Accessing and updating a configuration database from...

Details Accessing and updating a configuration database from... Accessing and updating a configuration database from...

2000-04-28

2004-03-09

Corrielus, Jean M. (Department: 2172)

Data processing: database and file management or data structures

Database design

Data structure types

C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06704737

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to process control systems and, more particularly, to a process control configuration system having a configuration database that can be accessed and updated from geographically distributed physical locations within a process control system.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Process control systems, like those used in chemical, petroleum or other processes, typically include at least one process controller communicatively coupled to at least one host device or operator workstation and to one or more field devices via analog and/or digital buses or other communication lines or channels. The field devices, which may be, for example, valves, valve positioners, switches, transmitters (e.g., temperature, pressure and flow rate sensors), etc. perform functions within the process such as opening or closing valves and measuring process parameters. During runtime of a process, the process controller receives signals indicative of process measurements made by the field devices and/or other information pertaining to the field devices via an input/output (I/O) device, uses this information to implement a control routine and then generates control signals which are sent over the buses or other communication channels via the input/output device to the field devices to control the operation of the process. Information from the field devices and the controller is typically made available during runtime to one or more applications executed by the operator workstation to enable an operator to perform any desired function with respect to the process, such as viewing the current state of the process. Additionally, configuration applications executed on a user interface, such as a host device, workstation, laptop computer, etc. may be used to modify the operation of the process, configure the process, view the configuration of the process, document the process configuration, etc.
Generally speaking, process control systems are configured using a configuration database that stores configuration information pertaining to each of the hardware and software elements within the process control system, the manner in which the hardware elements, such as different devices and controllers in the process, are physically interconnected and the manner in which different software elements, such as control modules, communication modules, etc., are associated with and executed by the different devices within the process control system to perform process control. In some cases, the configuration database is an object-oriented database that stores configuration objects or components for each different logical element of a process control system as objects. The configuration database may, for example, include a library that stores object templates for some or all of the hardware and software elements, these templates being used to create configuration objects for instances of hardware or software elements actually used within the process control system. The configuration database may also include setup or physical network sections that define the manner in which the physical elements of a process control system are set up, distributed and connected together. In some cases, the configuration database also includes a control section that defines how control is performed using controllers, field devices and control modules or control routines executed in the controllers and/or the field devices. During configuration of the process control system, a configuration routine or application executed in, for example, a user interface or workstation, is used to create or modify the configuration database to reflect the actual configuration of the process control system. This configuration application typically uses the information within the configuration database to configure devices, controllers, etc. associated with the process control system and stores new configuration information in the configuration database after any configuration activity is performed, such as when a device or software element is added to the system, changed, etc.
Still further, the configuration database is generally used to display the current configuration of the process control system to users via user interfaces connected to the process control system. In the past, some of the process control system user interfaces, configuration databases and controllers were communicatively connected together by a dedicated bus, such as an Ethernet bus, to form a local area network (LAN). Because the dedicated Ethernet bus has a large bandwidth, and because any particular signal or data request sent over the Ethernet bus does not have to travel over a very long distance within the LAN, communication with the configuration database by one of the user interfaces is fairly straightforward and fast in these systems. As a result, configuration display routines executed in the user interfaces typically access and retrieve configuration information from the configuration database each time the user indicates or requests information pertaining to the configuration of the process control system. This retrieved information is then sent out over the Ethernet bus and is displayed to the user at the user interface. Because of speed (or high bandwidth) of the dedicated Ethernet bus, multiple users can access the configuration database relatively simultaneously and can view the same or different configuration data pertaining to the configuration of the process control system. Similarly, different users can reconfigure different parts of the process control system because any new configuration data that was generated was able to be provided directly to the configuration database in a relatively short amount of time via the dedicated Ethernet bus. Still further, because only those devices connected to the LAN can access the configuration database, and because the LAN is typically limited to a single process location, there is not much need to enable a large number of user interfaces to access the configuration database simultaneously.
Recently, however, there has been a general increase in the size of some process control systems and there has been a desire to integrate configuration information for process control networks spread out or distributed over larger or separated geographical areas. For example, some users wish combine the configuration data associated with different process sites, which may be in different counties, states or even different countries, thereby allowing an operator at a first site to access and view configuration information about a second site and possibly even perform configuration activities that effect the second site from the first site. In another example, a user may wish to integrate an oil well located on a platform many miles out in the ocean with an oil refinery process control system having numerous controllers, user interfaces, etc. located on the mainland. In this case, it is desirable to enable a user at the oil refinery site to reconfigure or effect the configuration of the devices on the oil well platform without actually having to fly out to the platform, connect a user interface to a terminal on the oil well platform and reconfigure the oil well controller, as is typically necessary now. Still further, with the integration of multiple process control sites, the number of user interfaces which may be used to simultaneously access the configuration databases of these sites increases significantly.
When integrating multiple geographically separated sites, however, it is practically, if not actually, impossible to connect the different sites using a common dedicated bus, such as the Ethernet bus, due to the distances involved. It is possible, however, to use a satellite, cellular or other type of wireless link or a wide area network link, such as the Internet, or T
1
lines, to establish a communication connection between the different sites of a process control system, to thereby enable the integration of geographically separated portions of a process control network. However,

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