extensible markup language input schema to form formatted transactional process control information. The system and method sends the formatted transactional process control information to the transactional information server via the web services interface and maps the formatted transactional process control information to an extensible markup language output schema associated with one of the plurality of information technology systems to form mapped transactional process control information.

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.

Abstract: A diagnostic tool automatically collects and stores data indicative of a variability parameter, a mode parameter, a status parameter and a limit parameter associated with each of the different devices, loops or function blocks within a process control system, processes the collected data to determine which devices, loops or function blocks have problems that result in reduced performance of the process control system, displays a list of detected problems to an operator and then suggests the use of other, more specific diagnostic tools to further pinpoint or correct the problems. When the diagnostic tool recommends and executes a data intensive application as the further diagnostic tool, it automatically configures a controller of the process control network to collect the data needed for such a tool.

Abstract: A diagnostic tool automatically collects and stores data indicative of a variability parameter, a mode parameter, a status parameter and a limit parameter associated with each of the different devices, loops or function blocks within a process control system, processes the collected data to determine which devices, loops or function blocks have problems that result in reduced performance of the process control system, displays a list of detected problems to an operator and then suggests the use of other, more specific diagnostic tools to further pinpoint or correct the problems. When the diagnostic tool recommends and executes a data intensive application as the further diagnostic tool, it automatically configures a controller of the process control network to collect the data needed for such a tool.