| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090076628 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO UPGRADE AND PROVIDE CONTROL REDUNDANCY IN PROCESS PLANTS - Methods and apparatus to upgrade and provide control redundancy in process plants are disclosed. An example disclosed method to upgrade software for a control device of a process control system comprises instantiating a replacement component of the software, copying state data from an existing component to the replacement component, and changing the replacement component to an active mode when a first state of the replacement component matches a second state of the existing component. | 03-19-2009 |
| 20090307336 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING A SEQUENTIAL SYNCHRONIZATION HIERARCHY AMONG NETWORKED DEVICES - Methods and apparatus for implementing a sequential synchronization hierarchy among networked devices are disclosed. An example synchronization method disclosed herein comprises configuring a first networked node to be a parent node associated directly with second and third networked nodes configured to be respective first and second direct child nodes, selecting other networked nodes to be a set of indirect child nodes associated indirectly with the parent node through the first direct child node, and configuring the parent node to send information undergoing synchronization to the direct child nodes sequentially based on a plurality of hierarchical synchronization levels associated with the direct child nodes, but to not send the information to the set of indirect child nodes, wherein the first direct child node is to propagate the information to the set of indirect child nodes while the parent node is to send the information to the second direct child node. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20100131939 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO PROVIDE CUSTOMIZED RELEASE NOTES DURING A SOFTWARE SYSTEM UPGRADE OF A PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEM - An example customized documentation generation apparatus is disclosed that generates documents relevant to a software update/upgrade of a particular process control system. A notes instrumentation module instruments general release notes for at least one of an update or an upgrade of a process control system to correlate the release notes with a general process control system configuration to produce instrumented notes. An upgrade assessment module determines configuration information for a particular process control system to provide default filter settings. An items of interest filter applies the default filter settings for the particular process control system to the instrumented notes to filter the instrumented notes and produce custom release notes for the particular process control system. The custom release notes are provided to a user to alert the user regarding potential effects of the update/upgrade on the particular process control system. | 05-27-2010 |
| 20100149997 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS TO VERIFY A COMMUNICATION PATH BETWEEN A FIELD DEVICE AND A PROCESS CONTROLLER IN A PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEM - Example methods and systems to verify a communication path between a field device and a process controller in a process control system are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes transmitting via a first wireless communication path to a first portion of a process control system associated with one of the field device or the process controller, a command signal from a verification controller. In response to receiving the command signal in the first portion of the process control system, transmitting a verification signal via a first wired communication path from the first portion of the process control system to a second portion of the process control system associated with the other one of the field device or the process controller. Then, in response to receiving the verification signal in the second portion of the process control system, transmitting a reception signal via a second wireless communication path from the second portion of the process control system to the verification controller and in response to receiving the verification signal in the verification controller, verifying the communication path between the field device and the process controller. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100293495 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO CONCEAL PORTIONS OF A VISUAL OBJECT DIAGRAM IN A PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEM - Example methods and apparatus to conceal portions of a visual object diagram in a process control system are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes receiving a selection to conceal a first functional block within a visual object diagram, wherein the first functional block is associated with a first view parameter, determining a link from a process control parameter within the first functional block to a first intersection within a second functional block within the visual object diagram, wherein the link is associated with a second view parameter, coupling the first view parameter and the second view parameter to the first intersection, and concealing the link and the first functional block. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20110009985 | CUSTOM FUNCTION BLOCKS FOR USE WITH PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS - A system and method for creating and incorporating a function block within a process control system enables a user of the process control system to generate a function block by combining a plurality of files selected from a group of files provided by the manufacturer of the process control system to form a source code file associated with the function block. The user can modify the function block source code file to include a procedure, routine or algorithm that is not provided by the manufacturer and can send the modified source code file to the manufacturer for validation. If the function block source code file is validated, a security measure such as a digital signature is provided to the user that enables the user to incorporate the function block within the process control system. The function blocks can be used to incorporate anew function into a process control application or to operatively integrate a data source external to a process control application with the process control application via data mapping functions performed by the function blocks. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110071651 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO MANAGE MODULE RUN SEQUENCES IN A PROCESS CONTROL ENVIRONMENT - Example methods and apparatus to manage module run sequences in a process control environment are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes receiving a module including a plurality of function blocks, receiving an indication of a subset of the plurality of function blocks, and receiving an indication of a first sequence of execution for the subset, wherein the first sequence of execution is different than a second sequence of execution associated with the module. The example method also includes associating the subset with a run sequence identifier, and associating the run sequence identifier with a trigger condition. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110072506 | Integrated unified threat management for a process control system - A Unified Threat Management System (UTMS) for securing network traffic in a process control system may comprise network devices configured to receive network traffic related to the process control system and including a ruleset received from an external source. The ruleset may include one or more rules defining a condition to accept or deny the network traffic received at the network device. The state of the network device may be integrated into the process control system as a process control object or variable, thus allowing the state and other UTMS and component network device parameters and variables to be displayed to an operator at a workstation within a graphical process control system environment. The network devices may also communicate with a perpetual service that proactively supplies the devices with rulesets to meet the latest security threats, threat patterns, and control system vulnerabilities found or predicted to exist within the network. | 03-24-2011 |
