| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090070504 | Multi-Protocol Bus Device - In one general aspect, methods and devices for use with multiple communications protocols automatically determine which communications protocol to use when connected to a system bus. Signals transmitted on the system bus are monitored to determine what communications protocol the system bus is using. After determining which communications protocol the system is using, a compatible communications protocol is selected from one of several communications protocols stored in a device's memory. As a result, a user may connect a device to the system bus without having to determine which communications protocol is used by the system bus. Furthermore, suppliers may stock a single type of device that is compatible with multiple communications protocols reducing overhead associated with stocking devices. In addition, a device may be switched between systems without regard to the communications protocol of the device or system. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20100305720 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROL CONFIGURATION WITH CONTROL OBJECTS THAT ARE FIELDBUS PROTOCOL-AWARE - The invention provides, in some aspects, improved apparatus for configuring a control system. The apparatus includes a model made up of objects representing devices of such a system, including, at least one device that defines and/or controls communications on at least a portion of a network within that system. That device is referred to, here, as a “bus master” and the portion of the network is referred to as a “segment.” The object (or objects) representing the bus master can include information defining timings, port assignments and/or other aspects of the configuration of the segment. A download service transfers configuration information from objects in the model to devices in the control system. This includes transferring to the bus master communications configuration information for the segment. A download service according to this aspect of the invention generates—e.g., for logging by a change tracking system—indicia of the configuration information transferred to the bus master. The download service can likewise generate for logging (by the change tracking system) information transferred from the model to other devices in control system. The invention provides improved apparatus for configuring a control system that includes a model that is made up of one or more objects representing one or more devices in the system. The objects have parameters reflecting characteristics of the devices represented by the respective objects. At least one of those parameters is associated with a “track” attribute indicating whether at least selected configuration information transferred from that object to the respective device in the control system is to be logged to a change tracking system. A download service transfers configuration information from objects in the model to devices in the control system. Those downloads can go directly to the respective devices or can go indirectly, e.g., via other devices in the control system (such as controllers, field bus modules, and so forth). Regardless, the download service according to this aspect of the invention generates for logging by the change tracking system indicia of that transferred configuration information. Generation of those indicia is governed, at least in part, by the “track” attribute associated with one or more of the parameters with which the transferred information is associated. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20100305721 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROL CONFIGURATION WITH CONTROL OBJECTS THAT SELF-DEFINE TRACKED PARAMETERS - The invention provides, in some aspects, improved apparatus for configuring a control system. The apparatus includes a model made up of objects representing devices of such a system, including, at least one device that defines and/or controls communications on at least a portion of a network within that system. That device is referred to, here, as a “bus master” and the portion of the network is referred to as a “segment.” The object (or objects) representing the bus master can include information defining timings, port assignments and/or other aspects of the configuration of the segment. A download service transfers configuration information from objects in the model to devices in the control system. This includes transferring to the bus master communications configuration information for the segment. A download service according to this aspect of the invention generates—e.g., for logging by a change tracking system—indicia of the configuration information transferred to the bus master. The download service can likewise generate for logging (by the change tracking system) information transferred from the model to other devices in control system. The invention provides improved apparatus for configuring a control system that includes a model that is made up of one or more objects representing one or more devices in the system. The objects have parameters reflecting characteristics of the devices represented by the respective objects. At least one of those parameters is associated with a “track” attribute indicating whether at least selected configuration information transferred from that object to the respective device in the control system is to be logged to a change tracking system. A download service transfers configuration information from objects in the model to devices in the control system. Those downloads can go directly to the respective devices or can go indirectly, e.g., via other devices in the control system (such as controllers, field bus modules, and so forth). Regardless, the download service according to this aspect of the invention generates for logging by the change tracking system indicia of that transferred configuration information. Generation of those indicia is governed, at least in part, by the “track” attribute associated with one or more of the parameters with which the transferred information is associated. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20110093098 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROL CONFIGURATION WITH ENHANCED CHANGE-TRACKING - The invention provides, in some aspects, a process, environmental, manufacturing, industrial or other such control system (hereinafter, “control system”) with enhanced, real-time change tracking. The system includes one or more configurable elements (e.g., field devices), a change tracking system that records of changes to those configurable elements (e.g., for compliance reporting, etc.) and a change detection system that responds to detected changes in configuration of those element(s) by inferring an identity of a person and/or device responsible for a change, the time of the change, and/or the reason for the change. This is unlike prior art systems, in which that such information must be specified, e.g., in a data entry form filled-in by the field engineer, operator or other who is making the change. | 04-21-2011 |
