| Patent Number |
Title Of Patent |
Date Issued |
| RE40817 |
Process control system including automatic sensing and automatic configuration of devices |
June 30, 2009 |
| A digital control system with a predetermined configuration automatically senses the connection to a network of a digital device that is not included in the predetermined configuration. The digital device is assigned temporary address information and placed in a temporary state, call |
| RE38640 |
Process control terminal |
October 26, 2004 |
| A process control terminal may be used in a computer network consisting of a process control network of process controllers and an application network of host computers. The process control terminal allows a process control operator access to both process control functions and applicatio |
| 7623932 |
Rule set for root cause diagnostics |
November 24, 2009 |
| A reduced rule set for identifying a root cause of an aberration in an industrial process is generated from a complete rule base. The rule base includes plurality of rules for the industrial process, and each rule comprises a condition of at least one process signal of the industrial |
| 7623479 |
Process control system devices with dual hardwired and wireless communication ports |
November 24, 2009 |
| Field devices or other devices within a process control system are provided with both hardwired and wireless communication ports to enable communications to be performed within the process control system using one or both of hardwired and wireless communications. In particular, a fie |
| 7620460 |
Process control with unreliable communications |
November 17, 2009 |
| Disclosed are methods and devices for controlling a process with a control signal. Iterations of a control routine are implemented to generate the control signal, and when an indication of a response to the control signal is unavailable, a feedback contribution to the control signal is |
| 7609713 |
Associating a signal measurement with a communication device on a network |
October 27, 2009 |
| A signal measured on a network is associated with one of a plurality of communication devices connected to the network. The designation address of an active communication device that is scheduled to communicate next is determined. The next received signal on the network is associated wit |
| 7609660 |
Wireless transceiver pair disposed within a process control system |
October 27, 2009 |
| A pair of wireless transceivers is disposed within a process control system to enable wireless communications between multiple devices within the process control system, such as between field devices, control units, user terminals, controllers, etc. In one embodiment, a process control |
| 7602741 |
Field device in a process control system using wireless radio communications to transmit and rec |
October 13, 2009 |
| An apparatus provides wireless communication between multiple devices within a process control system, such as between field devices, control units, user terminals, controllers, etc., using a wireless bus protocol. In one embodiment, a process control system for use within a process |
| 7600234 |
Method for launching applications |
October 6, 2009 |
| An originating application in a process plant is able to launch multiple desired applications, with one or more of the desired applications having a different application programming interface. In one example, the originating application is able to launch multiple desired applications |
| 7599748 |
Use of uniform resource locators in process control system documentation |
October 6, 2009 |
| 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 |
| 7587662 |
Detection of noise within an operating frequency on a network |
September 8, 2009 |
| Noise is detected within an operating frequency of a communication medium. Messages are monitored on the communication medium for corrupted messages. A noise detected signal is generated when a number of corrupted messages detected reaches a corrupted message threshold. |
| 7587252 |
Non-periodic control communications in wireless and other process control systems |
September 8, 2009 |
| Disclosed is a controller having a processor and a control module adapted for periodic execution by the processor and configured to be responsive to a process variable to generate a control signal for a process. An iteration of the periodic execution of the control module involves im |
| 7582989 |
Safety relay having independently testable contacts |
September 1, 2009 |
| Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture related to safety relays having independently testable relay contacts are disclosed. In one disclosed example, a safety relay includes a plurality of relay coils, each of which is coupled in parallel to a first node via a respective one |
| 7574531 |
Deferred acknowledgment communications and alarm management |
August 11, 2009 |
| A communication technique enables the efficient transmission of data through a low bandwidth and/or time delayed communication link and minimizes the idle time of the communication link by using a deferred acknowledgment of message bundles to temporally pack the communication link. T |
| 7574509 |
Interactive two-way collaboration in process control plants |
August 11, 2009 |
| 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 |
| 7562135 |
Enhanced fieldbus device alerts in a process control system |
July 14, 2009 |
| Enhanced Fieldbus device alerts enable Fieldbus devices within a process control system to report alarm or alert conditions that are detected within the devices to a system user or operator using a plurality of independently reportable device alarm parameters, each of which correspon |
| 7561930 |
Dynamic modifier function blocks for use in a process control system |
July 14, 2009 |
| Dynamic modifier function blocks for use in a process control system are disclosed. In accordance with one aspect, an example function block is stored on a machine readable medium for use in a process control system. The example function block includes a base function block that causes a |
| 7551969 |
State based adaptive feedback feedforward PID controller |
June 23, 2009 |
| A state based adaptive feedback/feedforward PID controller includes a model set component, communicatively coupled to a process input, having a state variable defining a number of process regions, and a number of models grouped into the process regions. Each of the grouped models inc |
| 7536274 |
System and method for detecting an abnormal situation associated with a heater |
May 19, 2009 |
| A system for detecting abnormal situations associated with a heater in a process plant receives statistical data associated with the heater unit. The statistical data is analyzed to detect whether one or more abnormal situations associated with the heater exist. The statistical data may |
| 7526802 |
Memory authentication for intrinsically safe field maintenance tools |
April 28, 2009 |
| A memory authentication technique for field maintenance tools is provided. A non-volatile electronic memory includes a unique software identifier. A non-reversible algorithm is applied to the unique software identifier to obtain a result. The result is then encrypted and compared with a |
| 7526405 |
Statistical signatures used with multivariate statistical analysis for fault detection and isola |
April 28, 2009 |
| A system and method for monitoring a process in a process plant and detecting an abnormal condition includes collecting data representative of the operation of the process, performing a multivariate statistical analysis to represent the operation of the process in a known state based |
| 7526347 |
Security for objects in a process plant configuration system |
April 28, 2009 |
| A configuration system uses process plant items that may represent, or be capable of representing, entities in a process plant to assist in configuring, organizing, and changing the control and display activities within the process plant. Access to the items may be controlled by asso |
| 7519083 |
Shadow function block interface for use in a process control network |
April 14, 2009 |
| A process control routine may include a first internal function block for executing a control operation based on an input signal and an information conduit communicatively connected to the first internal function block. The information conduit may have an output adapted to provide the in |
| 7519012 |
Distributed control system for controlling material flow having wireless transceiver connected t |
April 14, 2009 |
| An apparatus provides redundant wireless to access field devices in a distributed control system having primary access to the field devices provided by hard-wired media that couples the field devices to the control room. The field devices are coupled to a Fieldbus control network. In |
| 7515977 |
Integrated configuration system for use in a process plant |
April 7, 2009 |
| An integrated configuration viewing system for use in a process plant includes a computer readable memory and a plurality of template configuration objects stored on the computer readable memory. Each of the plurality of template configuration objects includes a graphical representat |
| 7512521 |
Intrinsically safe field maintenance tool with power islands |
March 31, 2009 |
| A hand held configuration for coupling to a two wire process control loop for use in configuring and monitoring field units coupled to the two wire process control loop is provided which includes a power supply, and at least two power islands. The power islands are configured to electric |
| 7496099 |
Communication controller for coordinating transmission of scheduled and unscheduled messages |
February 24, 2009 |
| A device on a process control network transmits scheduled messages at periodic intervals and unscheduled messages between scheduled message transmissions. A dynamic time remaining value is produced by subtracting a current timer value from a next scheduled event time each time the ti |
| 7496041 |
High speed auto-tuning loop |
February 24, 2009 |
| An auto-tuner is adapted to be used in a distributed process control network having a communications network that communicatively couples a process controller, which executes a process control routine, and one or more process devices used in a process control loop. The auto-tuner inc |
| 7493310 |
Data visualization within an integrated asset data system for a process plant |
February 17, 2009 |
| A process plant data collection and viewing system uses a common or integrated navigational tree structure and one or more common display formats to enable a user to view, in a similar and consistent manner, information obtained from different applications or data sources within a pr |
| 7474929 |
Enhanced tool for managing a process control network |
January 6, 2009 |
| A process control configuration and management system provides a plurality of function blocks representing a plurality of devices in relation to a spatial layout of a facility in which the process control system is implemented. The configuration and management system also provides pr |
| 7460865 |
Self-configuring communication networks for use with process control systems |
December 2, 2008 |
| Disclosed herein are methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for configuring a communication network associated with a plurality of wireless enabled field devices. A disclosed example method of establishing a communication network for use in a process control system having a c |
| 7453834 |
Distributed control system for controlling material flow having wireless transceiver connected t |
November 18, 2008 |
| A wireless bridge device disposed within a process control system provides wireless communication between multiple devices within the process control system, such as between field devices, control units, user terminals, controllers, etc. In one embodiment, a process control system di |
| 7451004 |
On-line adaptive model predictive control in a process control system |
November 11, 2008 |
| A method of creating and using an adaptive DMC type or other MPC controller includes using a model switching technique to periodically determine a process model, such as a parameterized process model, for a process loop on-line during operation of the process. The method then uses th |
| 7447612 |
Appendable system and devices for data acquisition, analysis and control |
November 4, 2008 |
| 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 contro |
| 7444427 |
System and method for preventing transmission during message reception |
October 28, 2008 |
| A communication controller in a device on a network automatically prevents transmission of data onto the network in response to a transmit request from a CPU of the device if a message is being received or has been received but not read or acknowledged. |
| 7444191 |
Process model identification in a process control system |
October 28, 2008 |
| Disclosed is a method of controlling and managing a process control system having a plurality of control loops. The method includes implementing a plurality of control routines to control operation of the plurality of control loops, respectively. The plurality of control routines may |
| 7436797 |
Wireless architecture and support for process control systems |
October 14, 2008 |
| A wireless communication system for use in a process environment uses mesh and possibly a combination of mesh and point-to-point communications to produce a wireless communication network that can be easily set up, configured, changed and monitored, thereby making a wireless communic |
| 7426452 |
Dual protocol handheld field maintenance tool with radio-frequency communication |
September 16, 2008 |
| A dual-protocol handheld field maintenance tool is provided with radio frequency communication. The radio frequency commination can be provided by virtue of an SDIO card inserted within an SDIO slot in the handheld field maintenance tool. A method of interacting with a process using a |
| 7392165 |
Simulation system for multi-node process control systems |
June 24, 2008 |
| A simulation system attaches to a configuration database for one or more fully configured nodes of a process control system and copies the modules within those nodes into one or more simulation computers as simulation modules. The simulation system includes an algorithm that automaticall |
| 7389204 |
Data presentation system for abnormal situation prevention in a process plant |
June 17, 2008 |
| A system for visually presenting data receives signal processing data generated signal processing data collection blocks corresponding to devices associated with a process plant. The signal processing data collection blocks may generate data such as statistical data, frequency analys |
| 7376472 |
Integrated model predictive control and optimization within a process control system |
May 20, 2008 |
| An integrated optimization and control technique integrates an optimization procedure, such as a linear or quadratic programming optimization procedure, with advanced control, such as model predictive control, within a process plant in which the number of control and auxiliary variab |
| 7370239 |
Input/output device with configuration, fault isolation and redundant fault assist functionality |
May 6, 2008 |
| A process control system includes a plurality of input/output (I/O) devices and a controller in communication using a bus. Each I/O device has an interface for communicatively linking the I/O device with the bus, and includes a device processor which, upon detection of a potential I/O |
| 7369912 |
Batch execution engine with independent batch execution processes |
May 6, 2008 |
| A process plant control system includes a batch execution engine that spawns or creates an individual batch process application in a separate application process space for each batch to be run within a process plant. The batch execution engine includes communication software for comm |
| 7346404 |
Data sharing in a process plant |
March 18, 2008 |
| 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 b |
| 7337022 |
Constraint and limit feasibility handling in a process control system optimizer |
February 26, 2008 |
| An optimization technique for use in driving a process plant controller, such as a model predictive controller, uses an organized, systematic but computationally simple method of relaxing or redefining manipulated, control and/or auxiliary variable constraints when there is no feasible |
| 7337013 |
Use of uniform resource locators in process control system documentation |
February 26, 2008 |
| 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 |
| 7330768 |
Integrated configuration in a process plant having a process control system and a safety system |
February 12, 2008 |
| A process plant includes a safety system that is physically and logically integrated with a process control system such that the safety system and the process control system can use common communication, configuration hardware and software within the process plant while still providing |
| 7330767 |
Configuration and viewing display for an integrated model predictive control and optimizer funct |
February 12, 2008 |
| An interface or display routine is provided for use in viewing and configuring a function block that performs integrated optimization and control within a process control system. The interface routine may enable a user to view or configure variables, values or other parameters associ |
| 7317953 |
Adaptive multivariable process controller using model switching and attribute interpolation |
January 8, 2008 |
| An adaptive multivariable process control system includes a multivariable process controller, such as a model predictive controller, having a multivariable process model characterized as a set of two or more single-input, single-output (SISO) models and an adaptation system which ada |
| 7299415 |
Method and apparatus for providing help information in multiple formats |
November 20, 2007 |
| A system and method that provides help information pertaining a process entity, such as a process device, in a number of different formats presents a first display template that enables a user to request the help information in a first format such as a DDHelp format and presents a se |
